Center School Race and Social Justice Class Issue Heats Up
As Charlie previously reported (via The Stranger Slog), an issue has arisen in a class at The Center School where a student and his/her parents feel some of the material created"intolerable discomfort" for their student.
I still don't have all the whys and whats about this issue but I am seeking clarification.
I will put forth that I was wrong about further appeals. Upon examining the Superintendent procedures, I see that only parents can continue an appeal up to the Board. Teachers are limited to a final ruling by the head of Teaching and Learning.
Now the procedure says that:
The principal will work with the complainant and the teacher to determine if the issue can be resolved at the school level, and shall provide a decision to the complainant within 10 school days.
I do not know if this occurred but I believe so. Therefore, the parents then took it to the district level.
The Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports will appoint an ad hoc committee to review the objection to the materials. The committee shall be composed of the school principal, the regional Executive Director of Schools, the manager of the content area in question, and two other persons ("general members") selected by the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports. At least one of the general members should be a non-staff member of the school community where the material was used.
The committee shall submit a written report outlining the committee's review process and its recommendation about the complaint to the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports within ten (10) school days after the complaint has been received.
The Director of Curriculum and Instructional Support shall review the report and send his/her decision in writing to the complainant within ten (10) school days after the ad hoc committee's written report was received.
Neither the ad hoc committee nor the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports is required to take testimony from witnesses about the material at issue; a paper review is deemed sufficient.
If the instructional material being appealed is a supplementary material, the decision of the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports is final; there are no further appeals.
This was a supplementary material and not a School Board-approved curriculum (as I understand it).
But I see nothing in the procedure about how a teacher can appeal so I think the SEA would have to tell us what is in a teacher's contract to protect approved supplementary materials.
It is my understanding that this teacher has been teaching this class for years. Several former students wrote comments of support for the class at The Stranger Slog.
Here's a petition started by a senior at the school that already has 430 signatures.
I still don't have all the whys and whats about this issue but I am seeking clarification.
I will put forth that I was wrong about further appeals. Upon examining the Superintendent procedures, I see that only parents can continue an appeal up to the Board. Teachers are limited to a final ruling by the head of Teaching and Learning.
Now the procedure says that:
The principal will work with the complainant and the teacher to determine if the issue can be resolved at the school level, and shall provide a decision to the complainant within 10 school days.
I do not know if this occurred but I believe so. Therefore, the parents then took it to the district level.
The Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports will appoint an ad hoc committee to review the objection to the materials. The committee shall be composed of the school principal, the regional Executive Director of Schools, the manager of the content area in question, and two other persons ("general members") selected by the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports. At least one of the general members should be a non-staff member of the school community where the material was used.
The committee shall submit a written report outlining the committee's review process and its recommendation about the complaint to the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports within ten (10) school days after the complaint has been received.
The Director of Curriculum and Instructional Support shall review the report and send his/her decision in writing to the complainant within ten (10) school days after the ad hoc committee's written report was received.
Neither the ad hoc committee nor the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports is required to take testimony from witnesses about the material at issue; a paper review is deemed sufficient.
If the instructional material being appealed is a supplementary material, the decision of the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Supports is final; there are no further appeals.
This was a supplementary material and not a School Board-approved curriculum (as I understand it).
But I see nothing in the procedure about how a teacher can appeal so I think the SEA would have to tell us what is in a teacher's contract to protect approved supplementary materials.
It is my understanding that this teacher has been teaching this class for years. Several former students wrote comments of support for the class at The Stranger Slog.
Here's a petition started by a senior at the school that already has 430 signatures.
Comments
-IMHO
I can't speak to the Center School issue, but we have found our issues resolved at the school level for the most part. Sometimes it's a matter of the teacher simply not having read the book that the students have been given (Readers and Writers Workshop model...).
k5parent
Ben
"“Free interchange of ideas leading to clearer understandings at the maturity level of pupils must be expected as a part of effective teaching. Any challenge of members of the professional staff relative to the use of educational materials on the basis of suitability, upon their presentation of ideas involving morality or patriotism, or upon their literary merit, shall be resolved through utilizing established administrative channels.”
I'm thinking since it hit the district level, the parents found no satisfaction at the school level. As soon as I have details confirmed, I can tell you more but I think the parents are quite good (and may be lawyers) at pushing their viewpoint.
I can't believe for an established class that a school or district can be this intimidated.
Relatedly, in cases I am aware of, admin will use a parent complaint (that is usually ignored, right?) as fodder to go after experienced teachers. Got to build that case for the PIP/probation.
I know of >$100Ks being spent on investigating and persecuting experienced teachers and staff, and once some students/parents get wind that a teacher is vulnerable - the whining, grade-grubbing and complaining can begin in earnest. Some day I'll elaborate on this point. Needless to say, you would be amazed at how much $$$ Legal can spend without limits.
BTW, sorry for being such a frequent poster. Kinda chatty.
This overall topic is related to a Nationwide Study I am doing for my dissertation.
White mothers of biracial daughters and sons are invited to participate in the study. I will be in Seattle April 10 - 14th to interview mothers for this critical study. Please let families know about the study and interested families can contact me.
jlchandler@stritch.edu
The superintendent - and it was the superintendent who did it - took an extraordinary step in directing the teacher to suspend the curriculum until the complaint is resolved. That's not how things have been done in the past and you can imagine what trouble this precident creates. All curricula could be suspended through a series of complaints.
I think we can confidently conclude that the matter was brought to the distrct officials by the student's family as an appeal of the decision made at the school level - the principal stands behind her teacher.
This matter is distressing in a variety of ways.
1. That anyone could enroll their child in an option school with a stated social justice focus and then object to discussions of social justice.
2. That a single complaint could cause the suspension of a long-standing course. That was a really odd choice by the Superintendent. What would he do if someone objected to Everyday Math or CMP II? Would he suspend it as well?
3. The family has refused all compromises. I'm distressed that the family is pressing this complaint without any interest in an accomodation for their child - such as being individually excused from the course work. Their motivation appears punitive towards the teacher rather than protective towards their child. They are on some kind of crusade, but this is not the proper mechanism for such a campaign.
If Ms Heath decides in favor of the curriculum, the student's family may yet appeal it to the School Board.