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Parents press board for clearer policies on curriculum transparency and consequences for student protests
Summary
Multiple public commenters raised concerns about early‑grade curriculum (DEI/gender topics) and asked for clearer district guidance on walkouts and how absences and discipline are recorded; the board replied that curriculum materials are available and district communications were sent about the protest.
During the Feb. 10 public comment period several community members asked the board to clarify curriculum choices and district responses to student protests.
Mark Forshee opened public comment by urging the board to "slow down the introduction of gender related instruction in early grades," arguing that kindergarten and early elementary students are not developmentally ready for some topics and asking for parental notice, opt‑in or other safeguards. "Parents are the primary moral educators of their children," Forshee said, and asked the board who decides what is developmentally appropriate.
Henrietta Forshee asked the district to clarify how protests or walkouts during instructional time are recorded and disciplined, noting that in Michigan there is not a single statewide rule and that parents rely on district policy and communication. She urged consistent advance notice on how absences will be treated and what consequences (if any) might follow.
Board leadership responded that curriculum materials are available to parents prior to instruction and that district communications about the student protest were sent repeatedly to subscribed families. "If you're interested in obtaining information from our district, please subscribe to [the] listserv," the president said, adding that the district had sent multiple emails and regular communications about the event.
Other public comments at the meeting included praise for age‑appropriate 'good touch/bad touch' instruction from a former foster parent and updates from students and mentors about robotics and CTE programming.
