Educator apologizes, Jordan School District outlines changes after leaked video
MURRAY, Utah (KUTV) — An educator with the Jordan School District has apologized after a media watchdog group released a video that they said shows staff from several Utah districts explain how they get around rules regarding teaching restricted content.
"Again, I apologize and regret the confusion and hurt this has caused to the school community," a Jordan School District staff member said at the district meeting on Tuesday night.
Accuracy In Media leaked the video in January and claimed Utah educators talked about how they skirt the rules to teach restricted content, like critical race theory.
The district held a meeting on Tuesday night, which they said was planned before the video was released. Michelle Love-Day, a consultant for the Jordan School District, addressed the situation head-on at the meeting.
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Love-Day works with the language and culture services team for the district and is one of the educators seen in the AIM video, using the word "loophole."
"Although done under false pretenses, some of the things stated by me and the team made it sound like we disregard or take advantage of the laws and board policies, and for this, I'm truly sorry," she said. "It was a poor choice of words, and I recognize I made it sound as though we may be undermining state and district rules and policies."
Moving forward, Love-Day said her team will be more transparent with parents, both before and after the curriculums they teach to students.
"Notifications of presentations given by my team will be sent to parents ahead of time. So they can prepare and talk to their children and opt out, if they chose to do so. A second notification will still be sent home after our visit, so the conversation can continue."
Robyn Barnhill is a parent in the district. She was at Tuesday night's meeting after watching the video.
"We're unhappy about what we saw," Barnhill said.
She said she was pleased with the changes discussed at the meeting.
"I think it's brilliant. When my 14-year-old son comes home from school, and I say 'how was school today,' and he just says 'fine,' I have nothing else to go on," Barnhill said. "I don't know what he's been learning and talking about. Now, with this, it will be great for me to say, 'I understand the language and cultural department came to your school today and talked about Black Lives Matter. What did you think?'"
