School board members heard concerns about access to books and curriculum in Patrick County classrooms.
Denise Stirewalt said she sees a lot of videos and news articles about parents being concerned about the types of books being read to students and the curriculum being taught in schools.
“I used to think, ‘thank God that’s not happening in our county.’ Then, a couple of parents approached me with a concern about a book that was being taught in third grade, and one of the students was actually having nightmares about this book,” Stirewalt said at the April 13 meeting.
Stirewalt, the Peters Creek District representative on the Patrick County Board of Supervisors, said she then contacted Ryan Lawson, who represents the Peters Creek District on the school board.
After learning about the concern, Schools Superintendent Jason Wood contacted Stirewalt and advised her that the book in question was part of the fourth-grade curriculum which has since been taken out.
A few months later, Stirewalt saw a picture of kindergarteners on the floor with little black donut pieces hanging down on the Stuart Elementary School Facebook page. The post has since been deleted.
The post stated, ‘Our pre-k students ended Red Ribbon Week by chasing the Grinch’s dark heart to eat it.’ “Immediately, I was in shock, and someone else had actually posted and asked for clarification on that because they thought the image was disturbing,” Stirewalt said.
She added that she shared the post on her social media page because she believes “sometimes in this county, you have to shock parents into getting involved in their children’s school.”
Stirewalt cited another issue – this one with the state trying to keep parents out of schools.
“I’m of the belief that parents should teach certain things and schools should teach certain things,” Stirewalt said. “Schools should teach your major things to help you in business and in life, and if there’s any controversial topics that should be handled by the parents.”
Stirewalt said she believes the board is willing to work together to figure out ways to keep certain things out of schools.
“Our children are so impressionable. If you put little things, just suggestive things, I mean eating somebody’s black heart, my first thought was, ‘Oh my god, where did Jeffrey Dahmer start.’ And people may think I’m crazy, but it starts somewhere,” she said.
To her understanding, Stirewalt said a committee of teachers looks at and approves curriculum for the different grades. She suggested including parents or retired teachers to potentially look at and approve the curriculums.
“I know money is attached to this from the state, I get it. Maybe apply for charter school status. That way you still get state funding, but you have a say over more so of the curriculum,” she said.
Stirewalt also asked whether the board could identify sexually explicit books in school libraries.
“I heard a sixth grader read about boys being sexual with other boys,” she said. “The teacher was reading that to them in class, and that book was available in the school library. We’re talking about masturbation with elementary school students. It’s hard to even say some of the things that you hear going on in these schools. I don’t want that for our children.”
Stirewalt said she would like to help the board if it doesn’t want the more controversial things in the county’s schools, “and if money’s attached, let’s stand up and go to the state level and let’s fight for our children,” she said.
In other matters, the board:
*Heard from Vicki Bennett about the difficulties teachers have in holding students accountable.
*Discussed the upcoming Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) forums and conferences.
*Approved the personnel report as amended.
*Heard the superintendent’s report.
*Heard a budget update.
*Approved the consent agenda.
*Approved the Carl Perkins Career & Technical Education (CTE) application for 2023-2024 as presented.
*Approved VSBA policy updates.
*Approved the Patrick County High School (PCHS) handbook.
*Approved the special education plan.