NORTH MORNING, Utah – Parents who did not want to teach their children to learn the Black History Month curriculum at a charter school in northern Utah have withdrawn their requests.
The Maria Montessori Academy in North Ogden experienced a public setback after announcing plans to make participation optional, the Standard Examiner reported on Saturday.
“We regret that an opt-out form was sent after receiving requests regarding activities planned during this month’s celebration,” reads a statement from Micah Hirokawa, director of the academy, and the school board.
“We are grateful that families who initially had questions and concerns willingly came to the table to resolve any differences. At this time, no families are opting for our planned activities, and we have removed this option,” the statement read. .
School officials said some families requested the release of the order, but declined to say how many or the reasons for it were set out.
Betty Sawyer, head of the Ogden chapter of the NAACP, said she contacted the school on Saturday morning about the decision to make the Black History Month curriculum optional.
Data from the Utah State Board of Education show that only three of the 322 students in the academy are black, while 70% are white.
Hirokawa wrote on Friday on the school’s Facebook page that he ‘reluctantly issued a letter explaining that families are allowed to’ exercise their civil rights not to participate in the Black History Month at the school. ‘
It looks like the Facebook page was deleted on Saturday.
In the future, the school plans to address parents’ concerns on an individual basis, Hirokawa said.
Discussions with the parents will not lead to a change in the curriculum for Black History Month, which is based on black history teaching according to the standards for social studies, Hirokawa said.
Hirokawa, who is properly of Asians, said the social media message was at odds with his personal belief as the great-grandson of people sent to a Japanese internment camp.
“I see great value in teaching our children about the abuse, challenges and obstacles that people of color have had to endure in our country and what we can do today to ensure that such injustices do not continue,” Hirokawa said.