Parents who wanted to opt out of their children from learning Black History Month curriculum at a charter school in northern Utah withdrew their request
NORTH OGDEN, Utah – Parents who tried to stop their children from learning the Black History Month curriculum at a charter school in northern Utah have withdrawn their requests.
The Maria Montessori Academy in North Ogden experienced a public backlash after announcing plans to make attendance optional, the Standard Examiner reported Saturday.
“We regret that after receiving requests an opt-out form has been sent in relation to activities planned during this holiday month,” said Academy Director Micah Hirokawa and the school management.
“We are grateful that families who initially had questions and concerns have willingly come to the table to resolve any disputes and at this time, no families have withdrawn from our planned activities and have removed this option,” the statement said.
School officials said a few families had requested exemption from the instruction, but declined to say how many or the reasons given.
Betty Sawyer, head of the NAACP’s Ogden branch, said she contacted the school Saturday morning about the decision to make Black History Month curriculum optional.
Data from the Utah State Board of Education shows that only three of the academy’s 322 students are black, while 70% are white.
Hirokawa wrote on the school’s Facebook page on Friday that he had “reluctantly” issued a letter explaining that families “may exercise their civil rights not to participate in Black History Month at school.”
The Facebook page was found to have been removed on Saturday.
In the future, the school plans to address parents’ concerns on an individual basis, Hirokawa said.
Conversations with the parents will not result in a change to the Black History Month curriculum, which is based on Black History instruction based on state social norms, Hirokawa said.
Hirokawa, who is of Asian descent, said the social media post contradicted his personal beliefs as the great-grandson of people sent to a Japanese internment camp.
“Personally, I see great value in teaching our children about the abuse, challenges and obstacles that people of color in our nation have endured and what we can do today to ensure such mistakes do not continue,” said Hirokawa .