Cancel culture advocates Moms for Liberty saw a complaint they filed around curriculum in Williamson County rejected by the Tennessee Department of Education. The complaint did not follow proper procedure and was related to an issue outside the timeframe allowed in legislation that attempts to strictly regulate how issues around race are taught in schools.
The Tennessean has more:
The Tennessee Department of Education recently declined to investigate a complaint filed under a new state law prohibiting the teaching of certain topics regarding race and bias.
The group detailed concerns with four specific books on subjects like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, the integration of California schools by advocate Sylvia Mendez and her family, and the autobiography of Ruby Bridges, adapted for younger learners.
The TDOE did not rule on the merits of the complaint, however.
“Please note that in declining to investigate these claims, the department has not made a determination regarding the merits of these allegations. We encourage you to work with the Williamson County School District to resolve the issues and concerns related to your complaint and ensure compliance with state law,” the letter said.
Even as one local group born of Astroturf seeks to ban books and implement a “cancel culture” mentality in the school districts, parents affiliated with local, grassroots group OneWillCo in Williamson County took to the School Board meeting last night to speak in favor of diversity and inclusion.
Here’s a press release highlighting comments made by members/supporters of the group:
Alanna Truss, a clinical psychologist and parent of a Woodland Middle School and Kenrose Elementary School student, spoke in favor of moving forward ‘Fostering Healthy Solutions’. “For students who may be facing these challenges [discrimination and mental health], knowing that the board sees them as important increases the likelihood they will reach out for support. Our students also need to feel that their schools are prioritizing these issues, that school staff are a safe outlet, and that appropriate action will be taken. We need to equip our school personnel as well as our students to know what to look for and what their role is in responding. ‘See something, say something’ is a great slogan but it only works if individuals know what those ‘somethings’ are and they have confidence that something will be done.
Kate Keese, mother of a high school student in the WCS school system started by thanking the board members and Superintendent Golden for making efforts toward a safe and accountable school experience for all students and encouraged them to implement suggestions made by ‘Fostering Healthy Solutions’. “It seems to me that the work of Fostering Healthy Solutions is like preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. We want to be sure that we have considered everyone because we want everyone to feel welcome and know they have a place. I have taken several courses through my church over the last year and a half, exploring our country’s history and the legacies of that history. It has been a challenging and illuminating journey. There was much I didn’t know, and much I have yet to learn. At times it has been uncomfortable. We have come to believe we should avoid discomfort, but discomfort is how we grow. And now that I know better, I can do better…Learning our history is a worthwhile journey as it prepares me to set a more inclusive table. Taking the steps outlined in the plan from Fostering Healthy Solutions may be uncomfortable and, we will learn; where to add another chair and how to make a new dish, to welcome another person at the table. Because there is enough. And we always better when more of us are gathered and welcome and know we have a place.”
Lisa Rooney, a WCS parent also spoke in favor of the district’s continuing equity efforts, “Research is clear that students do not reach their full potential when they have concerns about their belonging, which is fundamental to well-being and academic success. Prioritizing belonging benefits all students by leveraging the science of learning. Creating environments where students of all races and backgrounds feel that they belong requires knowledge, skill, and commitment from adults. It takes courage to acknowledge our blind spots and to implement curriculum and policies that reflect and value the lived experiences of diverse students. It takes willingness, ongoing learning opportunities and partnership. It won’t just happen because we are well-intentioned, but it will make our schools better for ALL students. I am here to ask the board to, as a starting point, adopt a universal definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion alongside a strategic plan with clear goals and measurable outcomes so that we can fulfill our mission and ensure all students thrive.”
Yes, the Tennessee affiliate of a national dark money group freaked out by seahorse porn has gained even more national attention. This time, the attention comes courtesy of the “Scary Mommy” blog.
Here’s how blogger Elizabeth Broadbent sees the scene in Williamson County:
This has led Moms for Liberty parents like white mother of three Robin Steenman to say that second-graders learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. will lead them to “believing white people are oppressors and minorities are victims,” which is a gross oversimplification, but generally what was going down during the Civil Rights era, so mission accomplished!
