The Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 Board of Education on Tuesday faced heated opposition to the school district’s curriculum, including claims that critical race theory is embedded in its courses.
“How many of you have picked up last year’s curriculum? You tell me you’re not teaching critical race theory? It is all over this,” said the first community speaker Tuesday night.
The public comment followed an Aug. 3 board work session in which the board supported removing elements of critical race theory from district instruction.
Although no action items are presented for decision at work session meetings, Superintendent Risha VanderWey said she didn’t have plans to include critical race theory in this year’s curriculum.
At that meeting, board members agreed that critical race theory was embedded in the curriculum, even though they had stipulated previously that it be excluded, they said.
“I think we need to do our due diligence and make sure that it’s not in there,” said board member Tammy Hooten Aug. 3.
Board President Sherri Wright said teachings should remain apolitical and rooted in history.
During the work session, board members agreed to develop a working definition of critical race theory for district use and to review course materials to omit the theory from instruction.
In the district’s current curriculum, critical race theory might be taught loosely until course material is completely reviewed, said Jim Parr, executive director of Academic Student Services.
The board has appointed an informal committee to review subject matter for traces of the theory.
Several attendees Tuesday night forfeited their allotted three minutes of speaking time to allow the speaker to use their allotted time.
“Children don’t need to be taught these things that they’re being taught,” said another speaker. “We are causing them anxiety and unnecessary shame.”
Speakers also listed topics they found to be inappropriate and “dark” in district reading materials.
“I will do my best to get as many parents to remove their kids from school if this (critical race theory) is taught in the school,” said another speaker. “I don’t want them taught hate.”
The community spoke of a parent group being formed to take action addressing their complaints with the curriculum.
“I’m appalled. My stomach hurts over the subject matter students are now being taught,” said Hooten.
Nobody came forward in support of critical race theory at the meeting.
Wright said the district needs to take control of its curriculum.
“I would at this moment like to just apologize and take accountability,” said Board Vice President Sheri Noyes. “I have not seen last year’s curriculum. Sometimes in this position you have people in place that you hope are doing their job and doing it correctly and following your guidance. And if that doesn’t happen, shame on me for not checking on it and making sure that it was all followed through the way it was supposed to be done.”
Board members discussed taking immediate action.
This would mean slowing down and taking the next three to four weeks to talk with administrators and review curriculum while deciding how to proceed, they said.
A motion was passed to move critical race theory to an action item, but board member John Schuenemeyer voted against it, so it was not enacted.
“This is nothing that needs to be done within the next month or two,” Schuenemeyer told The Journal.
There are more pressing issues, such as internet accessibility for students, he said.
He said that to the best of his knowledge, the district was already following Colorado Department of Education standards for teaching.
While he thinks the public should have the right to review curriculum, the process of removing specific things is a “slippery slope,” he said, that can have “significant negative consequences.”
Schuenemeyer said he was concerned that many of the speakers were not parents of students in the district themselves.
