Elementary school principal cancels 4th-grade 'Lewis and Clark' play over Native American 'cultural appropriation,' 'stereotypes'



An elementary school principal in Washington state canceled a fourth-grade "Lewis and Clark" play after receiving two complaints from parents and determining the script was guilty of "cultural appropriation" and "stereotypes" of Native Americans, conservative commentator Jason Rantz reported for KTTH-AM.

What are the details?

Principal Renee Rossman of Lowell Elementary in Tacoma told parents she was pulling the plug on the scheduled May 5 performance, Rantz said.

“It is essential that our school promote respect for all cultures and people. We must not perpetuate stereotypes or engage in cultural appropriation. After thoughtful consideration along with Racial Justice training at Lowell for all staff, I have decided to cancel the 4th-grade performance of Lewis and Clark,” Rossman wrote in the letter that Rantz said he obtained.

The play focuses on the famous expedition undertaken by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they “discover the Great Unknown West,” KTTH said, adding that the production reportedly depicts a “hostile encounter” with the Teton Sioux and includes Sacagawea, a Native American female who helped the expedition.

“I know students have been preparing and may feel disappointed, but we ask for your support as we take this time to reflect, learn, and revise our practices,” Rossman also wrote, according to Rantz.

The principal also said she won't schedule another play this school year, according to Rantz's KTTH piece.

There were no specifics offered regarding the concern about cultural appropriation, Rantz reported, adding that one parent believes there may have been a problem with white students depicting Native Americans.

'Didn't align with our values'

Rantz said a school spokesperson indicated that the move to cancel the play was done in consultation with district officials.

“After receiving complaints from parents about the play, the school and district reviewed the script," the spokesperson explained in an email to the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. "The script contains cultural stereotypes that misrepresent the customs and traditions of Native Americans. We initially sought to revise the script but determined given the timeline it was not possible."

The spokesperson added that “as a district, we value cultural understanding and strive to create inclusive school environments, and ultimately the play didn’t align with our values," Rantz reported.

Principal calls parents 'whackos,' 'pushy' for speaking out against critical race theory — and apologizes after her emailed insults come to light



An Arizona public school principal issued an apology after calling parents "whackos" and "pushy" for contesting critical race theory, Young America's Foundation reported.

What are the details?

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the outlet said it obtained internal emails penned by Desert Valley Elementary School Principal Tonja Neve that targeted nearly dozen parents who spoke at a Dec. 10 school board meeting in opposition to a proposed curriculum that would promote elements of critical race theory.

One parent who spoke during the meeting asked the district to "stop diluting student education with politically correct, feel-good propaganda."

Another parent said, "Before the governing school board today is a vote for a new curriculum that appears well-intentioned, appealing, even empathetic. But in actuality it further divides us. ... It's absurd. ... You cannot cure racism with more racism."

Parents Stand Up To Proposed CRT Curriculum at School Board Meetingyoutu.be

What did the principal say?

"That board meeting was ridiculous," Neve wrote in one email dated Feb. 1, YAF said. "I'm sick of us giving these whackos a platform to spread propaganda without making any correction statements."

Image source: Young America's Foundation, used by permission

The outlet also said Neve conferred with Jennifer Mundy, whom YAF said is "one of the architects of the new proposed curriculum," in another Feb. 1 email on how they could "quiet" the "pushy voices" of dissenting parents through a court ruling that "reinforces the power of principals to set boundaries in parent-school communication."

Image source: Young America's Foundation, used by permission

What the the district and the principal have to say?

A Peoria Unified School District spokeswoman told YAF that the district wasn't aware of Neve's "name calling" and followed up with the principal.

The outlet said Neve offered the following statement: "My comments were unprofessional, and I apologize for that ... my comments were in regards to audience members who were coming to our board and calling teachers out by name and misconstruing and devaluing the hard work they do. My comment was made in the heat of the moment and in defense of my profession and colleagues."

She added that she takes "responsibility for what I did wrong," YAF reported.

Anything else?

Turns out Neve was announced in March as the new principal of Main Street School in Exeter, New Hampshire, and that she and her family will move there before she begins her duties July 1.

Here's another video of a school board meeting with longer and more complete public comments:

Peoria Unified School District parents speak out against Critical Race Theory-based curriculumyoutu.be