The Birth of Library Exposed: A Look at How the Project Came to Life (Part 1)
The Rockwood School District experienced a period of turbulence during the spring of 2021. As a result of a year of virtual learning, parents became more aware of the lessons and curriculum being taught in their children's classrooms. Some parents raised concerns after noticing themes and concepts that they believed were not appropriate, such as intersectionality, privilege, and gender ideology. A leaked email in April 2021 revealed that a school administrator had instructed principals to falsify the curriculum in response to parental complaints, sparking national attention. (Details below.)
One of the complaints came from a mother who expressed concern about a book that was used in her freshman son's language arts class. The book, Dear Martin, is a young adult novel featuring a black high school student named Justyce McAllister, who attends a predominantly white prep school in Atlanta. Through a series of letters to Martin Luther King Jr., the book explores themes of racism, social justice, and identity.
Since her son was in a classroom for students with special needs, the book was read aloud rather than given to students to read on their own. She described the book as full of “foul language,” “cop hate,” “alcohol use,” and “girls are talked about like they’re pieces of meat.” She said that her son felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, particularly for his black classmates, as well as for classmates who come from families with law enforcement backgrounds.
In addition to being used in the language arts class, Dear Martin was available in the school library. Curious about what other books her son had access to, she learned that she could use the Destiny Discover platform to explore the collection. While she expected to find a range of books on different topics, she was not prepared for the nature of some of the titles that she found.
The Leaked Email
After receiving multiple complaints from upset parents, Natalie Fallert, the 6th-12th Grade Literacy Speech Coordinator, sent an email addressing the topic to all middle and high school principals. Her email was leaked by a Rockwood staff member. (Read the original email.)
Some of the concerns she cited included:
“We are pushing an agenda.”
“We are teaching Critical Race Theory.”
“We are making white kids feel bad about their privilege.”
“We are teaching kids to be social activists.”
She gave suggestions to prevent future complaints:
“Don’t use the word privilege.”
“Keep teaching! Just pull the resource off Canvas so parents cannot see it.”
“You could duplicate an entry/lesson in Canvas. Publish ONE for the whole class that is a LEAN version of the lesson. The “original” that has all the stuff on it, can be published and only assigned to specific students.”
“Prior to the pandemic you didn’t send everything home or have it available. You taught in your classroom and things were peachy keen. We are going old-school.”
Additionally, Fallert's comments referring to concerned parents as a "cell" and "looking for specific things to complain about" were met with outrage from the community. These comments were viewed as dismissive and insensitive to the valid concerns and frustrations of parents who felt their voices were not being heard.
Dr. Shelley Willott, Assistant Superintendent of Learning and Support Services, responded in an email to parents on April 24, 2021:
Dear Rockwood Parents and Guardians,
Yesterday an email was sent to middle and high school English Language Arts teachers from a district-level staff member that suggested teachers hide or alter content visible to parents in our learning management system. We want to assure you that the message was not reviewed or approved by anyone before it was sent. Asking teachers to conceal anything from parents does not reflect the mission, vision and values of the Rockwood School District and is counter to the goals set forth in our strategic plan, The Way Forward.
As a district, we strive for transparency, and we recognize that open communication is vital between parents and staff to best serve the needs of our students. We also value you as essential partners and allies in the education of our children, and we are always willing to discuss questions or concerns related to all aspects of your children’s education.
We regret that this happened for many reasons, but mostly because it impacts the trust that is crucial for our partnership to be successful. Although we cannot share specifics related to a personnel matter, we can assure you that we find the email unacceptable, and it is certainly being addressed.
This has been a challenging year for all of us. We want nothing more than to help bridge what divides us, focus on what unites us, and work together with respect and civility for the benefit of our students. Thank you for your continued support and partnership to ensure all students realize their potential.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shelley Willott
After the incident, many parents, including the mother mentioned above, lost trust in the district.
Read Part 2 to learn what happened next.