A Utah charter school has backtracked on its policy allowing parents to opt their children out of Black History Month curriculum.
Maria Montessori Academy Director Micah Hirokawa initially allowed parents to opt-out of the curriculum after he received requests from a few parents to do so. He later rescinded the opt-out following backlash.
“We regret that after receiving requests, an opt-out form was sent out concerning activities planned during this month of celebration,” Hirokawa said in an online post, The Hill reported. “We are grateful that families that initially had questions and concerns have willingly come to the table to resolve any differences and at this time no families are opting out of our planned activities and we have removed this option. In the future, we will handle all parental concerns on an individual basis.”
The director made the announcement concerning the opt-out for parents on Friday via the school’s Facebook page, according to the Standard-Examiner.
“Hirokawa wrote that he ‘reluctantly’ sent a letter to families stating that administrators were allowing them ‘to exercise their civil rights to not participate in Black History Month at the school,'” The Hill reported.
According to Hirokawa, “a few families” requested an opt-out from the curriculum.
Hirokawa, an Asian-American, told the Standard-Examiner he believes there’s “a lot of value in teaching our children about the mistreatment, challenges, and obstacles that people of color in our Nation have had to endure and what we can do today to ensure that such wrongs don’t continue.”
As reported by The Daily Wire’s Chrissy Clark last week, Black History Month curriculum in D.C. public schools will include Black Lives Matter (BLM) content.
BLM is a radical left-wing activist movement that has called for the defunding of police officers nationwide, the “disruption” of the nuclear family “requirement,” and the advancement of far-left gender ideology.
“D.C. Public Schools announced Monday that it is participating in the Black Lives Matters at School Week of Action, a program that includes among its priorities ‘disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement’ and allowing everyone — including elementary-aged students — to ‘choose their own gender,'” Clark reported.
“Hirokawa told the Utah news outlet that the school, which serves elementary and middle school students, incorporates Black History Month into social studies and history lessons, with a particular effort this year to highlight the achievements of African American figures in U.S. history,” The Hill noted.
Read the full post from Hirokawa, below:
As the Director of Maria Montessori Academy in North Ogden, you may have heard some alarming news as our school works to change hearts and minds with grace and courtesy. It’s been a tough road as we work to honor and follow each child’s and each adult’s personal journey. Please consider the following public statement as a wonderful step in the right direction. Mahalo for all your aloha and support.
The Maria Montessori Academy Board of Directors and the School Director have one primary goal – providing a quality and equitable education to all of our students. Celebrating Black History Month is part of our tradition. We regret that after receiving requests, an opt-out form was sent out concerning activities planned during this month of celebration. We are grateful that families that initially had questions and concerns have willingly come to the table to resolve any differences and at this time no families are opting out of our planned activities and we have removed this option. In the future, we will handle all parental concerns on an individual basis. We are excited to celebrate the rich content of Black History Month at our school.
MMA Board of Directors
Micah Hirokawa, Director
Related: D.C. Public Schools Use Black Lives Matter Curricula To Teach Black History Month