AND:
Moms for Liberty has also publicly posted video of a homecoming parade float belonging to a Franklin, Tennessee high school’s Pride Club and hit school board meetings decrying its existence. They claim same-sex high school couples kissed in front of younger students, and you know what the Bible says about that (check your Biblical index under high school, gay, homecoming). Also, Moms For Liberty was publicly posting pictures of underage kids making out.
Then there was the seahorse incident.
Once there was a book intended for first graders. This book was called Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish In The Sea, and it dared to show seahorses clasping tails and touching bellies. This sent the Karens in Franklin’s Moms for Liberty group clutching their pearls, because in case you didn’t know, that’s how seahorses mate. The Karens demanded that the book be banned, deeming it appropriate only for eighth graders. They also objected to Johnny Appleseed, calling his story “sad and dark” and said that first graders were too young “to hear about possible devastating effects of hurricanes.” Hurricanes, as everyone knows, are best experienced firsthand. Throw them into Hugo and let them learn in the real world!
Anyway, the whole post is worth a read for some great links exposing the antics of this very angry group.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible. Thank you!
Fearing unchecked liberal indoctrination and raging seahorse hormones, the Williamson County chapter of a national dark money group calling itself “Moms for Liberty” is aggressively pushing a cancel culture agenda worthy of Joe McCarthy.
A sampling of news about the group’s recent antics explains.
CNN reports on the hunt for curriculum deemed objectionable by activists in the McCarthy Mom group:
“The school bus goes right in front of my house and my kid is dying to ride it,” she told CNN. “But not until I have deemed that the curriculum is safe and will do no harm.” Steenman is counting on a new Tennessee law to force schools to end that curriculum — and ban at least one book in the elementary school library written from the perspective of Mexican Americans.
The group’s antics have created chaos at school board meetings and attacked student groups . . . and even seahorses:
The chapter has grabbed headlines for belligerent protests at school board meetings. They have attacked a high school LGBTQ pride float — one tweet wondered if students passing out pride literature were doing “recruitment.” And another meeting featured a tirade by a Moms For Liberty member against a children’s book about the lives of seahorses, which she said was too sexual.
If Teachers Make Kids Uncomfortable, They Get Cancelled
What these moms on a mission are really after is their own special cancel culture, where teachers tread lightly so as not to upset the wealthy and white:
In May, Gov. Bill Lee signed HB 580, a law aimed at banning so-called critical race theory from schools. Educators argue that critical race theory is not taught or included in the K-12 curriculum and is usually an elective class in college or law school.Section 51, part 6 of the Tennessee law makes lesson plans illegal if students “feel discomfort, guilt, or anguish.”
A spokesperson for the school board in Williamson County told CNN school leaders in the county have launched a “Reconsideration Committee” to review the books Moms For Liberty has complained about. One board member familiar with the process said new Tennessee law is hard to interpret, but this board member said they expect the state will ban at least one of the books Moms For Liberty cited.
Reuters reports that the fight in Williamson County is part of a broader, national movement:
The clash in Franklin, a Nashville suburb of 83,000 people, is part of a larger culture war over race and education that’s roiling other U.S. communities, and which has gained traction as a political force nationwide.
It has split parents and spooked some educators. Tennessee is pursuing plans to strip teaching licenses from instructors and cut state funding to schools that persistently teach taboo material.
Education Weekreports on the potential chilling effect these McCarthy Moms could have:
Tennessee aims to levy fines starting at $1 million and rising to $5 million on school districts each time one of their teachers is found to have “knowingly violated” state restrictions on classroom discussions about systemic racism, white privilege, and sexism, according to guidance proposed by the state’s department of education late last week.
Teachers could also be disciplined or lose their licenses for teaching that the United States is inherently racist or sexist or making a student feel “guilt or anguish” because of past actions committed by their race or sex.
Joe McCarthy would certainly be proud.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.
In the wake of COVID-19 wreaking havoc with school schedules, cancelling football games, and closing down at least one Williamson County School (Fairview Middle), the Williamson County School Board has called a special meeting for tonight to ask Gov. Bill Lee (a Williamson County resident) to include school operations in his emergency order so that remote instruction can be an option for virus mitigation.
