EDUCATION
GCISD’s new policies cover books, critical race theory, other issues
BY HANNAH JOHNSON
district policies referencing biological sex require students to use what is listed on their birth certi cate or other government record. All of the policies were considered together as a single agenda item and were approved in a 4-3 vote. Trustees Becky St. John, Coley Canter and Jorge Rodríguez voted against the policies. The policies covering classroom materials and library books were recommended by the Texas Edu- cation Agency on April 11. Several districts across the metroplex, including Carroll ISD in Southlake, have adopted the split-book policy to have classroom and library books fall under di erent criteria. GCISD’s policies presented Aug. 22 were created “over the course of several months” by a board-ap- pointed policy ad hoc committee, the district’s internal policy review
Applause broke out after the 197th speaker nished out public com- ments at 11:17 p.m. Aug. 22 during Grapevine-Colleyville ISD’s school board meeting that saw the approval of a set of policies on a range of issues, including library books, con- troversial topics and bathroom use. The majority of the commenters spoke about the board’s vote on eight policies: selecting library books, selecting instructional materials, prohibiting the promotion of critical race theory, designating district bathrooms and changing facilities based on the person’s biological sex, de ning how teachers should teach controversial topics, designating participation in UIL activities based on the student’s biological sex, the distribution of nonschool literature by students and the distribution of nonschool literature by others. The
The Grapevine-Colleyville ISD board of trustees meeting Aug. 22 had 197 speakers signed up for public comment before the vote to adopt several policies.
HANNAH JOHNSON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
committee and the district’s legal counsel. Superintendent Robin Ryan said Trustees Kathy Florence Sprad- ley, Casey Ford and Shannon Braun were on the ad hoc committee. The board vote came after nearly four hours of public comment. Braun made a motion to amend discussion rules for the item. Each trustee had three minutes to discuss and ask questions about the policies and could only speak once. St. John, Canter and Rodríguez cited concerns about teachers’ handling of the policies and possible
legal action against the district as their reasons for voting against the changes. “None of these policies are good for GCISD,” St. John said. Voting in favor of the policies were Trustees Braun, Ford, Spradley and Tammy Nakamura. They said the policies protected children and were a re ection of community values. “I ran on the promise of ending these assaults on our children,” Nakamura said. “I’ve kept the prom- ise of my candidacy and will continue to do so.”
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