Florence Thompson discusses Trump's executive orders affecting South Dakota schools

The March 18, 2025, Board of Education meeting for Rapid City Area Schools featured significant discussions surrounding recent executive orders issued by former President Trump, as presented by Florence Thompson, president of South Dakota Parents Involved in Education. Thompson, a retired school psychologist with over 40 years of experience, addressed the board during the open forum segment of the meeting.

Thompson highlighted four executive orders that she believes will impact school policies. The first order focuses on prohibiting transgender individuals from participating in women's sports, a topic that has garnered considerable media attention. She emphasized that this order is now law and will influence how schools manage sports participation.

The second order aims to protect children from what Thompson described as "chemical and surgical mutilation," specifically referring to transgender medical procedures. She argued that these interventions can lead to long-term medical issues and asserted that the new law will prevent minors from making irreversible decisions regarding their gender identity.

The third executive order addresses the elimination of what Thompson termed "radical indoctrination" in K-12 education, which she linked to critical race theory (CRT) and LGBTQ+ topics. This order seeks to reshape educational content and practices in schools.

Lastly, Thompson discussed an order focused on defending women from what she called "gender ideology extremism," which includes maintaining biological distinctions in facilities and competitions.

In response to Thompson's comments, board member Stefansson reminded attendees that they can contact all board members collectively via a single email address, ensuring that communication is streamlined for those wishing to engage with the board.

The meeting underscored the ongoing debates surrounding educational policies and the implications of federal directives on local school governance. The board's next steps regarding these discussions remain to be seen as they consider the impact of these executive orders on their policies and practices.