Here’s a tweet from Williamson Strong with the resolution:
Tonight’s special called COVID mitigation and remote learning resolution #wcsb meeting will be live tweeted so follow along starting at 6pm! The livestream will (hopefully this time) be up at https://t.co/cM6FHtXzF7@WCSedupic.twitter.com/DwyDHHiPsq
Here are some video messages from advocates of mitigation strategies that include a mask mandate:
Dr. Meredith Duke, a Vanderbilt Surgeon and mother of children in Williamson County Schools pleaded, “I attended the last board meeting almost two weeks ago and I was appalled at the behavior of the crowd and the lack of decorum… One of the mask mandate supporters was an infectious disease expert from Vanderbilt. I repeat, you had an infectious disease expert here, encouraging a mask mandate. She pleaded for our children’s safety and she adamantly supported a universal mask mandate.
“We were not heard and that has brought us to today. COVID is spreading in a completely uncontrolled fashion. Our children are sick, our teachers are sick, and our families are sick. In two weeks, both of my sons have had COVID exposures. I’m already canceling necessary surgeries because we don’t have beds to care for our patients. We don’t have beds, where our hospitals are literally at a breaking point. We, our community, needs to do something to make this stop. It’s imperative that you pass and enforce a universal mask mandate for all of our schools. We need to improve contact tracing quarantine protocols. We don’t have an adequate vaccine update. We are not mitigating anything. Your job is to provide a safe environment for children to learn. They are not safe. Please do your job. Stand up to the anti mask bullies and listen to the experts.”
Todd Barton, a arent of two children in Williamson County Schools called on the school board to follow CDC and American Academy of Pediatric guidelines, “The CDC, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, thousands of local doctors and pediatricians, and our area hospitals, including Williamson County Medical Center have been very clear. And what they are recommending for schools during this pandemic masks, contact tracing, distancing limits to gatherings and quarantines. And all we’ve seen so far is a very limited mask requirement in elementary schools. And what we’re also seeing is the very predictable result of that. At my daughter’s school, nearly half the students are out, along with about a third of teachers and staff as well as a number of bus drivers. Students are in classrooms with substitutes, or sometimes staff who have no educational training. And when school closes, because, inexplicably, we’re prevented from using remote learning, they receive no instruction whatsoever at home. I don’t understand this. I know that there are some very loud voices involved. I know that there’s politics involved. But I’m begging you to rise above that, and to see to the health and safety of the students, teachers and staff staff by following the recommendations given to you by the medical professionals, as well as instituting a remote learning platform that was proven very successful last year to ensure continuity of learning.”
Kristie Harris, a Registered Nurse, small business owner, and mom of children who contracted COVID-19 from their Williamson County school shared that she has been so careful to not expose herself or her four children to COVID in the past year and a half. As a single mother who has asthma, she waited until she was vaccinated to put her children back in in-person school, because more than anything, she didn’t want to leave them as orphans. She shared that, “the current opt out system is what put my kids at risk. We were safe until we returned to school, and just 11 days to the year they are COVID positive. What’s even crazier is according to the Williamson County’s current exposure and quarantine rules, I could send my 13 year old to school right now, I could send him to school, not only could I send him, but I could send him unmasked to school because he doesn’t have any symptoms. And even though his brothers are both sick and COVID positive, there’s no rule against sending your kids to school with other kids at home who are positive. It’s absolutely insane. Of course, as a responsible parent and member of our community, I would never do that. But it does beg the question, how many are? The current exposure and quarantine policy is absolutely absurd. It’s dangerous, and it’s what’s continuing this path that we are on.” She ended saying, “I’m urging you to protect our kids.”
Tori Keafer in the Williamson Heraldexplains the struggle Williamson County Schools faces with paying teachers enough to live in the county where they are being asked to teach.
Currently, the base salary for teachers in WCS is $40,150. In 2019, the Williamson County Board of Commissioners passed a 7-cent property tax increase to bump the base pay from $37,500 to the current rate.
