In a secret recording, a Texas school administrator advised teachers to have an "opposing" book regarding the Holocaust – the genocide of millions of European Jews during World War II.The school leader works with the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, near Dallas-Fort Worth. According to audio obtained by NBC News, Gina Peddy, the Carroll school district's executive director of curriculum and instruction, made the comment during a training session on which books teachers can have in classroom libraries.Carroll ISD held the training camp to respond to a parent's complaint of how the board reprimands a fourth-grade teacher who had kept an anti-racism book in her classroom. A Carroll staff member secretly recorded the training and shared the audio with NBC News.In the recording, Peddy told the teachers to remember the concept of House Bill 3979, which is a new Texas law that requires teachers to present multiple perspectives when discussing "widely debated and currently controversial" issues. "Make sure that if you have a book on the Holocaust, that you have one that has an opposing, that has other perspectives," Peddy said. One teacher asked Peddy how someone could not oppose the Holocaust, to which Peddy responded, "Believe me. That's come up."In a statement from the district, Carroll ISD said the district is trying to help teachers comply with the new state law and an updated version that will go into effect in December.According to NBC News, teachers in the Carroll school district say they fear being punished for stocking classrooms with books dealing with racism, slavery and now the Holocaust. Six teachers spoke with NBC, saying district leaders have sent mixed messages about which books are appropriate in classrooms and what actions they should be taking.Earlier this week, Texas' Katy Independent School District decided to pull books from award-winning author Jerry Craft, including "New Kid," from its shelves over allegations the content of the work promoted critical race theory and Marxism.
In a secret recording, a Texas school administrator advised teachers to have an "opposing" book regarding the Holocaust – the genocide of millions of European Jews during World War II.
The school leader works with the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, near Dallas-Fort Worth. According to audio obtained by NBC News, Gina Peddy, the Carroll school district's executive director of curriculum and instruction, made the comment during a training session on which books teachers can have in classroom libraries.
Carroll ISD held the training camp to respond to a parent's complaint of how the board reprimands a fourth-grade teacher who had kept an anti-racism book in her classroom. A Carroll staff member secretly recorded the training and shared the audio with NBC News.
In the recording, Peddy told the teachers to remember the concept of House Bill 3979, which is a new Texas law that requires teachers to present multiple perspectives when discussing "widely debated and currently controversial" issues.
"Make sure that if you have a book on the Holocaust, that you have one that has an opposing, that has other perspectives," Peddy said.
One teacher asked Peddy how someone could not oppose the Holocaust, to which Peddy responded, "Believe me. That's come up."
In a statement from the district, Carroll ISD said the district is trying to help teachers comply with the new state law and an updated version that will go into effect in December.
According to NBC News, teachers in the Carroll school district say they fear being punished for stocking classrooms with books dealing with racism, slavery and now the Holocaust. Six teachers spoke with NBC, saying district leaders have sent mixed messages about which books are appropriate in classrooms and what actions they should be taking.
Earlier this week, Texas' Katy Independent School District decided to pull books from award-winning author Jerry Craft, including "New Kid," from its shelves over allegations the content of the work promoted critical race theory and Marxism.
Source link
