Board Update

Board Leadership Responds to Member’s Statements

At the school board meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, several comments were made by a board member during the English Language Arts Curriculum proposal discussion that were inaccurate and misleading and some have created confusion in our community. While we respect each member’s right to express their opinion on topics discussed, we believe two of these discrepancies need to be clarified. 

During the meeting, several passages were read from The Breadwinner, a book by Deborah Ellis published in 2006. Assumptions were made without understanding context, that created  the perception that an Afghani girl was struggling with her identity. Instead, the book is about an 11-year-old girl who must disguise herself as a boy to earn money for her family (in a patriarchal society) after her father was arrested by the Taliban. 

Also shared were concerns that “in the 7th grade curriculum there is an entire 6 weeks talking about body types.” The board meeting topic discussion was on a proposed English Language Arts curriculum. There is no 6-week unit about body types in the proposed K-12 English Language Arts curriculum. 

To clarify further, comments during the board meeting referenced a part of the proposed English Language Arts curriculum which includes the use of a workbook from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). This workbook includes relevant short stories for each age group to engage students in their reading while learning and developing skills. Story topics range from the Psychology of Video Game Design to Women in Aviation to the Flight of Icarus. In addition, the workbook suggests several book options to further reinforce reading skills. A list of all short stories and books for each grade level was presented at Tuesday’s meeting and the middle school list can be found here for your review. 

Thank you,
Scott Wheeler, Board President
Jean Lambert, Board Vice President