The Minot School Board is expected to soon take up the task of drafting a policy regarding critical race theory and other politically-sensitive curriculum topics. Superintendent Mark Vollmer said the intent is to begin policy discussions at the board’s May meeting. 

Like other school districts drafting policies across North Dakota, the Minot district is responding to a state law regarding critical race theory and the subsequent rules drafted by the Department of Public Instruction.

Legislators, meeting in special session in 2021, enacted a law requiring schools to have a policy in place that prohibits the teaching of critical race theory. Critical race theory is defined in the law as the theory that racism is not merely the product of learned individual bias or prejudice, but that racism is systemically embedded in American society and the American legal system to facilitate racial inequality.

To implement the law, DPI facilitated rules last January  that require boards to adopt policies that must:

– Allow curriculum, resources and instructional materials to be made available for public viewing upon request, and include the timeline involved and  the process or mechanism for these to be viewed by the public.

-  Include the process for addressing issues found to violate the law on teaching critical race theory.

-  State that the board of the school district shall ensure district-led or district-sponsored professional development that complies with the law.

Alexis Baxley, executive director for the North Dakota School Boards Association, said the association makes a CRT policy template available to school boards. Schools can adopt the model policy or develop their own versions, she said.

The template has been reviewed and determined to meet the requirement of the law.

“If a district adopts something different, they should have an attorney review it,” Baxley said. 

Wayne Stanley, superintendent at South Prairie Public School, said his district typically follows the guidance of the N.D. School Boards Association in adopting its model policies. The South Prairie board has not had a first reading on a CRT policy yet.

Nedrose Public School adopted the N.D. School Board Association’s model policy in April 2017 and it remains in place, said Superintendent Matthew Norby.

Schools must certify to the state that they have policies. Policies require passage by the boards at two readings at separate meetings.

TGU Public School approved on first reading a policy that is an amended version of the template.

“There are a lot of strong feelings on this controversial topic, which resulted in robust discussion,” said TGU Board President Evie Johnson. “Ultimately, that discussion ended with a majority of the board voting to adopt this board regulation.”

The TGU policy, which is scheduled for second reading April 12, states parents must be informed two weeks in advance, in writing, of content and assignments, and parents would be allowed to opt their children out of controversial lessons and receive substitute lessons. 

The TGU policy, as currently being considered, excludes language on staff penalties and complaint handling related to policy violations. The template speaks of placing staff on notice and nonrenewal of contracts with repeated policy violations.

Vollmer said the Minot board also will begin with the template as a model once discussions start.

Among provisions of the template are :

– The school will welcome families from diverse backgrounds, providing a  balanced, apolitical curriculum encouraging critical thinking, self-awareness and compassion while strongly supporting the core academic subject areas.

– The school will be committed to teaching American history while acknowledging slavery and racism are wrong and immoral.

– The school is committed to providing multiple perspectives that are age appropriate when social issues/current events are discussed in the classroom.