Housing Struggle
“I think we all agree it’s not enough. We need to continue to make that a focus,” Superintendent Jason Golden said. “After we approved that, some of our neighbors voted for larger increases, so it is a constant battle. And I will tell you also, we’ve talked about the cost of living. Housing is an issue.”
District 9 board member Rick Wimberly pointed out the average home value in Williamson County, using data through May according to Zillow, was just over $595,000. With a $40,000 salary, a teacher would hardly have enough for home payments, he said, and living in an average apartment wouldn’t be that much better either.
“You’re still not scraping by,” he said. “We’ve got to fix that, and we’re not going to fix it tonight. … I just hope this is something, like Eric and like Jason have said, that we can take on as a high priority.”
Wimberly added:
“We are so far off — so far off — that it poses challenges now, but it’s just going to get worse and worse,” he said. “Perhaps it’s after the time I’m gone, but we’re going to have to face it as a community. This is a problem for us. And yeah, you can take my numbers and do whatever you want to with them, but I don’t think you’re going to convince me that we … pay sufficient[ly] to help people where they can have a good lifestyle in Williamson County or even commut[ing] from out of the county.”
The note on the battle over teacher pay in Williamson County comes after a similar story and fight in Maury County.
A recent story on teacher pay across the state also reveals that the state is not doing much to help the situation:
The Tennessee State Board of Education has set the state’s minimum teacher salary at $38,000 for the upcoming school year. That’s $49 more than the current average minimum salary, according to a story in Chalkbeat.
While the overall boost in minimum teacher pay is certainly welcome news, what’s interesting is to examine the pace of change in teacher pay over time.
As the Chalkbeat piece notes, the average teacher pay in Tennessee overall is $51,349.
Here’s why that’s so fascinating. Back in 2014, the state’s BEP Review Committee issued a report calling on the state to fund teacher salaries by way of the BEP at a level equivalent to the actual state average salary. That average? $50,116. So, the average now is just a bit over $1200 more than the average in 2014. In other words, teacher pay in Tennessee is creeping up at a snail’s pace. And, of course, teacher pay in our state is still below the Southeastern average (about $2000 below).
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.
If you’re looking for the hotbed of leftist indoctrination in Tennessee, you should look no further than Williamson County, the wealthiest in the state, located just south of Nashville.
I mean, just look at the Williamson County Schools embracing diversity and also promoting seahorse porn.
It’s very troubling.
Williamson Strong has a take on the latest events there:
As a reminder, the national Moms for Liberty organization is making a full court press here in Williamson County against….elementary school books, which they allege are teaching Critical Race Theory You can watch segments on their own YouTube channel for a full deep dive on their Critical Race Theory 101 event that was held a few weeks ago if you have a few hours to kill.
The group’s members and their social media supporters are constantly decrying the supposed indoctrination that’s taking place through the new reading curriculum being used in WCS. Yet curiously, most of the 30 public commenters they had speak out against the Wit & Wisdom curriculum at Monday night’s meeting focused on age appropriateness of the content, not CRT – they even had props and signs to accompany and illustrate many of the examples.
But wait, we haven’t yet mentioned the seahorses because honestly it deserves its own section.
Moms for Liberty has a real issue with a 1st grade book on seahorses, which they call “a soft introduction to Sex Ed” and “switched gender roles”.
We’re not making this up or even slightly exaggerating or taking this out of context. Please watch this part for yourself because it is a very worrisome book.
Read the whole post to get a view of what’s happening in Williamson County.
All the Way Back to 2014
Those of you who have been around for a bit or who are regular readers may remember all the way back to 2014 when Williamson County Schools was labeled a hotbed of leftist indoctrination because of Common Core.
A group of candidates who strongly opposed Common Core were supported by the Koch brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity and won a majority on the School Board.
Some of these individuals have expressed support for vouchers and for bringing charter schools to Williamson County. Those are two primary goals of AFP.
Alvey on Education offers a view of what’s happening from a Williamson County parent’s perspective. A recent post there discusses a pending resolution at the School Board level that would denounce Common Core. Of course, it seems increasingly likely that Common Core will die an early death in Tennessee. But, the post offers some insight into what is happening now in one of the best school systems in Tennessee.
