CURRICULUM UNDER FIRE
Superintendent addresses ‘misinformation,’ denies the town is teaching critical race theory
GREENWICH — The Greenwich Public School district does not teach critical race theory, Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones reiterated in a Thursday email to parents, which she said was aimed at addressing “misinformation shared about curriculum processes, structure and content over the last few weeks.”
The statement was sent to all district families after consulting with the district’s Parent Teacher Association Council, according to Jones. It seeks to provide context on a variety of curricular issues that have
been the hotly debated and protested in recent months.
Chief among those issues is critical race theory — an academic framework of looking at history through the lens of race that has burst into popular discourse in the last year — which some parents have alleged is an anti-American, political ideology that is now present in Greenwich schools.
“We do not want our efforts around DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) to be miscommunicated or misinterpreted to suggest that we are teaching ‘Critical Race Theory,’ ” the statement says. “‘Critical Race Theory’ is not part of the GPS curriculum. We do, however, want our students to be critical thinkers, listeners and analyze the past, present and future in regards to how we see and respect one another, which is a core component of our district’s mission to prepare students to function effectively in an interdependent global community.”
Since March, a group of parents has spoken regularly during the public comment portion of Board of Education meetings. They have decried not just critical race theory — which they say is evidenced by a white privilege survey that was distributed to a middle school class — but also ideas such as toxic masculinity and feminism, which they say do not belong in the classroom.
A series of incidents has apparently stoked the fears of parents. In March, an educational cartoon video about physical and emotional abuse was shown to a remote second grade class. It contained a depiction of a man with an erect penis standing near a child.
Around the same time, parents also raised alarms about the middle school survey and the reading of a journalistic article in a high school class called “The Miseducation of the American Boy,” which deals with teenage sexuality and contains explicit language.
Jones has repeatedly denied that critical race theory is taught in Greenwich Schools. At an April 22 school board meeting, district administrators delivered a presentation on how curriculum is developed and the ways in which the district hopes to improve the process.
But complaints have persisted and, earlier this week, signs saying, in part, “ban critical race theory” were put up around town. The signs also call on members of the community to attend the Board of Education meeting on June 17, presumably to speak during public comment.
“Over the past year, we have experienced a small handful of materials which have been called into question,” Jones wrote in her email. “GPS administration and staff take concerns such as these seriously. Upon review, there was an essay utilized at GHS which was not appropriate, and we acknowledged and took the necessary steps to make sure that this essay will not be utilized again with our students. However, some of the materials being called into question are completely appropriate and meet the standard of expectation for GPS, and support our stated curriculum objectives.”
Jones noted the importance of academic freedom, which allows teachers to choose materials within a larger curricular framework and is codified in school board policy. But, the statement says, the district will also invest more in foundational materials from which teachers can draw.
The superintendent also reiterated her commitment to DEI initiatives such as “Stand Up Against Racism Day.”
“GPS prides itself on strong working relationships with our families,” Jones wrote. “As we come to the close of one of our most challenging years on record for students, staff, and families, we acknowledge that we are not perfect. We celebrate our staff who have been teaching and working under a microscope this year in a way which has never been seen before in public education. We will continue to advance achievement for all of our students. GPS is grateful for all that our staff have done, and will continue to do on behalf of our community, and for the continued support of our GPS families.”