SCSD#1 Board Hears Concerns about Curriculum

The January SCSD#1 board meeting was held at the Big Horn High School on Jan. 17. Around 30 people, teachers and community members, attended the meeting.

Jeremy Smith, business manager and Kevin Cornia, CPA of Carver, Florek and James, reported on the audit, which was clean, with no major red flags but a few minor findings that would need to be addressed.

There were seven parents and teachers who signed up to comment, and Board Chairman Clint Krumm said he was glad to see so many people turn out to address the board.

John and Kelly Bridges from Big Horn talked about the life skills class, and they felt it should be canceled at Big Horn. They also had a problem with the curriculum that was being taught in the Big Horn School.

John Bridges has approached the board on the subject before. He felt the board was not taking their concerns about the life skills class seriously. Krumm said it was something that was going through the chain of command and they have made no decision on it but they will have a work session the first Tuesday in February where the subject will be discussed.

Bridges talked about curriculum issues at Big Horn Elementary school. He wondered what curriculum was in the classrooms. He said that there is no curriculum policy. He said there are standards but it was difficult to find out just what materials were being used. Parents have a right to see materials that will be used to teach various subjects. He said the teachers could chose what they want to use, and that they could choose other materials to teach the subject.

As Superintendent Pete Kilbride plans to retire at the end of the school year, Bridges wondered about rumors he heard about a ‘hiring committee’ to hire the new superintendent.

Krumm said he could address that, saying that the board has now opened applications for a new superintendent. Krumm added that, legally, the board has the authority to hire the superintendent, and it is up to them to decide how much involvement they want in the process. However, he said they have not set up any type of ‘hiring committee’.

Kelly Bridges read an excerpt from the ‘Wit and Wisdom’ materials which are for 9-year-old students, that she felt was extremely and unnecessarily violent.

She felt that if this had been in a movie it would have received, and R rating and fifth graders would not be allowed to attend. She also mentioned several ‘core value’ words that were inappropriate for the younger grades. She questioned words such as civil rights, injustice, activists, and boycott. She wondered if the district school board had any control of the content of what is being taught.

She added that in the first grade her 6-year-old daughter was shown a completely inappropriate video yesterday. The video about rioting, brutality and violence. Her daughter was confused and troubled by the video. “There are plenty of ways to discuss Martin Luther King Jr. and what he did in an age-appropriate way.” She ended saying that people want positivity and added “We can do better for our children.”

Matthew Alvarez, 11^th grader, who spoke on behalf of himself and his younger sister, who is in 4^th grade.

He added about what was being taught as history.

Jana Fraley talked to the board about implementing an Ag and FFA program at Big Horn Middle School and high school. Along with her was her son, Cade Fraley, an eighth grader at Big Horn and Tinley Barnes, sixth grader, who talked about the benefits of an FFA program.

Krumm said that the subject had been brought up before, and he turned the floor over to Big Horn High School Principal Al Sparkman, who said if there are enough interested students and find an instructor for the class the school will consider an FFA program. “We’ve heard you,” he said.

Alicia Clark, Big Horn, talked about the fact that the school teachers were transparent when answering her questions. She expressed her concerns about what is being taught as well.

Chris Steller, Big Horn parent and Justin Kidneigh Big Horn High School teacher and parent, also talked about Big Horn School.

In the administrative reports, Big Horn Middle School Principal Brian Lawson had this to say about the PTO bonfire held last week.

Kilbride said that SCSD#1 had to make up one snow day, and the board voted to make up the snow day on Friday, March 31.