Oskaloosa School Board Approves Curriculum After Local Debate in 5-2 Vote

Supporters spoke overwhelmingly in favor of the Oskaloosa School District adopting the Wit & Wisdom curriculum after some parents tried to derail its implementation because they thought it covered critical race theory (CRT), an outlawed subject not taught in Iowa K-12 schools.

The new curriculum was approved 5-2 with board members Kathy Butler and Clint O’Day voting “no” during Tuesday’s Oskaloosa School Board meeting.

Leading up to the meeting, Wit & Wisdom had sparked a debate in the Mahaska County community.

One parent even took exception to sections of Wit & Wisdom that covered the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and sections about Ruby Bridges, who was the first student to desegregate a public school in the South in 1960, arguing they weren’t age-appropriate for second-grade students.

Still, four of five public speakers spoke in favor of Wit & Wisdom during Tuesday’s meeting.

Resident Diane Crookham-Johnson had attended a previous informational meeting about Wit & Wisdom and said district staff selected the curriculum because it addressed students’ needs, Iowa’s requirements, and offered the best method for teaching.

“We need to trust our professionals in these decisions,” she said.

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Jim North, another resident who had three children graduate from the school system, also spoke in support.

“I’ve read through it and it looks pretty good,” he said.

Scottie Moore, a retired Oskaloosa social studies teacher, also was in favor. She thanked the board for allowing a civil discussion to take place about the curriculum.

“I came and looked it over. I think it’s excellent,” she said of Wit & Wisdom.

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Heather Fogle, another retired Oskaloosa teacher, talked about how discouraging it was to hear others in the community express concern over CRT being taught despite it being illegal to do so in Iowa, coupled with the fact that it wasn’t taught even before its prohibition.

“Teachers absolutely do not have time to deviate from the curriculum and they certainly don’t have time to teach CRT, which is a decades-old legal theory that is mainly taught in law schools,” Fogle said.

“And here’s the really important part: Teachers are not only highly-trained professionals, but they are also dedicated. They love their children.”

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The only person who sort of spoke out against Wit & Wisdom was Trisha Ireland, though her comments were moreso aimed at a previous Starting Line report that highlighted issues some Oskaloosa parents had with the curriculum including the sections about King and Bridges. Ireland argued that the parental involvement cause was undermined by someone leaking emails sent to board members.

Electronic communications with most public officials are public records and can be requested, according to Iowa Code. 

During a presentation later in the meeting, three Osklaoosa teachers and the district’s curriculum director explained how and why they chose Wit & Wisdom over other curricula. They also highlighted other Iowa schools that have implemented it including Ireton Christian School in Northwest Iowa.

Attending the meeting via phone, board president Sharma Partlett—who later made the motion to approve Wit & Wisdom—said it was a good discussion and she’s excited about the curriculum. Partlett also said she read some of the books people had concerns over.

“I was comfortable with those books,” she said. “The bottom line, for me, is would I want my grandkids to be reading that—and they are all in elementary school—and, yes, I would want them to read those books and I encourage them to have conversations around that content.”

by Ty Rushing
2/09/22

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