The Williamson County school board was divided Monday night over a proposal that would prohibit teachers from using supplementary material linked to terrorist organizations.
Some school board members said the policy revision was unnecessary and demeaning to teachers, while others said the revision was simply an extra precaution.
“I respect teachers as much as anyone in this room,” said school board member Beth Burgos, who introduced the policy revision. “I adamantly disagree that this ties their hands or in any way disrespects them. It’s the opposite.”
Burgos added: “I just want to safeguard our district and our parents and our teachers and our students.”
Burgos said there have been incidents — locally and nationally — where at least one group with known ties to terrorism has attempted to “infiltrate” classrooms.
Burgos said a teacher in Bristol used a PowerPoint in class provided by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR is a national Muslim advocacy group. Although not convicted in court as a terrorist organization, some believe the group has connections to terrorist organizations.
“I believe it’s a real threat,” Burgos said, referring to terrorist groups interested in influencing the American education system.
The policy revision says supplemental instructional materials, including online resources, must not be provided by or associated with known terrorist groups or organizations with known ties to terrorist groups.
A terrorist group is defined as “any Foreign Terrorist Organization as designated by the United States Department of State.” An organization with known ties to terrorist group is one “comprised of or including members who have, in a court of competent jurisdiction, been convicted of or found to be conspirators in providing material support to terrorist organizations.”
The policy revision also says parents are entitled to review supplemental instructional materials used in class.
“None of our teachers are going to knowingly look for materials provided by terrorist groups,” said school board member Anne McGraw. “I don’t think our teachers are going to Hamas and pulling down supplementary materials.”
Hamas is a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the U.S. Department of State.
McGraw and school board members Jay Galbreath and Bobby Hullett questioned who would monitor teacher selection of supplemental materials.
School board members Dan Cash, Candace Emerson and Susan Curlee said they supported Burgos’ proposal.
“We’re not doing any harm to add to this policy,” Emerson said.
School officials said they do not see a need for the policy revision. They also said they do not object to the policy.
“I don’t have any objections because we don’t do any of these things,” said Tim Gaddis, referring to using supplementary materials linked to terrorist organizations. Gaddis is the district’s assistant superintendent of teaching, learning and assessment.
Gaddis added: “Our parents are entitled, and always have been, to review all supplementary materials.”
School board chairman Gary Anderson and WCS Director of Schools Mike Looney will decide whether to put Burgos’ proposal on the board’s agenda.
Burgos’ proposal follows several months of statewide concern about how Islam and other world religions are taught in public schools.
Anderson said in an interview that the board’s instructional materials policy has not been changed in 15 years.
Earlier this school year, Burgos introduced a resolution to enable parents to review classroom materials for religious bias. She later pulled the resolution before the board could vote on it.