Source: The News & Observer
One of North Carolina’s largest school districts, Johnston County, has reversed its decision to require teachers to seek Central Office approval for using materials not included in the approved curriculum.
The district initially informed teachers that, under the state’s new Parents’ Bill of Rights law, they would need district-level approval for any supplemental instructional resources. However, after receiving backlash from teachers, the district sent out a clarifying email this week.
“There is no need for staff members to submit any additional curriculum resources for district-level approval at this time,” said Anna Kuykendal, the district’s chief academic officer, in the email. “I recognize that this time of year is demanding, with many critical tasks requiring your attention. Our priority is, and always will be, our students.”
This issue in Johnston County arises amidst a broader national debate over classroom content, spurred by concerns from right-wing groups, which has led to the enactment of laws such as the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
Johnston County, the state’s seventh-largest district with over 37,000 students, had informed teachers that they would need to submit a new form before using any supplemental materials. These resources could include websites, videos, articles, and books intended to enhance student learning. The form required detailed information about the resource, and if approved by the principal, it would be reviewed by the district’s Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum Committee, which would respond within 30 days.
Elementary school teachers were also required to indicate if the requested resource related to topics mentioned in the district’s Parental Involvement policy, revised to comply with the Parents’ Bill of Rights law, also known as Senate Bill 49.
The law prohibits instruction on sexuality, sexual activity, or gender identity in kindergarten through fourth grade. It also ensures that parents have the right to review any supplementary materials used in their child’s classroom. However, the law has also resulted in the end of a decades-long child sexual abuse prevention program and a drastic decrease in health screenings for kids in some school districts across the state.
“I have never encountered a situation where a teacher was secretly teaching certain concepts, texts, or ideologies,” Vicki Heath commented on a Facebook post about the new process. She noted that, in her 23 years of teaching in Johnston County, she has only had about five instances where parents inquired about a text or resource. “The mandate to get prior approval for any resource is not truly coming from the parents.”
April Lee, a former district teacher and current Johnston County school board candidate, stated that many teachers expressed their concerns to her. Teachers were worried that the district committee might only meet once a month, potentially delaying approvals and hampering their ability to adjust their teaching as needed. “It was going to hamstring teachers and their ability to meet the needs of students,” Lee said in an interview on Monday. “It was going to demoralize teachers.”
Following the teacher backlash, the district sent an email to address the “confusion regarding Senate Bill 49 and the submission of curriculum resources to central office.” Kuykendal clarified that only “alternative comprehensive curricula” intended to replace existing math, language arts, social studies, or science curricula need central office review. All other instructional resources do not require district-level approval.
Lee believes the district’s reversal demonstrates the power of collective teacher action. A former president of the Johnston County chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators, Lee remarked, “This is a win for teachers in Johnston County. Teachers used their voice.”
