The regularly scheduled DeKalb County Board of Education meeting was the scene of controversy last Thursday evening, as students, parents, and school stall attended to voice their concerns over a couple of hot button issues that have arose over the week. At issue were a couple of online surveys for students at DCHS, and whether student quotes would be allowed in this year’s yearbook.
It was near standing room only as the crowd filled the Board of Education’s meeting room and filed out into the adjoining hallway. Some parents had come to voice concerns over a pair of surveys which asked students about sexual orientation, gender identity, and LGBTQ inclusion. The meeting would get heated at times.
One survey, which was part of a Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, was created by students and placed online by the teacher.
School Director Patrick Cripps talked to the media about the surveys prior to the meeting.
“I got a text on Tuesday with a concern that there was a survey from the FFA going out to the FFA member asking questions about LBGTQ issues. I didn’t know anything about it, so I called the administration at the school (DCHS) and asked what was going on.”
Cripps explained that the FFA survey was part of an agri-science project which helps FFA students earn a trip to the state convention in Gatlinburg. “If you go to the FFA website, the FFA’s big thing is being all inclusive, getting everyone involved. Apparently, a couple of students had created an online survey asking questions about FFA with LGBTQ questions. We didn’t know anything about it, and it had not been approved by Principal Curtis, so I asked them to stop the survey at that time.”
“This year three different topics were chosen by DCHS students, veganism, environment, and LGBTQ inclusion in agriculture. What the students did, they created a survey for non LGBTQ students and they created a survey for LGBTQ students to take, and they had some questions to answer from there,” Director Cripps explained.
“We’re here to educate kids based on the curriculum that the state puts forth. That is not part of the state curriculum,” Cripps said.
The other survey at issue was a Federal survey put out through the CDC, which is a tobacco survey about tobacco usage in teens. “They won’t allow us to open up the survey to see the questions,” Cripps explained. “We get Federal money and the Federal government sends us surveys to send to students, and if you don’t do the surveys, they could pull our funding.”
Though school officials were unable to see the survey, screenshots taken by some of the students show the first question asking if they identified as male, female, or transgender. The survey also ask other LGBTQ questions. Director Cripps said that students had the option to opt out of taking the CDC survey, and that an email was sent out to parents for them to opt out.
At a workshop meeting before the Board of Education meeting, students, parents, and school staff were allowed to speak to the board for two minutes in order to allow everyone a chance to express themselves.
First to address the board was a parent, Ryan Mollinet. “Regarding the first survey, which was the FFA survey, who created the survey?” Mollinet asked.
“It is my understanding that students created that, and it was given to the teacher,” Director Cripps answered.
“Is this nationwide?” Mollinet asked.
DCHS Principal Bruce Curtis chimed in explaining, “The issue of being inclusive is a 2018 FFA national initiative that they put in.”
“Who posted the survey to the FFA students?” asked Mollinet.
“I did,” answered teacher Lizzie Burrows from the crowd.
“The teacher,” said Cripps.
“This was sent just to FFA students?” asked Mollinet.
“Yes sir. To the FFA Google classroom page,” answered Burrows.
“Who reviewed the content of the survey when it was turned in to be posted?” Molinet asked.
“At that point, just me,” Burrows responded.
“You reviewed the content of the survey and you felt it was acceptable to give to our kids?” asked Mollinet.
“I treated it as any other agri-science survey that comes through the program,” answered Burrows.
“So this survey about the LGBTQ is part of agri-science,” asked Mollinet
“No sir, but it is relevant to my students,” replied Burrows.
“So this teacher reviewed it, approved it, and posted it. Who removed the survey?” asked Mollinet
“I had Mr. Curtis do it,” said Director Cripps.
“Who was held accountable for this being posted to our kids,” Mollinet asked.
“It is still under investigation,” Cripps answered
“So there’s no disciplinary action taken?” asked Mollinet.
“None at this point,” said Cripps.
“Why weren’t parents not made aware?” asked Mollinet. “There was a survey sent out, permission wasn’t granted, we didn’t ask you? This all took place without your (Cripps) knowledge, without my knowledge, inside DeKalb County High School. How are we as parents supposed to trust leadership in administration on any level? If this happened without our permission, without our knowing, how do we trust anybody making any decision moving forward?” Mollinet asked.
“I totally get it. If I could predict people’s behavior it would be great. I’ve got 500 employees that go out every day and they can do whatever and however,” said Director Cripps.
“No they can’t. That is your responsibility,” said Mollinet.
“I won’t skirt that issue. It’s under my watch,” answered Cripps.
Andy Patterson, a local minister, also addressed the board about the surveys, but also about the issue of senior quotes being discontinued in this year’s yearbook.
“The issues I’m referencing are the survey, and CDC Tobacco survey, as well as the concerning report of censuring our students’ senior quotes. Whether I agree with the quote or you disagree, it’s their quote. These young people have had everything taken from them because of COVID. At least these children ought to be able, whether it’s a gay pride quote, whether it’s a political quote, or whether it’s a Bible quote, to share what they want to share in a yearbook they are paying for.”
