March 25, 2015 DESE Response
3/25/2015 Gmail FW: Fulton Middle School Amanda Murdie <[email protected]> FW: Fulton Middle School 1 message Allan, Gavin <[email protected]> Wed, Mar 25, 2015 at 3:27 PM To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "Tammy Gillespie ([email protected])" <[email protected]> Cc: DESE Counsel <[email protected]>, "Helwig, Sharon" <[email protected]>, "Muenks, Michael" <[email protected]> Dear Ms. Gillespie and Dr. Murdie: Thank you for your e‐mails (copied below) and attachments regarding alleged events at the Fulton Middle School, including the “Claim It” activity that has been in the local news this past week. I hope you do not mind that I am replying to both of you in this E‐mail. I chose to do so since you each sent me similar e‐mails and copied each other. I reviewed the activities and assessments, as well as the grade‐level expectations and standards for Health and Physical Education on the Department’s webpages. I did not find any reference to the “Claim It” activity, nor did I find anything that appeared to be remotely similar. If you are aware of this on our webpages or curricular examples, please let us know, so we can take corrective action as needed. A google.com search did find some materials very similar on a website called racebridgesforschools.com, a private page that is not affiliated in any way with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. As you may know, local school districts in Missouri are governed by locally elected boards, and our agency has little governance over local districts in matters such as these. You are encouraged to address your issues with the Fulton School District by filing a formal complaint using the complaint procedure listed in the board policies (found on the district’s webpage): https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=KLAP(1)&Sch= 60&S=60&RevNo=1.01&C=K&Z=R and/or https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=BDDH1&Sch=60& S=60&RevNo=1.01&C=B&T=&Z=P Please understand I am not an attorney and I cannot render legal advice. However, I do have some knowledge of federal civil rights laws, as a component of my job is to review compliance of certain local districts and assist them in becoming compliant when issues are identified. However, I do not have authority to launch an investigation for this incident. The agency that enforces the federal civil rights laws in our local https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=3410b160c1&view=pt&q=gillespie&qs=true&search=query&th=14c529e78e2757a7&siml=14c529e78e2757a7 1/4 3/25/2015 Gmail FW: Fulton Middle School schools is the U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR), of the U.S. Department of Education. I am providing the contact information for the regional office in Kansas City that services Missouri below. If you feel your student’s, or your own civil rights have been violated, you are encouraged to contact OCR for assistance or to file a complaint. They provide technical assistance, receive and investigate complaints, and enforce compliance of identified out of compliance issues. You may have other remedies available to you as well, of which an attorney could better advise you. The OCR office for Missouri is located at: The OCR National Headquarters is located at: Kansas City Office Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education One Petticoat Lane 1010 Walnut Street, 3rd floor, Suite 320 Kansas City, MO 64106 Telephone: 8162680550 FAX: 8162680599; TDD: 8008778339 Email: [email protected] U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202‐1100 Telephone: 8004213481 FAX: 202453 6012; TDD: 8008778339 Email: [email protected] Information regarding filing a complaint with OCR: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I can assist further. Sincerely, Gavin Allan https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=3410b160c1&view=pt&q=gillespie&qs=true&search=query&th=14c529e78e2757a7&siml=14c529e78e2757a7 2/4 3/25/2015 Gmail FW: Fulton Middle School Gavin S. Allan, MA, MPA Director Methods of Administration (Civil Rights Compliance) Office of College and Career Readiness Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Office: 573.522.1775 dese.mo.gov From: Amanda Murdie [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2015 8:40 AM To: Tammy Gillespie Cc: Allan, Gavin Subject: Re: Fulton Middle School Dear Gavin, My daughter, a sixth grader, was in the activity, where she was asked publicly whether she had been raped and about her sexual orientation. I, of course, do not consent to this line of questioning in any educational activity at this developmental level (I would be uncomfortable if such an activity was forced on me). Here is a copy of the email I sent to the Fulton administration last night. I'm saddened that instead of learning from the mistake the district has decided to defend the activity as in line with Missouri State Standards for health. Best regards, Amanda Dr. Amanda Murdie Director of Graduate Studies Department of Political Science University of Missouri 315 Professional Building https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=3410b160c1&view=pt&q=gillespie&qs=true&search=query&th=14c529e78e2757a7&siml=14c529e78e2757a7 3/4 3/25/2015 Gmail FW: Fulton Middle School Columbia, MO 65211 www.amandamurdie.org On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 10:58 PM, Tammy Gillespie <[email protected]> wrote: Gavin, Just a heads up that your office may be contacted by Fulton Public School patrons and concerned citizens. See #1) news story linked below where our supt. states an inappropriate survey was given Friday,, followed by #2) an email from the FPS community relations director to all FMS parent re: seemingly state and FPS approved "curricula". Finally, the attached #3) "Claim It" activity that is considered "curriculum" by the FMS. Shocking! Thankfully my daughter was at a Student Council Conference in Kansas City on Friday but the students' rights are being violated. 1.) Read the backlash from the Fulton community here http://www.connectmidmissouri. com/news/story.aspx?id=1181479#.VRINJ_nFSo 2.) Karen Snethen's letter to all Fulton Middle School parents "Dear Parents, After gathering more information about the activity done in the PE class on Friday, it has been learned that the activity is called Claim It and was part of a day focused on Character Education. The activity is aligned to the Missouri State Standards for health and is also a part of the FMS Health Curriculum. The activity is designed to be welcoming and inclusive so students don't feel isolated and alone. It is never the intent to make any student feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. Additionally, the activity was not mandatory and students were not penalized if they chose not to participate." #3. "'Curriculum' aligned to Missouri State Standards for Health" 2 attachments March 24 2015 Letter BoE.pdf 395K Claim It Description (1).doc 1546K https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=3410b160c1&view=pt&q=gillespie&qs=true&search=query&th=14c529e78e2757a7&siml=14c529e78e2757a7 4/4
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