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
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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
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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
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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
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