CONCERNED Concerned Sewickley Parents. The post Critical race theory protests in Pgh-area schools have ties to GOP organizing, right-wing media appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star. The parents of Videos on platforms such as PragerU , a conservative media company initially funded by fracking billionaires, decried critical race theory as un-American and focused on the alleged harm it does to childrens perceptions of themselves. Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new direction; toxic environment." Similar omissions of affiliations with Republican officials are common across anti-CRT coverage. O Search for a new Head of Senior School with experience and qualifications Why Were Six Senior Leaders Fired (Including All Of The (3) Most Senior Leaders Of Color)? Vento's Pizza, home of 'Franco's Italian Army,' to close, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source, met with a concerned group of parents July 30. leadership changes that occurred July 21. As of June, the schools internal forecasts for enrollment in fall 2021 would be 530 students, a 34% decline from 2002 when the school was last at full capacity, she wrote in the letter. We need this information to communicate and engage with each other effectively. Kimberly Rooney is a reporter for Pittsburgh City Paper, where this story first appeared . We wish to address the Concerned Sewickley Parents who authored the petition advertisement on page 7 in the Sewickley Herald's March 31 edition. O Search for a new Head of DEISJ with experience and qualifications But the focus on critical race theory still lingers in local school districts and has the potential to shape the education system for years or decades to come. The top three leadership positions at Sewickley Academy are occupied by individuals who hold these positions for the very first time Faculty report a substantial decrease in morale Recently, the administration enacted practices that prohibited teachers from participating in student led clubs, specifically the African American Culture club The African American Culture club is the only club where the students were not allowed to select their own faculty sponsors. Somerset Township, Eighty Four, PA. Sewickley Academy 4/2020 Communication. Photos. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. In this conversation. Sewickley Academy received very high marks in 2019 for it's DEI-SJ plan. Albums. We point this out not to boast, but to give considerable credit to the faculty and administration of Sewickley Academy. submitted by various constituents. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Does Sewickley Academy Teach Critical Race Theory? But at public school districts, parents such as those at Quaker Valley School District, in which Sewickley Academy is located, are also rallying against CRT. In this conversation. presented Sewickley Academy with multiple formal complaints During the school board meeting, she acknowledged that the divide over critical race theory is a political issue while also stating her belief that schools should provide curricula free of any political or ideological agenda. Ciruccis two children and one foster child have attended Gateway High School. But a spokesperson for a group now calling itself Concerned Sewickley Parents said they'll meet with Birtwell next week to demand the administrators' reinstatement. Founded in 1838, Sewickley Academy is Pittsburghs oldest independent coeducational school. Our overriding reaction, however, is to urge you to reconsider. Contact Us - Sewickley Parents Organization We Are Stronger Together Please join our email list by completing the form. Odoms son is in seventh grade at Sewickley Academy and has attended the school since he was in second grade. Please see www.concernedsewickleyparents.org for details. Whether we agree or disagree is not the point. Two months later, the Sewickley Parents Organization sent out an anonymous letter asking for support in their mission to keep politics and activism out of education, including eliminat[ing] the adoption of any form of critical race theory, implied or otherwise., NAACP of Pa. criticizes firing of Black leadership at W.Pa private school. O Appoint an entirely new Board of Trustees that includes experienced educators who 2019 - Sewickley Academy engaged a consultant for its Strategic Plan Envision24. Fall 2020 - After 1.5 years in development, the Board ratified the Strategic Plan EnVision24 and it's embedded DEI-SJ Plan. Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. Our goal is to grow and maintain an active group of members that collectively can support Sewickley Academy. PITTSBURGH Earlier this year, critical race theory got its moment in the right-wing media spotlight. Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org Religious Organization. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy, We wish to address the Concerned Sewickley Parents who authored the petition advertisement on page 7 in the Sewickley Heralds March 31 edition. 