Just what’s being taught in school these days? Several people, mostly from other school districts, complained to the Ottawa High School Board last night about social emotional learning, critical race theory, and sexual content. One woman equated social emotional learning with grooming for underage sex.
Much of their concern is about a book called The Kite Runner. Some passages contain vulgar words. A rape scene is depicted. Board member John Levy tried to find out more about Michelle Peterson’s claim that an OHS student is afraid of repercussions for complaining about the book being in the curriculum.
Crystal Loughran is a substitute teacher in LaSalle County. She equates social emotional learning with grooming. She challenged board member Sarah Shumway on it. Shumway says she uses social emotional learning in speech therapy and it has nothing to do with sex.
Social emotional learning is about understanding one’s emotions and self-control. Shumway says that’s important in education or students don’t get to where they can learn.
The sexually explicit content in the book bothered Matt Penoyer when his daughter brought it to his attention. He says in another setting he’d be arrested for reading it to minors. He says even if kids can find out about such things anyway, it’s not appropriate for school.
Supt. Mike Cushing says The Kite Runner is in the curriculum to compare cultures and teach about bad things that happen in another culture. He would prefer that parents talk to teachers about course materials they object to.
Cushing says last night’s complaints were the first he’s heard about the book in which author Khaled Hosseini tells about growing up in Afghanistan.
Matt Penoyer tells the OHS Board a book by Khaled Hosseini is too vulgar for school.
Emily McNabb (far right) says kids who’ve been sexually abused could be disturbed by rape depictions in assigned reading and parents should know about such things in the curriculum.