TN schools chief faces pressure over curriculum as group files first complaint under new critical race theory law

Pressure is mounting for Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn to address a curriculum used in dozens of school districts, which some parents say includes material that is not age-appropriate or even illegal under a new law. 

Some parents and lawmakers are urging Schwinn to revoke permission for school districts to use the set of literacy materials and force them to find replacements.

The Williamson County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parent group, first raised concerns about "Wit & Wisdom," an elementary and middle school literacy curriculum used by at least 30 school districts across the state. 

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Now the group has filed the first official grievance under a new law the went into effect Thursday, restricting how topics like race and bias can be taught in public schools.

The group originally planned to protest Schwinn's visit to Allendale Elementary School last week as part of the commissioner's statewide bus tour highlighting summer learning.

Instead, three representatives of the group met with Schwinn on Wednesday as guests of Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, chairman of the Tennessee House Education Instruction Subcommittee. 

Robin Steenman, chair of Moms for Liberty, said she just expected to hand Schwinn the formal, 11-page complaint Wednesday.

Instead, the group spent more than an hour sharing their concerns about age-appropriateness and what they say are the sexual and divisive topics addressed in the books with the commissioner. 

"There's a lot of uproar in our community over Wit & Wisdom because it's a shame that it is failed curriculum and because of it we have dozens of traumatized children," Steenman told the Tennessean on Thursday. "I hope what will happen is that [Schwinn] will look at Wit & Wisdom and see that there are major problems with it and pull it."

"I know some school districts will have some financial issues with this. ...I understand the education industry is a nearly $7 billion affair for Tennessee, and surely we can spare some money for districts who need it," Steenman said.

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State Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, echoed Steenman's claim in a tweet Tuesday, saying he had "heard from hundreds of Williamson Co parents expressing their concerns about the Wit & Wisdom curriculum."

"Materials used in our schools must be age-appropriate & historically accurate. Grateful for parents & school officials engaging on this issue," he said.

A spokesperson for the Washington, D.C.-based Great Minds, which produces the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, said the company is aware of Tennessee's new law and the materials it produces are in compliance.

Wit & Wisdom approved for grades 3-8

In 2019, during the state's most recent English language arts textbook adoption, Wit & Wisdom was approved for use in grades 3-8, but not in grades K-2, Victoria Robinson, director of communications for the department, said in an email.

The curriculum was not approved for grades K-2 because it lacked a phonics component considered necessary for early grades where students are learning to read. 

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"Several districts applied for and received waivers to use textbooks that did not meet the foundational skills components — including Wit and Wisdom — in those early grades, which is allowable under law," Robinson said. "It’s important to note that this waiver review did not delve into issues of appropriateness, but was strictly limited to evaluating coverage of Tennessee’s academic standards."

The decision of which state-approved curriculums to use is typically left up to local school districts and school boards.

Sumner County Schools was one of the earliest adopters of Wit & Wisdom in the state, piloting the curriculum in 2018. But now some community members and parents there are also speaking out against the curriculum.

On Wednesday, Schwinn visited Benny Bills Elementary School in Gallatin, where about 40 protestors greeted her, as first reported by Chalkbeat Tennessee.

"I point-blank asked her, 'What is your opinion on Wit & Wisdom and she didn't answer the question," said Joanna Daniels, a board member of the Sumner County Republican Assembly, which organized the protest. "She answered and explained, 'Well, curriculum goes through these procedures and then the local community adopts it.' She did say that she looks at her children's curriculum materials and she's even opted out as a  mom from curriculum before. "

Daniels, whose children are now grown, said she's reviewed many of the materials included in Wit & Wisdom's curriculum and believes much of the content isn't age-appropriate. 

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Many parents also claim that some of the books included in the curriculum, such as "Separate Is Never Equal" by Duncan Tonatiuh or "Ruby Bridges Goes To School: My True Story" by Ruby Bridges promote critical race theory ideology and oppressive ideas.

Daniels said she worries that depicting white people as dangerous or oppressive or people of color as weak and oppressed teaches children "victim mentality."

"Anytime that anything is taught that makes a child feel ashamed over something he or she has no control over — like his skin color or gender — then critical race theory is being taught," Daniels said. 

"I thought we were supposed to teach our children to not pay attention to what critical race theory wants them to focus on. We need to teach people to become overcomers, not victims, not to be oppressed."

Critical race theory concerns focus of curriculum criticism

For the most part, critical race theory is not taught in K-12 schools. The concept, which began as an academic movement, has been around for decades and is mainly taught in law schools or universities. 

Earlier this year, a spokesperson for the State Board of Education said Tennessee's academic standards for social studies do not contain any mention of "critical race theory," "systemic racism," or "institutional racism."  

The theory, experts say, is meant to understand and address inequality and systemic racism. It can also influence the way other subjects are explored.

The theory often explores ideas about how systemic racism is ingrained in U.S. institutions and how people of different races have or have not benefited from it, including arguing that white people have benefitted in society or been more privileged because they are white.

Both Daniels and Steenman also argue that public schools should be focused on academics concepts and not teaching values. Steenman also believes this debate lifts the veil on a larger issue: social-emotional learning, which she believes has no place in schools.

Curriculum complies with Tennessee's new law, publisher argues

But Great Minds spokesperson Chad Colby said that Wit & Wisdom is used in at least one school or district in every state across the United States and before learning of the debate in Williamson County through news reports, the company has never been contacted with concerns.

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"Wit & Wisdom teacher-writers took great care in selecting texts, with consideration of content, craft, and complexity," Colby said in an email. "We chose texts rich in content (science, history, the arts, or literature) and academic vocabulary; representative of diverse perspectives; and of varied text types."

He also said the Great Minds is aware of the new Tennessee law and said no part of the curriculum breaks the law.

"Great Minds is aware of Tennessee Senate Bill 623 and unequivocally affirms that the Wit & Wisdom curriculum and core texts do not include, promote, or suggest any of the concepts listed in the legislation," Coldby said. 

"Wit & Wisdom follows the proven research that students best learn to read, write, spell, and think freely when building knowledge through age-appropriate and award-winning literature, scientific investigations, and a study of history.”

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It is unclear what the department's next steps are regarding the curriculum, though Robinson confirmed that Schwinn met with the group and Cepicky Wednesday.

"We recognize this is a conversation many communities are having and it's important for parents to engage in these conversations," Schwinn said in a statement Thursday. "As a Commissioner, my job is to ensure our agency listens to community feedback and implements the law with fidelity."

Implementing and training teachers on a new curriculum can take months, especially in the state's large urban districts like Metro Nashville Public Schools, which also launched Wit & Wisdom this year. 

Lawmakers cannot compel the department to pull a curriculum, but Schwinn has come under fire and faced pressure from lawmakers throughout her tenure since she was appointed by Gov. Bill Lee in 2019.

She and her staff are already planning to report back to the General Assembly during its summer session in September to discuss the state's summer learning programs.

The department has previously announced that it will issue guidance to school districts for complying with the new state law by Aug. 1, but ultimately Robinson said the onus will be on local districts to ensure classroom materials are in compliance. Likewise, local districts are responsible for ensuring curriculum is appropriate for their community. 

"It will remain the school district's responsibility to ensure that selected curricular materials comply with state law," Robinson said. "Issues of the appropriateness of an individual text, lesson, or passage are best left to local communities."

Cepicky did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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Meghan Mangrum covers education for the USA TODAY Network — Tennessee. Contact her at mmangrum@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.