The Columbia County School Board held its meeting this week at the Columbia County Exhibition Center amid the third annual Career & College Expo.
Superintendent Steven Flynt encouraged the board members and those in attendance to explore the expo, saying that he was “extremely appreciative” of the partnership between the district and Columbia County Chamber Foundation that led to coordinating the event.
Several parents came to speak before the board during the meeting’s public participation portion, many to express opposition to views that have persisted in the meetings for months.
[adrotate banner=”51″]
Katie Allen and Janet Duggan are two Columbia County parents who have consistently aired grievances to the school board about inappropriate materials in school libraries and the potential presence of critical race theory in school curriculum. Allen expressed appreciation that some books had been removed from school libraries, but disappointment that “it took public embarrassment.”
“It was only when the public saw the content list floating around and heard passages from ‘The Bluest Eye’ that there was motivation to create a policy of requiring review of pornographic material,” said Allen, referring to a previous meeting in which Duggan read a passage from Toni Morrison’s novel.
Duggan reiterated her position and argued for the validity of her concerns regarding the use or presence of certain materials in schools, stressing that the aim of parents like her is not censorship.
“The issue is not about books,” she said. “It’s about transparency. It’s about leadership. It’s about being responsive. We’re not against homosexuality. We’re not against transgenderism. We’re looking for the leadership. It’s about sexual content that’s not age-appropriate.”
Of the 11 people who had signed up to speak during public participation, Allen and Duggan were the only two parents whose presentations were along these lines. Most of the other participants seemed to be in response to them.
Elizabeth Hahn, a former Columbia County English teacher and mother of two Lewiston Elementary School students, said she came to “create a positive narrative” about public education.
[adrotate banner=”71″]
“Some parents and community members that have spoken at these meetings seem to be burdened by a terrible fear that public schools are harming their children,” said Hahn. “These parents seem to think that exposure to the diversity of the human experience is going to make their children brainwashed automatons who are ashamed of their own whiteness. Does no one see the fear-mongering extremism embedded in these accusations?”
Angela Bakos, who currently has three children in the Columbia County school system, referred to a call to “ensure that education reflect” community values, and respect her own Christian values, before thanking district staff and administration and especially school counselors, for helping her suicidal niece. Calling social workers and counselors the “first responders” of mental health, Bakos lauded the presence of books in school libraries that related to students of every kind of experience.
Celestine James thanked the district staff and administration for giving “selflessly of themselves” for the sake of students. James told the story of how the faculty of Grovetown Middle School showed support and “unconditional love” for her son who is on the autism spectrum.
“When we as parents give away our children into the custody of our educators, they’re becoming mothers and fathers in our absence,” said James. “We must work with, not against them.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
