The inappropriate instructional materials imbroglio shows how sloppy our school system is being run | Eastern North Carolina Now

These are the Public Comments presented by Ray Leary to the Beaufort County School Board meeting on October 24, 2023. During the September 19, 2023 board meeting Dr. Cheeseman explained to the board an incident that occurred at the Beaufort County Early College High School. An instructor handed out material to the students that was not in the approved curriculum.  Dr. Cheeseman’s  comments in the video below.

October 24, 20023 board meeting public comments.

This comment is in response to the BCS board meeting minutes of September 19, 2023, item #8. The minutes were approved on October 10, 2023.

8. Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheeseman presented information to the Board concerning information that was distributed to some students at Beaufort County Early College High School. An article was written about a class assignment and Brunswick County Schools was named in error in the article. Dr. Cheeseman is working with BCCC President Dr. Loope to clarify our expectations and with the author of the article.

The following was not recorded in the minutes:

1. Does not say the information was inappropriate.
2. Does not say the information was not authorized
3. Does not say the information was not included in the approved curriculum
4. Does not say it was introduced by a single un-named person
5. Does not say the information was related to transgender identity
6. Does not mention the Gender Unicorn handout to students
7. Does not mention any corrective action
8. Does not name the referenced article or the author
9. It does say that Dr. Cheeseman is working with Dr. Loope to clarify expectations

Anyone reading this record of the meeting that was not present at the meeting on September 19, 2023 will have no knowledge of the true nature of the aforementioned “information.” This is one example illustrating the board’s negligence in maintaining accurate minutes of meetings of public bodies as required by the North Carolina General Statues.

NCGS 143-318.10 (e)

Every public body shall keep full and accurate minutes of all official meetings, including any closed sessions held pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11.

End of Public Comments presentation

The next video is from the October 24, 2023 board meeting. Board member Carolyn Walker requested time to ask each board member to denounce the inclusion of the unapproved instructional materials in Beaufort County schools. She also asked if any board member had prior knowledge of this gender identity material being presented to the early college students.

The public should encourage the board members to ensure the minutes of school board minutes are complete and accurate. As one can see in this instance, the minutes did not reflect the proceedings of the board meeting on September 19, 2023.

Editor’s Comments:  It is instructive to recall that it was only a few weeks ago that concern was raised to this board about another inappropriate curriculum content (Critical Race Theory) and at that time it was stated several times that CRT is not being taught in the school system.  Considering this imbroglio at the Early College High School, one has to wonder what other inappropriate material is or has been used in our schools.  If unapproved materials were used in one instance how can the public trust that it is not now or will happen in the future.

Our point can be simply stated:  This incident at the Early College is an example of the negligence on the part of administrators in insuring inappropriate materials are not being used.   And we would add that Ms. Walker’s indignation that the public might think the board condoned the illicit materials that were distributed is a lame excuse to try to close the door after the horses have already fled.  The point is that the policy was obviously not sufficient to stop this known distribution.  But it remains in effect!  This board was warned that its policy was inadequate and it remains inadequate.   How many more known or unknown instances will it take before they develop an effective policy and administrative procedures. 

And let the record show that there has been no public disclosure of what disciplinary actions have been taken to hold the administrators and the teacher accountable for doing something that is now being so roundly condemned.  Is this board accepting the unacceptable, by in effect affording immunity for this mistake, or was it a violation of Board policy?  The current enforcement procedures are obviously weak when no sanctions have been imposed as a result of this instance.

But let us be clear on this point:   We are not advocating for punitive action against the teacher.  The Superintendent and board members have bestowed immunity on that teacher.  We found it incredible that the Superintendent made a snap public decision in this case (that a wrong was committed).  That decision was devoid of respect for the teacher’s due process rights.  Consequently the teacher would never be able to get a fair hearing if significant sanctions were to have been or will be imposed.   

This board will be well advised to pull the policy, that should have prevented this mistake from ever happening, for review and de minimus it should be amended it to provide for clear and meaningful sanctions if violated in the future. These board members should learn from this failure at multiple levels.  This issue we are suggesting here is not whether the material was appropriate or not, but rather that the board’s policies and the administrative procedures in this case were clearly not adequate to prevent a teacher from doing what should have been seen as clearly inappropriate.

We are suggesting that while it was wrong for this material to be distributed, it is equally wrong not to hold those who should have kept it from happening in the first place accountable.   And that clearly falls on the Superintendent’s and principals’ shoulders.  The teacher’s decisions were indeed inappropriate, but it is just as clear that others, including those responsible for what is being taught in our schools, were at fault also and just as deserving of sanctions as was the teacher. And the public is left to wonder if the sanctions, if any, taken in this case are sufficient to prevent a reoccurrence. 

No, board members, it is not sufficient for you to say you did not know about or condone such materials, any more that it being an adequate defense by the teacher that he/she did not know it was wrong.  That misses the most important point in all this.  The board should have had adequate policies to prevent it from happening and to hold violators accountable for not following the policy.  The very fact that it happened is an indictment of the board not fulfilling its policy-making function and for not holding the administrators accountable for seeing that its policies are being followed.

And finally, we offer the following for consideration by this board.  Good policy making does not seek to require the board to approve such materials.   That is clearly ridiculous.  “We did not approve…” something is as foolish as saying we did not know the hazard was there.  Rather good policy, in a free society, is almost always negative.  It should be written, as are statutory laws, in terms of what is prohibited, not what is permissible.  The staff, parents and everyone concerned should be able to read the board’s policies and discern whether a specific action (or piece of material—as in this case) is inappropriate.  That the board did not approve it is irrelevant.  The important thing is to write the policies in such a way that reasonable people can discern what is prohibited.  When, in doubt there should be a clear channel to allow the question to be answered higher up the chain.  And the higher the question rises up the channel, the greater the responsibility/accountable becomes.

Let us hope that this teacher, the school administrators, the board and most of all the Superintendent learned enough from this that it will be prevented from happening again.

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