GRAPEVINE, Texas — The Grapevine-Colleyville ISD school board discussed a proposed school policy Monday that tackles topics like critical race theory and gender fluidity.
The Classical Social and Emotional Learning (CSEL) Policy was recommended to the board by members, Casey Ford and Shannon Braun.
“Shannon and I, we’re listening,” Ford said. “We’re taking input from the community. We’re hearing things about CRT, inappropriate material and books, having age-appropriate material for our children, etc., gender fluidity. We feel this will help protect our students, teachers and administration in the community and set guidelines while working together within the legal parameters that are out there.”
The nine-page policy mentions several hot button topics like critical race theory and “potentially pornographic material,” which includes addressing human sexuality.
According to the document, teachers can’t be forced to discuss widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy or social affairs, and the district cannot adopt, support or promote gender fluidity.
Around 40 community members signed up to address the school board Monday night. A majority of them spoke about the CSEL policy.
“This policy that ya’ll have is ridiculous,” one woman said.
“This policy is especially enticing because it doesn’t ban books but recognizes age appropriateness,” another speaker added.
No vote on the CSEL policy was taken during the meeting Monday, which also marked the first day of early voting in the board of trustee election.
Ford and Braun fielded questions from fellow board members. When Becky St. John asked Ford who wrote the CSEL Policy, he said “community members,” without giving further details.
A committee -- that includes Ford, St. John, and other board members -- will review the policy and make a recommendation to the board for a future vote.
“I expect the policy to be significantly modified before it comes to the Board for consideration at a later date,” GCISD board president Jorge Rodriguez told WFAA in a written statement Tuesday.