D51 Board Discusses How to Approach “Controversial Subjects”

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - District 51′s Board of Directors are discussing school how to best approach “controversial issues”, in classrooms.

As it stands, the district says a controversial issue is any problem or subject that invokes strong or opposing viewpoints, which may emerge in classrooms via digital or traditional media. That includes in different texts, or other materials that are screened by administrators like principals who have the final say if a material is used.

If a teacher wants to include a topic or resource that is considered controversial, the teacher will have to work with the school’s principal and may even have to let parents know, so they have the choice to opt their children out. “So that could be your hot topic items, like politics, religion, things like abortion, that really elicits a strong emotional response from people,” said D51 Board President Andrea Haitz. “We just need to have a very clear policy, if something like that is going to come up in a classroom, so that our parents are aware of what’s going on, and that our teachers also know, what’s what’s acceptable.”

The district says they want to update their policy to include film, videos and other forms of digital media, that could be considered controversial.