Central Bucks School District: Perception, Truth, and Compassion.
Most of us believe that kids of all races, backgrounds, and genders should have the freedom to learn, be themselves, and pursue their dreams. To get there—to expand and include everyone—requires change and progress in Central Bucks.
But some in our district, including the law firm hired for a million dollars, Duane Morris, seem to believe we’re already there. That the status quo is working, and it is good enough. Some have used the April 20th “special meeting”/show trial, to suggest:
There is little evidence of a toxic culture of unaddressed bullying except that documented by a teacher who failed to report it up to his administrators (untrue).
That teacher planned to discredit and overturn the majority on the school board (sheer conjecture).
He was helped by one school board member who reached out to others. Outrage at her actions resulted in name-calling (psychopath!) and calls for retribution (for doing her job).
But to believe this hypothesis, you have to ignore all of the other evidence:
A complaint filed by seven families with the ACLU alleging a pattern of toxic bullying of LGBTQ kids, and an investigation by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
A 2021 Pennsylvania Youth Survey that showed a marked increase in student-reported bullying in Central Bucks: 73-116% increase in bullying related to gender, and a 80-122% increase in bullying due to sexual orientation (PAYS survey, see pages 55-56)
A statement by our superintendent after he held focus groups with LBGTQ kids district wide over many months: “For them, a successful day is getting through the day not being harassed, not being outed by someone, getting through the hallway without somebody sending a slur their way or trying to marginalize them.”
A number of deal-breaker objections raised to our policies, pointing out that they are discriminatory, likely violate the protections and rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, and Title IX, and reduce access to an equitable education from such groups as the Education Law Center, NAACP, a group of experts in educator preparation from Penn GSE, and 70+ school board directors state wide, among many others.
Repeated and impassioned pleas from both students and parents at public comment in school board meetings, begging for help with the bullying they described.
One school board member sufficiently distraught by what she was seeing that she sent long-shot emails to the Secretary of Education and others, hoping to bring attention to the dangers to our most vulnerable students.
For two hours on April 20th, we heard an attack on the character, morals, and motives of a single employee, as if he and he alone could have caused the anger of students, parents, seven families who filed with the ACLU, and the repeated objections of the Education Law Center.
What possible reason can there be for a one-sided show trial? How does smearing a person’s reputation help a community.
Central Bucks has never until now prosecuted personnel matters in public.
The characterization of the teacher, as using students to further his own political agenda, is mere speculation, a guess, aired at length in public, with no opportunity given for a defense.
Can no one think of a reason why that teacher might have been constrained in reporting the incidents? Say, by the student or their parent, as the teacher indicated during their interview with Duane Morris? We do not know, and we have not heard. The teacher, according to reporting in the local press, has been ordered by CB administrators not to speak publicly. So: on pain of removal, he must stay silent as others cast him as public enemy #1.
We do not absolve the teacher of responsibility. If he has done wrong, he must be held accountable. But what we heard nearly two weeks ago was heavily biased, entirely one-sided, and irrelevant to the larger issues. Even if all the evil imputed to that teacher lived in his heart, it still would not explain the alleged widespread culture of discrimination against LGBTQ students, as per the complaint to the ACLU by the other six families’ children. We appreciate the distress everyone has shown toward the one student who endured terrible bullying. Where is the compassion for all the other students facing the same abuse?
So what must the board and their supporters conclude about the evidence that doesn’t fit their narrative? The kids who speak out are lying? Their parents are lying? The students who took the PAYS survey are lying? The professional organizations that object to our policies and foresee harm are lying? Our superintendent was lying?
No. We wish it were true that our district would commit to supporting all the kids, but that’s not what the evidence indicates.
If you had at hand simple measures that would improve a difficult situation, that cost very little, that could do no harm, wouldn’t you enact them? If there were obvious, doable, research-based practices that many other districts have put in place and proven that they work, wouldn’t you take those steps?
Restore safe learning environments by allowing employees to post in their classrooms, offices, or halls a rainbow flag or other sign of support for LGBTQ students.
Allow students to use their requested names and pronouns. Establish a comprehensive school policy that carefully balances both the protection of a student's right to privacy in instances where they express concern for their safety and encourages parental input when the student consents.
Provide professional development and training specific to anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment, so that all District employees are trained to recognize and respond.
Hire a Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging who can facilitate challenging conversations about race and gender, so we learn how to help more kids thrive in school.
Update CB's Equal Opportunity/Non-Discrimination policy to include gender identity and gender expression.
These are just some of the measures that will improve the lives of kids in school. They make common sense no matter how much bullying does or does not occur in CB.
Let’s create a culture of dignity and belonging by expanding support, protection, and equitable education to all kids in CB.
The resistance to do so is the real blot on our image.