ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — Francis Howell students continue to speak out against the school board's decision to remove Black studies courses from the curriculum. Now, a petition making its way around the community because students said they want the school board to rethink its decision.
Last week, the Francis Howell Board of Education voted 5 - 2 to remove Black history and literature electives from curriculum that used content from "Social Justice Standards: The Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework."
Students said they hope the petition will show the school board just how much the courses mean to them.
Francis Howell North Student Harper Schneider said many students are upset about the move.
“I would say this sends the message that not everyone is included within our community, and we need to make sure everyone is included and feels heard and seen in our communities,” Schneider said.
That's why she started a petition with support from other students, such as like Rion Fleming, who said Black studies classes give an important perspective, especially when it comes to history.
“Being able to see other perspectives of the same history would really give students an insight on why America is where it is today," Fleming said. "Because the history classes that we teach today aren't enough. That's just not it. You know, there's every part of history from every different kind of people."
School Board President Adam Bertrand said in a statement there are controversial teachings in the content these courses use and the board would “be supportive of bringing these courses back after removal of this controversial standard."
Superintendent Kenneth Roumpos didn’t agree with the board and said he and the district leadership team valued the courses and wanted to make sure they could bring them back somehow.
“We’re committed to finding a way to do that in a way that hopefully the board would be supportive of. We think they are important and can be offered for all of our students throughout the district,” Roumpos said.
Fleming and Schneider both wanted to take these courses in an upcoming school year when they would be eligible to select more electives.
“I think we just need to take a few steps closer to a more inclusive society, an inclusive school life because every student goes to school regardless of what happens. And making us feel like we are in a box is not okay,” Fleming said.
As of Tuesday night, the petition had nearly 3,000 signatures.
The NAACP of St. Charles County is hosting a discussion about the issue for parents and students at 5 p.m. Thursday at First Saint Charles United Methodist Church, located at 801 First Capitol Drive in St Charles.
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