By: V4 Agency
Some parents opposed the idea of letting their kids participate in Black History Month lessons, to be delivered as a result of pressure from the Black Lives Matter movement. Initially, the school allowed students to opt out of the currriculum, but as too many parents came forward to request an opt-out form, it eventually rescinded the allowance.
Students will not be allowed to opt out of Black History Month lessons. As part of the initiative, classes in a Utah public school will focus on black history and famous black people for a month in February.
Initially, the Maria Montessori Academy told parents that they could request exemption from the curriculum for their children. The fact the many parents chose to opt out of the curriculum had a strong backlash, forcing the school to take steps.
Eventually, so many parents have come forward with their opt-out requests that the school decided to rescind the allowance. The director said that at first, many parents had questions and concerns but they managed to resolve these issues, adding that at this point “no families are opting out of (the school’s) planned activities and we have removed this option.”
“In the future, we will handle all parental concerns on an individual basis,” school director Micah Hirokawa said, adding that he “reluctantly” gave permission to some families to opt out of the curriculum to allow them “to exercise their civil rights”.