{"id":45132,"date":"2021-08-19T00:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T06:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/montezuma-cortez-curriculum-meets-public-opposition-at-board-meeting\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:23:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:23:40","slug":"montezuma-cortez-curriculum-meets-public-opposition-at-board-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/montezuma-cortez-curriculum-meets-public-opposition-at-board-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"Montezuma-Cortez curriculum meets public opposition at board meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A
A community member addresses the school board with concerns about the district curriculum.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

The Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 Board of Education on Tuesday faced heated opposition to the school district\u2019s curriculum, including claims that critical race theory is embedded in its courses.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many of you have picked up last year\u2019s curriculum? You tell me you\u2019re not teaching critical race theory? It is all over this,\u201d said the first community speaker Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

The public comment followed an Aug. 3 board work session in which the board supported removing elements of critical race theory from district instruction.<\/p>\n

Although no action items are presented for decision at work session meetings, Superintendent Risha VanderWey said she didn\u2019t have plans to include critical race theory in this year\u2019s curriculum.<\/p>\n

At that meeting, board members agreed that critical race theory was embedded in the curriculum, even though they had stipulated previously that it be excluded, they said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need to do our due diligence and make sure that it\u2019s not in there,\u201d said board member Tammy Hooten Aug. 3.<\/p>\n

Board President Sherri Wright said teachings should remain apolitical and rooted in history.<\/p>\n

During the work session, board members agreed to develop a working definition of critical race theory for district use and to review course materials to omit the theory from instruction.<\/p>\n

In the district\u2019s current curriculum, critical race theory might be taught loosely until course material is completely reviewed, said Jim Parr, executive director of Academic Student Services.<\/p>\n

The board has appointed an informal committee to review subject matter for traces of the theory.<\/p>\n

Several attendees Tuesday night forfeited their allotted three minutes of speaking time to allow the speaker to use their allotted time.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren don\u2019t need to be taught these things that they\u2019re being taught,\u201d said another speaker. \u201cWe are causing them anxiety and unnecessary shame.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speakers also listed topics they found to be inappropriate and \u201cdark\u201d in district reading materials.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will do my best to get as many parents to remove their kids from school if this (critical race theory) is taught in the school,\u201d said another speaker. \u201cI don\u2019t want them taught hate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The community spoke of a parent group being formed to take action addressing their complaints with the curriculum.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m appalled. My stomach hurts over the subject matter students are now being taught,\u201d said Hooten.<\/p>\n

Nobody came forward in support of critical race theory at the meeting.<\/p>\n

Wright said the district needs to take control of its curriculum.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would at this moment like to just apologize and take accountability,\u201d said Board Vice President Sheri Noyes. \u201cI have not seen last year\u2019s curriculum. Sometimes in this position you have people in place that you hope are doing their job and doing it correctly and following your guidance. And if that doesn\u2019t happen, shame on me for not checking on it and making sure that it was all followed through the way it was supposed to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Board members discussed taking immediate action.<\/p>\n

This would mean slowing down and taking the next three to four weeks to talk with administrators and review curriculum while deciding how to proceed, they said.<\/p>\n

A motion was passed to move critical race theory to an action item, but board member John Schuenemeyer voted against it, so it was not enacted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is nothing that needs to be done within the next month or two,\u201d Schuenemeyer told The Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

There are more pressing issues, such as internet accessibility for students, he said.<\/p>\n

He said that to the best of his knowledge, the district was already following Colorado Department of Education standards for teaching.<\/p>\n

While he thinks the public should have the right to review curriculum, the process of removing specific things is a \u201cslippery slope,\u201d he said, that can have \u201csignificant negative consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schuenemeyer said he was concerned that many of the speakers were not parents of students in the district themselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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