- After a letter went out to elementary school parents about an optional lesson on pronouns, the district was quickly met with backlash which led to canceling the lesson.
- The lesson was crafted to teach acceptance among students.
- Monday night a meeting was held where community members spoke about the issues and how they think the district should handle the matter going forward.
- Video shows opposing views and hopes for a compromise.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your neighborhood reporter, Russell Shellberg, here in DeWitt where Monday night, a meeting was held to address problems within the district. However, a controversial issue emerged with pronouns within the classroom.
"When I was growing up, sex education was about male and female... Now we have a whole bunch of stuff going on," said one individual.
Members from DeWitt and outside the community came to speak their minds on an issue that sparked wide debate: a letter proposing an optional pronoun lesson that was sent to parents of DeWitt's elementary school. After significant backlash, it was canceled soon after.
"My first takeaway was that kids that age are going to be confused by this, and also it's just not appropriate to be talking about a sexualized issue with 7-year-olds," said resident Chelsea Brown.
But others spoke from a different perspective.
Resident Janna Rowan shared that her mindset shifted over the years during her son's transition.
"It took an awful situation to figure out that what I was doing wasn't working... And then at that point, I realized it wasn't about me. It's not about what I feel, it's not about what I think, not about my old-fashioned ways. It's about keeping my kid alive, literally, and that's what we need to teach as a school district and as the world," said Rowan.
As the meeting came to an end, Superintendent Shanna Spickard closed with the district's mission going forward.
"Our mission is providing the tools and environment for all learners to succeed. And our core values emphasize uniqueness and inclusivity. Our mission for this year is 'You Matter.'" said Spickard.
Those in support applauded the statement and expressed hope for inclusivity going forward.
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