Principal Punts Parent’s Lawful Request to See ‘Equity’ Lessons to FOIA Office

Screenshot of a Fairfax County Public Schools SEL lesson taught to middle school students. (Courtesy of Stephanie Lundquist-Arora)

A northern Virginia middle school allegedly violated parental rights by not immediately giving a parent access to so-called social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum her eighth grader is being taught. The student’s mother, Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, says Irving Middle School’s lack of cooperation violates her rights under Virginia law. The school is part of the Fairfax County public school district.

Lundquist-Arora said the principal made it especially difficult to get access to the “divisive” material, which the school district claims is implemented to foster “equity” among students.

Lundquist-Arora believes the SEL lessons violate an executive order by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. More seriously, she believes that being denied timely access to the lessons violates the federal government’s Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).

“The PPRA provides parents legal rights to review curriculum, and in some circumstances to opt out of certain activities at any school that receives federal funding,” according to America First Legal Foundation.

The Fairfax County school district claims the SEL lessons improve student outcomes by providing students with “opportunities to develop healthy identities, relate to others, and set and achieve goals.” However, many Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) parents believe the curriculum is divisive and harms children by categorizing young students into oppressor and oppressed groups.

‘Instructions’ to Forward Request to FOIA Officer

After hearing of the race-based SEL lessons, Lundquist-Arora initially emailed Irving Middle School principal Cynthia Conley, requesting an opportunity to view SEL lessons for the 2022-23 school year. Not getting a response to her Feb. 17 email, she called the school and was able to speak with Conley. During the call, she was told that the principal had forwarded the request to the Fairfax County Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) officer, as she had been “instructed” to do.

Lundquist-Arora said this exchange left her wondering who “instructed” Conley to send her simple and legal request to the FOIA officer. And why was the school making it more complicated than it needed to be?

In subsequent emails from the school district FOIA office, she was told she had the right to see the SEL curriculum without a FOIA.

“You have the right to inspect any instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum for your students. The current versions of FCPS Policies and Regulations 3002-3011 (posted on the FCPS website at www.fcps.edu) provide more detail about instructional materials,” stated a Fairfax County Public Schools FOIA office email to Lundquist-Arora.

“In-person inspection of materials used as part of the educational curriculum for your student can be coordinated with the school,” continued the email.

‘Following Proper Protocols’

Despite the FOIA office’s acknowledgment of her rights under the PPRA, Lundquist-Arora did not receive the materials she had requested from Conley. She then contacted FCPS Region 4 assistant superintendent Penny Gros.

Gros replied to her, saying, “given the scope of your request, we will ensure you have the lesson today.” Gros added, “Ms. Conley is trying to ensure that she is following proper protocols.”

Lundquist-Arora finally received one lesson plan four days after it had been taught. The lesson plan included a link to a video with middle school students talking about racism and white privilege.

Lundquist-Arora’s eighth grader was taught the lesson on racism on March 16. She finally saw the lesson on March 20. Gros also told the parent that the SEL classes were mandatory, a requirement that Lundquist-Arora says is “indoctrination.”

On March 27, Lundquist-Arora again sent an email to Conley asking her to see the entire seventh and eighth-grade SEL curriculum for the school year. Again, instead of hearing from the principal, she got a reply from the FOIA office informing her that if she wanted copies of all these lessons she would have to pay $280.

“FCPS estimates that it will require 8 hours of labor time to fulfill your request. The estimated costs to respond to your request under VFOIA are $280.00 (8 hours at the rate of $35/hour),” the FOIA office said in a March 27 email.

SEL to Advance ‘Anti-Racism’

The FCPS website states that it incorporates guidelines provided by a Chicago-based consulting company, the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL), to implement its SEL curriculum.

According to CASEL’s website, the company works “directly with more than 40 state education agencies to advance SEL policies and practices.” The organization’s president and CEO, Karen Niemi, said in a June 2020 webinar that SEL “must actively contribute to anti-racism” and called SEL “a lever for equity.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Irving Middle School principal Cindy Conley and received a response from the FCPS media relations department.

“Irving Middle School is actively working with the parent to find a time to inspect the requested material in person, as is required under federal law,” the FCPS email statement stated.

On March 29, about six weeks after her initial request, Lundquist-Arora received an email from Conley saying she can schedule a meeting to review the curriculum.