Parents for Responsible
Educational Policy
PREP
The Protest at the Middle School
click here for full version
This
demonstration,
initiated
by
concerned
parents,
focuses
on
the
upcoming
introduction
of
a
specific
curriculum
designed
by
an
external
organization,
HiTOPS.
This
curriculum,
titled
Intersectionality,
Privilege,
and
Microaggression
held
within
a
class
called
Pathway
to
Racial
Literacy, has sparked a heated debate among the parent community.
At
the
heart
of
this
controversy
is
the
curriculum's
approach
to
societal
issues,
particularly
those
related
to
race
and
LGBTQ
matters.
HiTOPS
appears
to
frame
these
issues
through
a
lens
of
oppressor
and
oppressed,
a
perspective
that
has
raised
alarm
among
parents.
The
concern
is
that
such
a
divisive
approach
may
not
only
oversimplify
complex
social
dynamics
but
also
sow
discord among students.
The
ideological
roots
of
the
oppressor
/
oppressed
ideology
in
HiTOPS
lesson
can
be
trace
back
to
several
contentious
theories
from
neo-Marxist
Frankfurt
School
to
Critical
Race
Theory.
In
one
of
HiTOPS
slide
from
the
lesson
explicitly
referenced
Kimberle
Crenshaw
the
well
known
CRT
theorist as the person who coined the term intersectionality
While
the
curriculum
doesn't
explicitly
use
the
term
'oppressor',
but
the
implication
is
present.
When
some
students
are
labeled
as
oppressed,
it
naturally
leads
to
the
inference
of
other
students in the role of an 'oppressor' in this context.
The
HiTOPS
lesson
is
often
defended
by
the
school
and
board
of
education
as
a
necessity
to
fulfill
a
state
mandates.
However,
a
closer
examination
of
the
sample
activities
and
lessons
for
grades
6
through
8
reveals
a
significant
disconnect
between
it
and
HiTOPS
curriculum
emphasizing
privileged
versus
oppressed
groups,
a
direction
that
markedly
deviates
from
the
mandate's intended scope.
The
lesson
plan
includes
an
activity
where
students
may
reveal
personal
information
about
their
privileges
and
oppression.
This
raises
questions
about
privacy
and
ethics
in
education,
as
students
should
have
the
choice
to
protect
their
personal
information,
which
is
protected
by
law.
The
curriculum's
oversimplified
oppressor-versus-oppressed
framework
risks
excusing
inappropriate
behavior
by
students
who
may
attribute
it
solely
to
their
status
as
the
oppressed,
undermining personal responsibility and hindering personal growth and accountability.
Students
labeled
as
'privileged'
may
self-censor,
fearing
their
viewpoints
are
inherently
flawed
due
to
societal
status,
stifling
open
dialogue
and
impeding
critical
thinking
development,
impacting their confidence and growth.
Categorization
of
students
oppressor
(privilege)
status
based
on
uncontrollable
identity
factors
may harm their mental health, contradicting the school's commitment to promoting well-being.
The
HiTOPS
curriculum's
ideologies
extend
beyond
its
content,
subtly
priming
students
to
critique
and
pursue
reform
on
how
to
address
serious
social
issues
through
a
specific
disruptive
ideological lens rather than a constructive method.
Parents,
voice
your
concerns
and
demand
the
school
and
board
of
education
to
change
the
curriculum.
Steer
the
educational
focus
back
to
subjects
and
approaches
that
build
a
cohesive,
informed,
and
resilient
society.
The
future
of
our
children
and
the
integrity
of
our
educational
system depend on our willingness to stand up for these fundamental principles.
You
can
attend
a
board
of
education
meeting
to
express
your
concerns
about
HiTOPS
curriculum
during
public
comment.
The
next
meeting
will
be
on
Tuesday,
January
30.
The
meeting could be in-person or Zoom it is TBD. Please
check
with PPS website.
Contact info for the Board of Education and Princeton Public School:
Board of Education - ppsboe@princetonk12.org
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Kimberly Tew -
KimberlyTew@princetonk12.org
Supervisor of Humanities (Grades 6-12), Keisha Smith-Carrington -
Keishasmith-Carrington@princetonk12.org
Acting Superintendent, Dr. Kathie Foster - KathleenFoster@princetonk12.org
Princeton Middle School Principal, Jason Burr - jasonburr@princetonk12.org
We
invite
you
to
connect
with
us.
Please
email
hello@prepyes.org
for
the
latest
updates
regarding
this
issue
or
to
share
any
information
or
concerns
about
the
curriculum
being
taught
in our schools.
