TO LURE 11 YEAR OLDS INTO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY, A ROCKWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL IS TREATING IT LIKE AN EXCLUSIVE HONOR

Students are told they have to apply for these special positions and winners are given a special title: "Leaders for Human Rights."

Counselors and teachers involved in the selection process made it attractive to students by telling them they have to apply for these special positions and that a "panel" will review their applications to decide if they're in or not.

To be considered for the leadership role, students must be willing to "learn about" and "discuss" topics such as gender identity, sexual orientation, racism, religious intolerance, and diversity and inclusion.

From the description of the leadership position
at Rockwood South Middle School

This, despite Rockwood's superintendent saying that this type of work (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, also known as DEI) was put on temporary pause.

More on that below.

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Students who apply to be one of the "Leaders for Human Rights" must uphold "academic standards" and exhibit "exemplary behavior."

Students must also agree to miss class in order to discuss these topics. 

From the description of the leadership position
at Rockwood South Middle School

"I'm frustrated that we can't just concentrate on reading and writing, and, that they are taking kids out of class for this, is crazy!" 

That quote is from a mom who shared the application information with us. She says her 11-year-old received the application online.

Parents are hearing about it because their permission is also required.

This is the full description of the leader position from Rockwood South Middle School:

DEI NOT ON PAUSE

In a recent news article, Rockwood Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain was quoted as saying he was putting a temporary pause on Diversity Equity and Inclusion work in the district so he could take a look at it.

Four days later, Rockwood held professional development training and this screenshot was leaked from one of those sessions.

It offers training next month to teachers who want to learn how to build relationships with students so they will talk to them about "almost anything," including sexuality and gender.

Parents emailed Dr. Cain about this screenshot but got no reply.

DEI INSTEAD OF ACADEMICS, PROFICIENCY IS ALREADY POOR 

The most recent standardized MAP test scores show Rockwood South ranks the lowest among Rockwood's middle schools for proficiency in all core subjects: math, science and English language arts. 

You can see proficiency percentages for Rockwood South and all of Rockwood here.

DEI EMBEDDED IN CLASS LESSON CONTENT

It is not clear if this move to pull students out of class for these discussions is a way to avoid parent complaints like those from the spring of 2021. 

You might remember, complaints about lesson content led to the infamous email that told teachers how to hide lesson content. It made national news.

Parents at Rockwood South Middle, where this "Leaders for Human Rights" club is forming, were among those who shed light on English Language Arts units last year that focused on racist police and gender norms.

This is that lesson content on racist police.

This is that lesson content on "gender norms." 

To see other numerous examples of controversial lesson content in Rockwood, click here:
 "A" for Agenda? Because it's not academics

We asked Rockwood South Middle about the "Leaders for Human Rights" group. 

We are waiting for a response.