It seems that every few years, some outside groups descend on Williamson County and insert some chaos into the regular functioning of the school system. What’s somewhat amusing about this is that in 2014, the fuss was all about Common Core – a curriculum backed by then-Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and the GOP General Assembly. Now, the problem is being caused by Wit and Wisdom, a curriculum backed by Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn. Yes, that very same Penny Schwinn who was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee – you know, the Bill Lee from Williamson County who is pretty conservative, just ask him.
Yes, the very same Bill Lee who signed into law a bill banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
But wait, Critical Race Theory is bad but Critical Race Theory is in Wit and Wisdom but Bill Lee is essentially forcing Wit and Wisdom on all school districts.
It’s almost like no one at the TN DOE or in the Gov’s office is paying that much attention?
I wonder how Moms for Liberty feels about Bill Lee who signs bills that ban Critical Race Theory and also supports efforts to enshrine Critical Race Theory in the curriculum? Or, maybe Lee just likes the seahorse porn?
As tensions heat up in Williamson County over the process of instilling principles of diversity and inclusion in the system’s schools, one parent group continues to highlight the work in the community being done on the issue.
Here’s more from One WillCo regarding some of what happened at this week’s school board meeting:
Last week, One WillCo joined with five other local organizations with a joint statement supporting Superintendent Jason Golden, and Williamson County School’s diversity efforts with “Fostering Healthy Solutions.” Tonight at the school board meeting several parents involved with One WillCo shared their experiences and thoughts during public comment.
Alanna Truss, a clinical psychologist and parent of a Woodland Middle School and Kenrose Elementary School student, spoke in support of “Fostering Healthy Solutions” and Superintendent Golden. “Recent efforts by some individuals to push back against DEI efforts have included the claim that children are being traumatized by exposure to factual representations of history. In my years serving this community, I have yet to see a child in my practice due to being traumatized by our county’s curriculum choices. I have however, seen several students experiencing trauma due to being discriminated against and bullied within our schools, due to race, religion, gender and sexuality. As a parent and psychologist I am grateful for the ongoing efforts of our school board to make our schools a place where all students feel seen, respected, and safe.”
Trinh Le in District 12 thanked Jason Golden and the School Board for following science to keep students safe this year. She also shared that just this year at school her daughters have had anti-Asian slurs said to them, have heard other students telling Hispanic students to go back to where they came from, and heard anti-gay insults repeatedly shouted in the halls, and that this is why she supports a curriculum that teaches student about the true history of our country. “I have heard people say that teaching these parts of our history is racist or traumatic. But what’s traumatic is Black, Latino, Asian, and LGBTQ kids going to schools where they face discrimination and don’t feel safe.”
Amie Cooke, a mom of 3 elementary school kids in District 5, shared that she was led by Jesus last year to start a group called “Be The Bridge” to connect with friends of color in her community, and in part to learn about the discrimination they have experienced. From her conversations she has learned about some terrible acts of discrimination their kids have experienced starting as early as Kindergarten. Due to the curriculum controversy she has been hearing she asked her daughter, who just finished second grade, what she remembered about Ruby Bridges, and her daughter told her, “People didn’t like Ruby because of her skin color, but her teacher stood up for her and mommy, I would have stood up for her too.” Mrs. Cooke continued by calling the board to continue to equip and support and stand up for all of the children of WCS.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.
Amid a controversy in Williamson County stemming from a group calling itself “Moms for Liberty,” a number of community groups joined together to issue a statement of support for Director of Schools Jason Golden.
Here’s more:
Locally organized community groups One WillCo, The Public, Franklin Justice and Equity Coalition, Williamson Social Justice Alliance, Together Nolensville, and Be the Bridge are banding together to show their support and a unified vote of confidence in Jason Golden’s leadership in advance of the Williamson County School Board vote on Monday, June 21st to extend his contract.
The joint statement being issued today is below:
———-
“Williamson County Schools are the backbone of our community and an asset of which everyone who lives here benefits in one way or another. Superintendent Jason Golden has proven his commitment and capability in working diligently to provide every child with the learning environment they deserve.
