After describing the numerous problems in the Merrimack schools with their science and SEL programs, now is a good time to look at one of the English Language Arts programs used in the school.
Oddly enough, it was mentioned during the budget committee meeting that Merrimack chose three E/LA programs for the students. One of the programs they chose was Wit and Wisdom. Merrimack residents might be interested to know that parents in Tennessee took Wit and Wisdom to court. Not only did Merrimack’s SAU administrators choose a science and SEL program with CRT messaging, they also chose an English Language Arts program with the same CRT content.
The suit argues in its introduction that CRT “is an inherently divisive, debilitating and racist teaching practice that instructs students to only view life through the lens of race and presumes that some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist or oppressive, and that other students are their victims. Like all forms of political indoctrination, it has no place in Williamson County school classrooms.”
Here are some details to this lawsuit and why parents would fight to rid their schools in Tennessee of Wit and Wisdom.
Parents are claiming that their children suffered psychological harm:
If an English Language Arts program can cause psychological harm to children, how will the school district resolve those problems? Will they turn to their SEL program for help, or through the mental health treatment they are providing to children in the school?
From the Tennessee Lawsuit :
The grandparents and legal guardians of a second grade student from Bethesda/WinsteadElementary, (a multicultural family) wrote to their child’s teacher regarding Module 3
Civil Rights Heroes.
They expressed their concern over the “underlying narrative being America is racist and White Americans are bad people.” They went on to state that they “have read ahead, and this theme continues very subtly throughout the entire module. A person could reasonably draw the conclusion that the goal of this module is not teach the importance of the Civil Rights Movement that was achieved by the efforts of everyday Americans and its leaders, Black and White alike working together, but rather as a curriculum of shame with intention of sowing seeds of divisiveness, discontent and self-loathing.” The teacher that received the complaint agreed with the grandparents and said that “these are tough topics for 2nd graders.”The mother explained how her eldest daughter was reading racially charged material in her AP English Class, and coming home questioning her value as a person. She explained that her seven-year-old now suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and is under psychological treatment due to the divisive material read in the first grade; and how the seven year old child’s self-esteem has been decimated, and how she thinks she must apologize for having white skin.
What Parents May Not Know
Several years ago, I sent a Right to Know Request to the district asking for information on the SEL program they chose for the school. You can read about that here. When school districts purchase SEL programs or even an English or Science program, any data on students that is entered into their Chromebooks is then shared with the EdTech vendor.
Years ago, in order to share this sensitive personal mental health information with any outside source, parents were required to consent. There was a change to the federal FERPA law, and parents no longer have to consent. Not only are these online vendors collecting a student’s math scores, but they are also gathering personal mental health data on students. With the recent breach of student data by PowerSchool, all kinds of personal information may now be in the hands of data hackers.
One thing’s for sure: it’s difficult to look at the ed tech vendors, and programs chosen for students in this district ,and not believe there is a radical political agenda incorporated into a child’s day at school. And with the direct reports during public comments by Merrimack parents who’ve shared stories about their children suffering academically, it’s no wonder the community is pushing back on spending more money. If what they choose to use in the school is of poor quality, and comes with political messages, it should be expected that residents will push back. Too many are struggling to pay their bills to ignore all of this.
