Parents and community members press Clayton board on ADL partnership and curriculum scope

During public comment, multiple community members urged the Clayton School District to reconsider or more closely define its partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the No Place for Hate program. Brent Holt Saffel said he was concerned about the ADL's political history and about district promotions for a speaker whose work, he said, reflected a particular perspective. He urged that such programs not become a substitute for district curriculum choices.

"Antisemitism is not anti-Israel. It is anti-neighbor," Brent told the board, and he asked that the district avoid what he called "propaganda" in classrooms. Another speaker, Jessica, said she and other parents had spent months researching the ADL program and concluded the ADL curriculum materials available online do not include lesson plans addressing Islamophobia and lack Palestinian, Arab or Muslim voices. Jessica asked what metrics the district would use to evaluate the program and whether the partnership could be ended if it failed to meet stated metrics.

District staff acknowledged the public comments and reminded attendees that the board does not respond to public comment during the meeting but will follow up afterward. Superintendent Dr. Patel and other staff earlier told the board the district's communication had stated that politics and foreign policy are not included in the curriculum and that the program was chosen for its broad anti-bias scope; commenters disputed that description and requested more inclusive engagement and evaluation metrics.