As grassroots local organizations whose leaders and members have been working in Williamson County for many years, we are committed to advocating for and supporting those in positions to positively influence the direction of our community so that it’s a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place for all.
We stand in support of Jason Golden and ask the Williamson County School Board to renew his contract on Monday, June 21st, 2021 in recognition of his steady leadership in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic, his commitment and actions in acknowledging and addressing the diversity challenges within the district, and his strong working relationships with the County Commissioners and other elected officials, after years of creating trust and rapport.
Our organizations collectively consist of hundreds of Williamson County residents who believe that the diversity of our community is a strength, and that we have a shared responsibility to promote and recognize the varied backgrounds, beliefs, and needs of our neighbors. We are, and have been for many years in some cases, advocating for a more inclusive and safe place to live, work, and raise families. Williamson County Schools plays an enormously important role in the vision of a welcoming environment for all — no matter your race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, or family structure. We believe that every neighbor should be loved and accepted, but most of all safe and respected with fair and equitable treatment in their lives.
Jason Golden has shown he is committed to recognizing the various needs and challenges of our students and teachers, and will work to ensure our schools are safe environments where they can all work toward their best potential.
Renewing his contract will send a strong signal to our community that the Williamson County School Board agrees that all students deserve a focus on a safe learning environment, no matter who they are.
Signed Together,
One WillCo; Revida Rahman & Jennifer Cortez, Co-Founders
The Public; Anthony Hendricks & Brad Perry, Co-Founders
Franklin Justice and Equity Coalition; Pastors Bryant Herbert & Walter Simmons, Co-Founders Williamson Social Justice Alliance; Kate Ward, Founder
Together Nolensville; Nickolas Lee, Robyn Lee, Jason Mikel, Emily Miller, Lorina Poe, Angela Smith-Mull, Cedrick Walker, Reba Wright; Co-Founders
Be the Bridge Nolensville; Amie Cooke & Audrey McAdams, Co-leaders
Williamson County parent group One WillCo has been organizing and speaking out in favor of diversity and inclusion in schools. Now, the group is out with a public statement in response to national group “Moms for Liberty” and their campaign against so-called “Critical Race Theory.”
Here’s the statement from One WillCo:
Ahead of one of the nationally-coordinated “Moms for Liberty” misinformation events being held locally and advertised as “Critical Race Theory 101,” local group One Willco releases the following statement:
“All our students have the right to have a safe learning environment. Children in our community have been told to ‘go back to Mexico,’ have been called the ‘n-word,’ and parents continuously share stories with us that their children have heard even worse in their school. These lived experiences here in Williamson County cannot be described as a safe educational environment by anyone. When groups try to divide us by labeling any conversation about race or racism as ‘Critical Race Theory,’ they silence our lived experiences of racism and the history of discrimination that affects our lives today. When a group is opposed to having hard conversations on topics like diversity and equity, and have no proposed action to protect children like mine from being recipients of harassment based on the color of their skin, we cannot solve the problem. We must stop sticking our heads in the sand or using false labels, and instead work together to combat racism in our schools so that we can all come together as a community for our shared prosperity.” – Revida Rahman, co-founder of One WillCoParents in the Community share their stories:
“We can all agree that students should be judged based on their character and not on the color of their skin,” said Tizgel High, mother of three children in WCS. “But, unfortunately, in our society, and here in Williamson County we haven’t arrived there yet. During this school year my second grade child brought home an assignment that linked a picture of a black child to the term “scarcity”. When I raised my concern that a black child would be the pictorial representation of a negative adjective, the school administrator responded that in other parts of the world things are scarce. Of course this school administrator is a very good person trying to do the best for students and was embarrassed when I brought it up. But this shows that he was not equipped to check his bias and how it may be influencing how children were being taught, or that his bias indicated stereotypes that he held and had nothing to do with the picture that was presented, or the lesson being taught until I pointed it out to him. I have heard voices say that noticing and pointing out instances of racism is indoctrinating our children, but I would argue that teaching kids that the color of their skin is linked to being foreign and scarce sounds more like indoctrination than learning and teaching about an honest view of history.”“I know we all believe in prioritizing the safety, well-being, education, and development of our children – all of our children — here in Williamson County,” said Dr. Aima Ahonkhai-Nottidge, mother of two children at Edmondson Elementary and Assistant Professor of Medicine at a local hospital. “And I am grateful for a national climate which is more open to having honest discussions about race and racism in America, with the goal of equality for all. Nonetheless, I am utterly exhausted by those who constantly try to ignore or minimize our stories and misrepresent the scope and premise of “Critical Race Theory,” thereby shutting off any productive conversation and progress. Yet, I will continue to advocate for my children, and all the children of Williamson County, not only as my duty as a parent, but also so that we can move forward toward equality as a community.”
