Missouri mother says son's school was told to hide race-based curriculum from parents
Administrator reportedly suggested principals create fake curriculum to send to parents
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The mother of a Missouri ninth-grader said Friday she was "upset" to learn that Rockwood School District was accused of hiding certain race-based curriculum from parents.
"We were very surprised at this," Janet Deidrick told "Fox & Friends."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to a memo obtained by The Daily Wire, the Rockwood School District hid race-based content from their curriculum after backlash from parents who were concerned.
A 6-12 Literacy Speech Coordinator Natalie Fallert wrote to all middle and high school principals that parents complained that the school was "pushing an agenda," suggesting that certain materials only be visible to students and not to parents on the Canvas remote learning platform.
The Daily Signal posted the contents of the memo: "This doesn’t mean throw out the lesson and find a new one. Just pull the resource off Canvas so parents cannot see it … Keep teaching! Just don’t make everything visible on Canvas. This is not being deceitful. This is just doing what you have done for years. 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," the memo stated.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Deidrick said she was "upset" and surprised to see the memo. She said her son switched to public high school from private school, where administrators had a "tremendous amount of accountability."
Deidrick said parents were initially concerned about the book "Dear Martin," and others being included in students' curriculum.
Deidrick said that she was "shocked by what she saw in the book," including foul language, racial stereotypes and "cop hate."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Apparently, it was approved by the district as a young adult, 13-plus book. No one has a right to read stuff like that to anyone's child, a minor child without their parent's permission. ... There are several students in my son's class that are from a law enforcement family and we are a law enforcement family," Deidrick said, praising the overall work of her son's teachers.
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Rockwood School District sent Fox News a statement responding to the allegations that they were trying to hide race-based content from parents.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The email that was sent to teachers encouraging them to hide or alter content visible to parents was not reviewed or approved by anyone before it was disseminated by an individual staff member.
"It does not reflect the mission, vision, and values, of the district and is counter to the goals set forth in our strategic plan. The Rockwood School district encourages transparency and recognizes open communication is vital between parents and our staff."