Public approaches New Kent School Board on issues dealing with in-person return, Critical Race Theory concept

Several school boards in the state of Virginia are dealing with a plethora of issues that include the return to in-person learning and topics that are deemed controversial to be taught inside classrooms. New Kent’s School Board faced that scenario Monday night.

Approximately 50 people filed into New Kent High School’s Media Center Monday evening to voice concerns over a recommended mask policy while indoors and the implementation of studies in an area known as Critical Race Theory (CRT).

Critical Race Theory is the idea that America’s racist history is embedded in modern laws that are continuing to disadvantage certain groups. The American Bar Association’s website cited legal scholar Kimberle’ Crenshaw as the person who launched a campaign to expose the harm that an order issued by former President Donald Trump issued in Sept. 2020 that excluded from federal contracts any diversity and inclusion training interpreted as containing divisive concepts, race or sex stereotyping, and race or sex scapegoating. CRT is considered divisive according to the order.

The topic remains controversial as it has trickled down to the state level. CRT has been a topic that has been widely debated as part of Virginia’s race for governor but was also a focus for Virginia’s Department of Education (VDOE).

While those in favor of CRT said that the purpose was to revamp how African American history is taught along with systematic racism, opponents counterargument said that CRT is being used an academic tool that would be used to plant hatred in America in the minds of the next generation and by advocating that African-Americans should always be regarded as helpless victims.

At Monday night’s school board meeting, many of those in attendance asked for information about New Kent’s stance of addressing CRT, as schools are responsible for developing curriculum of what they want to teach.

“I hope the focus of the board is on the education of the students and the receive the very basic things that they need,” said Peter Lunding. “It is the job of the parents, not teachers, to address the issue [about CRT].”

“The Virginia Department of Education is interwoven when it comes to critical race theory,” chimed in Mark Daniel. “They talk about equity, but not equality.”

“CRT is just created to cause chaos,” Shaun Cole added. “It’s to tear down on system. I hope we focus more on teaching our kids to be responsible.”

Several additional comments from opponents of CRT said that it was a push of propaganda and not facts of history. Many added the purpose of the schools were to educate, not indoctrinate.

Superintendent of Schools Brian Nichols made a brief statement regarding the issue after receiving permission from the school board.

“As of this time, we have no intent to teach it,” he said as audience members applauded. “However, it has generated a lot of conversation.

“We created a curriculum for our educational methods and while CRT has been a topic that has gained a lot of steam, these are the type of conversations we need to get from our constituents,” Nichols continued. “I’m here for the long run and this is the type of dialogue we need to have about several conversations.”

In the other highly debated topic, the public also asked that New Kent’s School Board not mandate a policy to require students and staff to wear masks indoors.

With the rise of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 increasing every day, Governor Ralph Northam emphasized Senate Bill 1303 that passed. That bill promoted that schools should follow CDC guidelines to provide in-person instruction. As of this article, CDC guidelines recommend the wearing of masks for all people inside of school buildings, whether they are fully vaccinated or not.

While New Kent’s School Board has not made any official ruling on if they will require masks or make it optional, several attendees believe the mask mandate will have too much of a negative impact on students.

“Children are living in fear,” said Ana Adkins, who works as a health provider. “They are scared of all physical contact.”

“I have had talks with other parents when my children had playdates,” commented Leslie Trivette. “The social distancing is not working. I think you need to do away with the social distancing and the masking.”

“Face masks will be holding our kids back,” Daniel added. “Make it optional, and let people get vaccinated.”

After the public comment period closed, Nichols spoke about the continuous mitigation strategies being implemented by the school system before moving forward to the mask policy.

“Distance shouldn’t keep kids from coming to school,” he said. “Right now, masks are required for buses by federal law because they are public transportation.

“On July 27, Senate Bill 13030 said we must offer instruction and that we must follow CDC guidelines to the greatest extent practicable,” Nichols added. “Notice I said practicable as the school board will continue to have discussions on this.”

The superintendent wasn’t shy about what he expects to happen when schools reopen to full capacity.

“We’re going to have positive cases and we are going to have people quarantine,” Nichols said. “We are coming back five days a week and we are advising parents to have a plan “B” if that happens.”

Nichols commented that guidelines have also shifted when it comes to quarantining. Simply put, if a person who is vaccinated has come in close contact with a positive case, they do not have to quarantine. Those who are not fully vaccinated will be quarantined for 10 days. The only school exception is when in an indoor K-12 setting, when a student is 3-6 feet of an infected student and both are wearing masks, they are not considered to be in close contact and neither must quarantine.

Nichols concluded that schools are expected to return in-person five days a week at normal capacity. Daily screenings are expected to be conducted at home.
More details and final decisions on the return to in-person learning plan for New Kent Public Schools is expected to be made at the Aug. 23 work session.