Williamson County Community Members
UPDATED with statements from Southern Christian Coalition and Williamson Social Justice Alliance and Together Nolensville.
Southern Christian Coalition:
“A major role of the church is to be the conscience of the community,” said Rev. Dr. Kevin Riggs, Pastor of Franklin Community Church in Williamson County. “Denying systemic racism in our country is denying history, and putting all conversation about race and the history of racism in America as “critical race theory” is just a strategy to silence and stop important conversations that lead to true unity. From the genocide of First Nations people, to the enslavement of Africans, to the forced encampments of our Asian neighbors and to our mistreatment of people on our southern border, systemic racism was, and is, a major part of our history in America. The only way forward is acknowledgement, confession, and repentance that leads to actions, just like in our personal relationships with Jesus. One of those actions we must take as a country is teaching our children our sins and mistakes so that they do not repeat them. The sin of racism needs to be taught in our schools in order to bring us to a path of healing and equality as a country.”
“As a United Methodist pastor and father to two children in the Williamson County School System, I hope that my children’s teachers are able to instruct them about our nation’s history with both critical and constructive lenses,” said Rev Brandon Baxter, Associate Pastor of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville. “It is a simple fact that throughout our history the sin of racism has informed much of our culture and many of our systems, and that racism is alive and well today. The fact that a Williamson County parent referred to COVID-19 as “the China virus” at Monday night’s school board meeting is proof that we have work to do on bullying based on race. To silence teachers from exploring such basic truths does a disservice to our children. These young persons will be the ones responsible for shaping a more hopeful and equitable society for all people as they continue to perfect this union in which we live. In order to do so, they must have access to the free market of ideas, including those uncomfortable truths that challenge them to grow beyond what once has been. Nobody should fear the truth, most especially Christians, who follow the God known in Jesus Christ who said, according to the Gospel of John, when we are confronted with sin, the truth shall set us free.”
“There have been a lot of comments expressed publicly that second graders are too young to talk about racism in the classroom, but if my second grade Black son is old enough to hear the n-word said by a classmate in school and experience racism, then I think all students in second grade are old enough to learn about and discuss racism,” said Elizabeth Madeira, Williamson County mother.
Williamson Social Justice Alliance:
Williamson Social Justice Alliance would like to publicly state our support of the Williamson County School board and its positive steps to address racist incidents in WCS schools. Our statement comes in light of the recent WCS school board meeting where resistance was expressed and misinformation spread by other groups.
We stand for equality in our schools, be that in skin color, sex, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or gender identity, and believe that everyone, regardless of personal values, wishes equal treatment and opportunity for each student in Williamson County. However, the stories of discrimination, bullying and harassment that have surfaced from our schools in recent years — see the @dearestwcs Instagram account to read a few — have made it clear that racism and other forms of bias continue to exist.
The first steps toward achieving equality and safety for our students are to acknowledge that there is an issue, gain greater perspective, and work together to find a solution. The misguided narrative surrounding “Critical Race Theory” currently being propelled by the “Moms for Liberty” group is not only harmful for our students and families of color but to our community as a whole. There is no place for divisiveness and fear when we are all working toward a common end goal — the protection and equal treatment of our children.
To join us and our partner organizations in these efforts, find us at www.wsjatn.org or email us at info@wsjatn.org.