The
Protest
at
the
Middle
School
click here for full version
This
demonstration,
initiated
by
concerned
parents,
focuses
on
the
upcoming
introduction
of
a
specific
curriculum
designed
by
an
external
organization,
HiTOPS.
This
curriculum,
titled
Intersectionality,
Privilege,
and
Microaggression
held
within
a
class
called
Pathway
to
Racial
Literacy,
has
sparked
a
heated
debate
among
the
parent community.
At
the
heart
of
this
controversy
is
the
curriculum's
approach
to
societal
issues,
particularly
those
related
to
race
and
LGBTQ
matters.
HiTOPS
appears
to
frame
these
issues
through
a
lens
of
oppressor
and
oppressed,
a
perspective
that
has
raised
alarm
among
parents.
The
concern
is
that
such
a
divisive
approach
may
not
only
oversimplify
complex
social
dynamics
but
also
sow
discord among students.
The
ideological
roots
of
the
oppressor
/
oppressed
ideology
in
HiTOPS
lesson
can
be
trace
back
to
several
contentious
theories
from
neo-Marxist
Frankfurt
School
to
Critical
Race
Theory.
In
one
of
HiTOPS
slide
from
the
lesson
explicitly
referenced
Kimberle
Crenshaw
the
well
known
CRT
theorist
as
the
person
who
coined
the
term
intersectionality
While
the
curriculum
doesn't
explicitly
use
the
term
'oppressor',
but
the
implication
is
present.
When
some
students
are
labeled
as
oppressed,
it
naturally
leads
to
the
inference
of
other
students
in the role of an 'oppressor' in this context.
The
HiTOPS
lesson
is
often
defended
by
the
school
and
board
of
education
as
a
necessity
to
fulfill
a
state
mandates.
However,
a
closer
examination
of
the
sample
activities
and
lessons
for
grades
6
through
8
reveals
a
significant
disconnect
between
it
and
HiTOPS
curriculum
emphasizing
privileged
versus
oppressed
groups,
a
direction
that
markedly
deviates
from
the
mandate's intended scope.
The
lesson
plan
includes
an
activity
where
students
may
reveal
personal
information
about
their
privileges
and
oppression.
This
raises
questions
about
privacy
and
ethics
in
education,
as
students
should
have
the
choice
to
protect
their
personal
information,
which
is
protected
by
law.
The
curriculum's
oversimplified
oppressor-versus-
oppressed
framework
risks
excusing
inappropriate
behavior
by
students
who
may
attribute
it
solely
to
their
status
as
the
oppressed,
undermining
personal
responsibility
and
hindering personal growth and accountability.
Students
labeled
as
'privileged'
may
self-censor,
fearing
their
viewpoints
are
inherently
flawed
due
to
societal
status,
stifling
open
dialogue
and
impeding
critical
thinking
development,
impacting
their confidence and growth.
Categorization
of
students
oppressor
(privilege)
status
based
on
uncontrollable
identity
factors
may
harm
their
mental
health,
contradicting
the
school's commitment to promoting well-being.
The
HiTOPS
curriculum's
ideologies
extend
beyond
its
content,
subtly
priming
students
to
critique
and
pursue
reform
on
how
to
address
serious
social
issues
through
a
specific
disruptive
ideological
lens
rather
than
a
constructive
method.
Parents,
voice
your
concerns
and
demand
the
school
and
board
of
education
to
change
the
curriculum.
Steer
the
educational
focus
back
to
subjects
and
approaches
that
build
a
cohesive,
informed,
and
resilient
society.
The
future
of
our
children
and
the
integrity
of
our
educational
system
depend
on
our
willingness
to
stand
up
for
these fundamental principles.
You
can
attend
a
board
of
education
meeting
to
express
your
concerns
about
HiTOPS
curriculum
during
public
comment.
The
next
meeting
will
be
on
Tuesday,
January
30.
The
meeting
could
be
in-
person
or
Zoom
it
is
TBD.
Please
check
with
PPS
website.
Contact info for the Board of Education and
Princeton Public School:
Board of Education - ppsboe@princetonk12.org
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and
Instruction, Dr. Kimberly Tew -
KimberlyTew@princetonk12.org
Supervisor of Humanities (Grades 6-12), Keisha
Smith-Carrington -
Keishasmith-Carrington@princetonk12.org
Acting Superintendent, Dr. Kathie Foster -
KathleenFoster@princetonk12.org
Princeton Middle School Principal, Jason Burr -
jasonburr@princetonk12.org
We
invite
you
to
connect
with
us.
Please
email
hello@prepyes.org
for
the
latest
updates
regarding
this
issue
or
to
share
any
information
or
concerns
about
the
curriculum
being
taught
in
our schools.
Parents for Responsible
Educational Policy
PREP