Kings Local School district face heated debate on several topics

DISTRICT IS STANDING UP FORITS CURRICULUM... PROMOTINGINCLUSION AND DIVERSITY.ITCOMES AFTER A RECENT SCHOOLBOARD MEETING....WHERE SOMEPARENTS COMPLAINED ABOUT ANANTI-RACISM BOOK BEING TAUGHTAT THE HIGH SCHOOL...AND THESTUDENTS' DECISION TO ELECTTWO GIRLS AS PROM KING ANDQUEEN.WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTERJOSH BAZAN EXPLAINS WHY THEDISTRICT SAYS IT WELCOMESCONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS."We are dumbing down our kids.We are teaching them stuffthat they don't need to know."AT TIMES THE KINGS LOCALSCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OFEDUCATION MEETING WEDNESDAYWAS HEATED ANDEMOTIONAL."Diversity and culturalcompetence must be a priorityand not an afterthought."PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERSSPOKE TO THE SCHOOL BOARDABOUT TWO ENGLISH ELECTIVECLASSES THAT ARE HAVINGJUNIORS AND SENIORS READ THEBOOK "STAMPED: RACISM, ANTI-RACISM AND YOU".

MOST OF THESPEAKERS AT THE MEETING TOOKISSUE WITH THE DECISION TOINCLUDE THIS PARTICULAR BOOKINCLASS."What is the uniqueeducational goal this bookaddresses that cannot beachieved by using a book thatis not so blatantly anti-Christian, anti-American andracist?"BUT TWO PEOPLE SPOKEOUT IN FAVOR OF THE DISTRICT'SEFFORTS TO PROMOTE INCLUSIONAND DIVERSITY.

ONE OF THEMPOINTED TO THE SENIOR CLASS'SRECENT DECISION TO VOTE FORTWO GIRLS AS PROM KING ANDQUEEN AS A SIGN THE STUDENTSARE MORE OPEN AND ACCEPTING OFTHE WORLD AROUNDTHEM."I admire this generation fortheir thirst of knowledge andunderstanding, their strengthto stand up for what theybelieve in.

Particularly, whenit's something that the oldergenerations and pastgenerations might not feelacceptable.""Sorry, but I believe thatthere are still two genders: amale and female."KINGS LOCALSCHOOLS SAYS IN A STATEMENTQUOTE: "We welcome the toughconversations around diversityand inclusion so that we canleverage our differences tomake us stronger." THEDISTRICT SAYS THE SENIORSOVERWHELMINGLY VOTED FOR THESESTUDENTS AS PROM KING ANDQUEENBOTH OF WHO WERECOMFORTABLE WITH THEIRNOMINATIONS.

AS FOR THE BOOK,KINGS LOCAL SCHOOLS SAYS THEGOAL IS TO BROADEN STUDENTLEARNING EXPERIENCES ANDSUPPORT CRITICAL THINKINGNDSAYS IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THEDISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TOPROMOTE DIVERSITY ANDINCLUSION.

IN KINGS MILLS, JBWCPO 9 NEWS.