SOUTHINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Tensions ran high outside a board of education meeting in Southington Thursday night over a worksheet that was given out in a tenth-grade English class at Southington High School.
The handout was about race and identity and included words like “white privilege” and “transgender.” School officials looked into the matter and said while the worksheet was not properly vetted the teacher was only creating a space in the classroom for discussion.
“I resent that a personnel matter regarding one of our teachers is turning to a political platform,” said Colleen Clark, the Southington Board of Education Chair.
Many students and parents spoke out in support of the teacher at tonight’s meeting but others felt differently.
“When conversations like this are shut down, it is ruining education for the whole. Everyone is not learning to the best of their abilities. Society today is everchanging and this vocab packet was just an example of this generation promoting these ideas are not healthy and they are the very definition of racism,” said an attendee of the meeting.
The superintendent said moving forward high school English and social studies teachers will be provided with additional collaboration time and that educators should consult with each other whenever there’s a question about learning material.