How to Handle Controversial Issues in CUSD
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Since the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) has faced several controversial issues, attracting significant media attention. You can find some media reports here, here and the story here.
Long Jiao mentioned adoption of BP 6144 at the Board Meeting on September 26, 2024, a request also made by a group of CUSD parents at CurriculumIntegrity.org. Board members Jerry Liu, Phyllis Vogal, Sylvia Leong, and Satheeth Madhathil requested to add BP 6144 to future agenda items during the September 24, 2024, board meeting.
BP 6144 appeared in the Board Advance on October 17, 2024, and will be revisited in the future.
BP 6144 is a board policy regarding instructions related to controversial issues.
Some of the guidelines for instructions related to controversial issues are:
- The topic shall be age-appropriate.
- Instruction shall be presented in a balanced manner without bias and without promoting any particular point of view.
- In the classroom, teachers act on behalf of the District and are expected to follow the adopted curriculum, meaning they have limited freedom of speech in the classroom.
- Students have the freedom of speech without jeopardizing their grades or being subject to discrimination, retaliation, or discipline.
Below are the full list of guidelines.
A group of CUSD parents supported BP 6144. And some members of the Cupertino Educators Association (CEA), or the Teachers' Union, opposed it.
BP 6144 has been adopted by numerous California school districts, including the Fremont Union High School District, which encompasses the entire CUSD area.
