NORTH OGDEN, Utah – A charter school in northern Utah that is allowing parents to exclude students from the Black History Month curriculum has sparked a debate about whether parents should have that option.
Academy Director Maria Montessori, Micah Hirokawa, said on the school’s Facebook page on Friday that he “reluctantly” sent a letter explaining that families are allowed to “exercise their civil rights to not participate in Black History Month in school, “reported the Standard Examiner.
Hirokawa said “few families” asked not to attend classes related to Black History Month. But he declined to say how many parents or their reasons for making the decision.
“We must not protect our children from our nation’s history, from mistreatment of African American citizens and the bravery of civil rights leaders, but we must educate them about it,” said Hirokawa, adding that the parents’ request saddens and disappoints it.
The school’s board of directors declined to provide further comment on the decision.
Maria Montessori Academy, which serves elementary and high school students, incorporates Black History Month into its regular social studies and history classes throughout February, said Hirokawa.
Hirokawa, of Asian descent, said his posting was against his personal beliefs. As someone whose great-grandparents were sent to a Japanese internment camp, he said he sees value in teaching children about the abuse, challenges and obstacles that people of color have faced in the United States.
Data from the Utah State Board of Education shows that the academy has 322 students and only three are black, while about 70% are white.
Some parents have argued that giving parents the right to refuse allows racism.
The NAACP Ogden chapter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.