“Every one of you has a right to live your own life, but as Christians we have a right to believe what we believe, so I am concerned with the surveys because there’s so many rumors. All of us know rumors are no good. My issue is why does a FFA and a CDC survey want to know about the sex of our children, their sex lives, and also the finances of their parents?” Patterson said.
Other parents attended the meeting that said they had no problem with the survey, but had an issue about how the news of the surveys were released to the public through Facebook posts, creating a hostile environment for their child.
“I have a student that goes to y’alls school, and a previous student that went to y’alls school, that was LGBTQIA,” said one parent. “I have no problem with the survey, and even parents and students that have an issue with it because they have that right due to religious freedoms.”
“What I do have a problem with is when it becomes an issue, brought by a school board member, when it should be neutral. Because when you push an agenda with children, children have a habit of following adults and that creates a hostile environment in the school,” she continued.
“My child was scared today at school because they were hearing comments about that, and were afraid of being attacked by other students hearing what was going on, and that is wrong. That’s not okay. All I ask is to keep a neutral ground. Have your own beliefs, just don’t make it public. I think that’s fair, because that puts a target on a kid. Don’t put it on a public forum where kids can see it. Let them come in here and talk about it,” she said.
A DCHS student addressed the board saying she felt scared after news spread throughout the school. “I feel people have been greatly homophobic in the classrooms as they were today in one of my classes. They were greatly homophobic and disrespectful and I don’t think we should stand for it. That’s disgusting. You don’t need to be rude to people. You don’t need to scare people,” she said.
A large majority of parents and students also took up the issue of senior quotes being removed from this year’s yearbook, calling it a freedom of speech issue. DCHS senior Faith Bettencourt presented a petition to the board with 230 student signatures asking that the quotes be reinstated.
DCHS Principal Curtis addressed the issue, explaining why the decision was made to not do the quotes. “I stopped it because it’s not worth the fight. If I allow this political view then I have to allow another political view, and then I’ve got bickering back and forth in our annuals. And If I allow one religious verse I have to allow a non-religious, because now I’m getting into civil liberties and violating their rights.”
Curtis continued, saying, “What I want you to do (school board) were to say to me, ‘anything can be said’ I’m good with that. If it needs to be censured, you tell me because I’m not going to sit and argue and fight over a quote in the yearbook. I understand they (students) want it. I understand that. But also people have to understand that I am not bound by how I feel or my beliefs. I am bound by federal and state regulations. Sometimes I agree and sometimes I don’t but if I like my job and we like our money I still got to do it. But the one thing you can be for sure is I am going to protect every kid in my school and I’m going to give every kid their right to say. If you don’t like that, fire me,” he said.
Principal Curtis then addressed how the survey issue was released to the public. “Before you put anything on the Internet, research it, and don’t push send unless you want it to last forever. Obviously we’ve got some other people that need to learn that.”
Principal Curtis then looked at 3rd District School Board member Jim Beshearse, who had posted about the survey issue on Facebook, and asked, “You got questions for me? Because you can blow me up on Facebook, but I don’t do Facebook?”
“Did I mention your name on Facebook?” asked Beshearse.
“You mentioned my school,” Curtis responded.
“Let me correct you. That’s not your school. That’s our school,” Beshearse snapped back.
“Have you been in it this year?” asked Curtis.
“I’ve been in the auto mechanics area a time or two,” Beshearse answered.
“Okay, you’ve made it to auto mechanics, but come on inside,” Curtis responded.
“It sounds like I need to because I get calls from staff members around the clock,” said Beshearse.
“Oh you do?” Curtis quipped back.
“Am I just making that up?” asked Beshearse.
“Yeah,” answered Curtis heatedly. “A teacher has a right to disagree with me. That’s okay. But what are they disagreeing about,” asked Principal Curtis.
“The people that call me, students and parents, you know what they refer to the high school as?” asked Beshearse.
“What?” asked Curtis.
“The wild west,” Beshearse answered.
Several of the students in the crowd disagreed, but some said they do consider the school as wild.
“You have the right to have a mixed opinion,” Curtis said. “That’s okay. The thing is, if I don’t agree with you, we don’t need to fight. It means we need to agree to disagree and move on, and not blow things up on social media when we don’t even know what we’re talking about.”
Many of the students in attendance then stood up and expressed their support for Principal Curtis and his staff. Chloe Hale tearfully said, “There has never been a principal more involved with the students. I just love how involved he is, and how he cares.”
DCHS basketball player addressed the crowd, defending Principal Curtis. “Any problem I’ve ever had I go to Bruce or Mr. Cagle, and they handle it fine. I’ve never felt scared to talk to them.”
Director Cripps said he has met with school principals about student surveys going forward, and that the board and school staff are reevaluating its view on senior quotes. “This county will only be as strong as our kids are and our community is and fighting back and forth is not going to make us strong. We have got to unite. People will have different opinions. Do we make mistakes? Absolutely we make mistakes, but we are trying the best we can and the last thing we will ever do is try to hurt a kid. We are here to love them and educate them,” said Director Cripps.