Together Nolensville
Together Nolensvilleis a group of community members who support a unified pursuit for justice, equality, & protection for the minority members within our community. Our mission is to educate & unify through resources, events, and meaningful connection.
Together Nolensville has been closely following the work of the Williamson County School Board and supports their efforts and commitment to intentionally improve the school environment for students of all races and ethnicities. Included below are statements of support from members of the Together Nolensville community.
“All children in our community deserve to feel safe, seen, and protected within Williamson County Schools,” said Kim James, mother of three children in Williamson County Schools in Nolensville. “The false assertion that there is no need for diversity training in the school system is merely an attempt to preserve the climate of ignorance and hate that my family and others have experienced and that is still a serious issue in Williamson County. In just the past month, two of my three children have experienced race-based bullying at school, and my children are only 6, 8 and 10 years old. My children have been told that ‘Black people are ugly’ and ‘N-words are stupid anyway’ – a sentiment that the child heard from his father. We have also experienced the hurtful effects of teachers’ racial biases. As parents of three beautiful Brown children we know from experience that as a community we cannot maintain the status quo and instead need to work together to ensure that all children are protected, instead of shutting down conversations designed to solve the problem of racism that still exists here in Williamson County.”
“Williamson County Schools provide a top notch education for the students in the district. That education should include preparing all students to live in a diverse country and a global society, as college and career environments will in all likelihood look very different than the bubble that is Williamson County,” shared Audrey McAdams, a mother of three children attending a Williamson County elementary school. “If history is to be taught, then all of it should be, no matter the difficult subject matter. This will foster empathy, not division. It’s a road map of what not to do and what to be aware of. I understand there are concerns of what is appropriate for elementary age children to learn about regarding desegregation and the Civil Rights era. My rebuttal is: what a privilege it must be for one to feel they have choice on when to educate their child about racism. As a mother to Black children, I don’t have that luxury.”
“The Ruby Bridges story in our second grade ELA curriculum is part of a heated discussion about the introduction of racial education into our schools. However, discussing Civil Rights history in an age appropriate way is not teaching Critical Race Theory, it is simply teaching American history,” said Emily Miller, mother of one child in a Williamson County School, and one of the founders of Together Nolensville. “Furthermore, in the events of American Civil Rights history, one does not find a simple dichotomy of white oppressors and Black victims, as some groups claim. If you look closely at any story of the American Civil Rights movement, you will see white allies working alongside African American citizens to make our country a more equitable and just place. The story of Ruby Bridges is one that shows courage and compassion from inspiring individuals across races. Judge J. Skelly Wright was the white male judge who ordered the desegregation of schools, despite great personal cost. And Ruby’s white teacher, Barbara Henry, was a steadfast support for Ruby throughout her first year of integration. Some individuals are afraid their white children will feel ashamed of their own skin color if they are taught Ruby Bridges’ story as second-graders. I wish the groups that seek to divide us would understand that currently in WCS, it is not white students who are more often being made to feel ashamed for the color of their skin. Their fear for their white students’ future discomfort is blinding them to the actual discomfort many minority students are currently experiencing in WCS. Only when we can have these honest and difficult conversations can we move forward together with true healing.”
“As a parent of a Nolensville High School rising senior, I’m speaking out against the disinformation spread by groups that seek to divide and scare us,” said Jason Mikel, local Pastor. “I’m speaking out because I want my son to know about the racial history of our country and how racism still exists today in the fabric of our culture. I want him to know about the Tulsa Massacre, the Fort Pillow Massacre, red-lining, voter intimidation, the genocide of native peoples within our borders, and the brutal truths about slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, hatred, and bigotry and how it still produces the powers of racism today. I want my son to know this so when versions of the same are encountered in his life, he will know how to stand clearly and firmly against it. Despite those who would speak otherwise, as a community, we need to speak honestly about the past so that we can move together toward understanding, mending, and reconciling as we educate our children.”
Together Nolensville, as an organization dedicated to uniting our town, is committed to supporting our school board by educating our community with non-partisan, factual information on all efforts to make our schools safer, more inclusive environments for all students.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.
