July 11, 2022 Cooper Moran

A group of Williamson County parents filed a lawsuit against Williamson County Schools, alleging a violation of the state’s ban on Critical Race Theory teachings.

Parents’ Choice Tennessee, a group started by James and Patricia Lucente, filed the suit in Franklin and pointed to the district’s use of “Wit & Wisdom” materials.

“The claims presented in this lawsuit raise serious constitutional concerns regarding the parental liberty rights of parents to direct and control the education and upbringing of their children,” said Larry Crain, attorney for the parent group. “The school system has turned a deaf ear to these concerns, and this is what has prompted this action.”

According to the group, certain material that is presented to students provides “age-inappropriate” lessons and works to “promote a skewed and racist view of history.”

If a violation of the state law is discovered, the school district could potentially lose state funding.

“The curriculum was adopted through a process in violation of state law, and over the objections of several parents and educators who raised serious concerns about the graphic, racist, and age-inappropriate nature of much of its content,” added Ms. Lucente.

“Wit & Wisdom uses Social Emotional Learning to masquerade as a sort of “feel good” approach that steers young elementary-age children to horrific discussions of the savagery of slavery, war, misery, sexual aggression and death. Wit & Wisdom is conditioning our children to view the world through the eyes of a critical theorist which is destructive and divisive. It’s very clear that this failed curriculum focuses more on political literacy instead of literacy. Not only has Williamson County failed to protect our children from this harmful material, they have also failed to protect our teachers by instructing them to teach this questionable and destructive material with fidelity or else.”

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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to cooperreports@gmail.com.
Photo “Williamson County Schools” by Williamson County Schools.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES: 

https://tennesseestar.com/2022/07/11/group-of-williamson-county-parents-sue-school-district-over-alleged-critical-race-theory-material/