EDITORIAL RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For press interviews or more information please contact:
Heather Fleming, Founder of In Purpose Educational Services
Heather@InPurposeEA.com
314.246.8651
Lisa Pavia-Higel, Missouri Equity Education Partnership
lisamariepavia@gmail.com
314.276.6244
Founder Heather Fleming Responds to Recent CRT Town Hall and Survey by DESE
Good-faith arguments about school curriculum missing from conversations about CRT
ST. LOUIS, Mo (August 2, 2021) A recent survey by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) -- which asked Missouri school districts whether they were teaching CRT -- found that only one of the 425 districts that responded reported working with CRT. Three reported they include the New York Times’ 1619 Project in their curriculum; those districts are Kansas City Public Schools, Hazelwood, and University City.
Despite the results of the DESE survey, on July 19, 2021, Missouri Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin and Missouri Rep. Doug Richey held a town hall on the topic. Those in attendance decried the dangers not only of teaching CRT but of talking about anything that might be perceived as divisive. Their testimony revealed that concerns over the concepts of a graduate-level discipline being “fed” to our children is merely a smokescreen for defunding public education and censoring discussions about inequity in education. At that meeting, Rep. Richey said they were unable to find anyone to speak in favor of CRT in the classroom, and relied on DESE members to testify about their practices. We would like to take this opportunity to make clear the value of talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, and why these conversations are vital.
“If we, as Missourians, have learned anything since last summer, it is that conversations about race, equity, and justice are desperately needed in our culture. We want to equip our children to engage in a diverse world and have difficult conversations,” said Heather Fleming, founder of In Purpose Educational Services and the Missouri Equity Education Partnership. “Our country is built on these hard conversations, and when our children learn to see the world through many different sets of eyes, they can truly be patriotic and engaged citizens.”
We believe that discussion about what is taught in a classroom absolutely should be had at the local level. We also believe that parents should remain involved in the curricular process, as they always have been in most districts. To build a brighter future for all of our children, it is essential that we have open and respectful conversations, and that all points of view are represented. We welcome the opportunity to engage in these conversations.
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About the Missouri Equity Education Partnership
The Missouri Equity Education Partnership is a grassroots organization that promotes an equitable St. Louis community by supporting anti-bias and anti-racist approaches to education. We believe that we are all stronger when we #LetThemLearn.
About In Purpose Educational Services
In Purpose Educational Services believes in the potential to become an equitable society that honors the dignity, rights, and contributions of each person and identity group and removes the barriers created by discrimination. Through training, development, interactions, and ongoing support, we will help create leaders capable of effecting lasting change in our systems, communities, groups and organizations, and individual lives.