SPOKANE, Wash. — The Mead School board discussed a new policy for teaching students about critical race theory and banning some books that address LGBTQ+ topics in elementary schools at its meeting on Monday.
Mead School Board Director Michael Cannon has introduced a policy that sets parameters for discussing critical race theory in class. Part of that policy says the following statements should not be made in classroom discussion, except in age-appropriate settings where there can be more than one perspective.
- One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex
- The United States is fundamentally racist or sexist
- Any individual should feel guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of their race or sex
During Monday's meeting, teachers and principals within the district insisted that critical race theory wasn't being taught in the first place.
"CRT is not taught in our schools, but we do have to teach kids about racism and what it means," Northwood Middle School Principal Troy Hughes said.
Spokane NAACP President Kiantha Duncan shared concerns about the policy in a Facebook live. “Not having it in your schools, not talking about what actually happened does not mean that it didn’t happen,” Duncan said.
Cannon has also introduced a first reading of new restrictions in elementary school libraries. The proposed addition is “Such resources must be age appropriate and shall not include references to gender identity, gender fluidity, the gender spectrum, or gender-neutral ideology in any form in Elementary libraries.” It is up to the superintendent to decide a process for how to select library materials.
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