7/1/21 - 18 year Head of School is terminated effective immediately. SEWICKLEY, Pa. (KDKA) -- Sewickley Academy is a prestigious private school ensconced in one of the region's wealthiest communities, but it is becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over race and education. Concerned Sewickley Parents @sewickleyparent Joined July 2021 Tweets 2021 Twitter About Help Center Terms Privacy policy Cookies Ads info Dismiss Close Previous Next Close Go to a person's profile Saved searches Remove In this conversation Verified accountProtected Tweets @ Suggested users "The firings were retaliatory. At Sewickley Academy, an anti-CRT campaign from the group Sewickley Parents Organization has led to the firings of five administrators and one teacher who were in support of the school's. If they were, and diversity was something that was important then we wouldnt be in this situation now.. Vento's Pizza, home of 'Franco's Italian Army,' to close, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. www.sewickleyacademy.org. The Quaker Valley Parents and Community group cites Sewickley Parents Organization directly on its website, as well as right-wing media organizations such as PragerU and the Heritage Foundation , both of which receive funding from fracking billionaires who invest heavily in conservative media. Edinboro University Alumni. Ferguson is also the vice president of the Republican Women of Butler County , which shares election truther articles as well as anti-Joe Biden, anti-lockdown posts, and content from Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit that targets high school and college-age people and is affiliated with the Koch family and the American Legislative Exchange Council . In Clarion County, about 90 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh, school board member Gary Sproul worked on and succeeded in passing changes to the Philosophy of Education/Mission Statement of the Clarion-Limestone School District. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users The African American Culture club is the only club where the students were not allowed to Ashley Birtwell has replaced him on an interim basis. 7/1/21 - 18 year Head of School is terminated effective immediately. The letter, which the school also sent to the Sewickley Herald, comes after Academy representatives met with a concerned group of parents July 30 to discuss the schools plans for its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice plan dubbed EnVision 2024. Videos. Religious Organization. In recent weeks, Sewickley Academy settled the federal discrimination lawsuit filed by The sudden dismissal of four administrators and one teacher each one committed to a strategic diversity plan has kindled the controversy over the teaching of the impact of race and discrimination in historical events. The Facebook page shared anti-CRT content as far back as April 2021, claiming the Biden administration want[s] to rewrite American history.. Rather, we are unaware of any private school successfully launching such a dramatic change in its educational focus. There are 500 other constituents in the school. July 23, 2021 / 6:55 PM April 2021 - The Board of Trustees President presented "Our Proud History" (YouTube), a community introduction to the plan. Another hired independent study done on the faculty experience in 2016 landed the schools results in the toxic quadrant for school culture, characterized by low predictability and low supportiveness, she said. 8/04/2021 - NAACP described Sewickley Academy as ".misguided in the meaning of the philosophy of diversity, equity, and inclusion when it comes to staff." www.sewickelyacademy.org Why did Sewickley Academy choose "Learming for Justice" standards? Login to the Home and School Resource Board on. Although the school does not teach critical race theory, the school has severed ties with outgoing head of school Kolia O'Connor, who had adopted a strategic plan called EnVision 2024 calling for equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives. 8/05/2021 - Sewickley Academy's justification for staff terminations at first was "low enrolment, " but the reasons continue to change. Enrollment is like a report card of satisfaction, and Sewickley Academy has been missing the mark, Birtwell said. "No. Edinboro University Psychology Department. One even attended the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Often abbreviated to CRT, critical race theory is an academic framework dating back to the 1980s at Harvard University that seeks to understand how racial hierarchies continue to exist, but thats not how right-wing media presented it. The Parent Programming Chair actively participates with Youth Connect, a group of concerned adults from a variety of schools and organizations in the Sewickley area who are working to provide the information, resources, and support our young people need to avoid risky behaviors and enjoy their teen years. If they want to make sure we teach both sides, and allow excuses. hold these positions for the very first time See All To turn the academy upside down without drawing from a comparable schools practices will, in our view, risk undercutting your childrens education while gaining little in return. Home. Press Release. Concerned Sewickley Parents, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Edinboro University Alumni. Association Independent Schools (Accreditor) Please enter valid email address to continue. direction; toxic environment." Were seeing it as a movement and instead of take back your country, its take back our school, saidDominic Odom, a representative of Concerned Sewickley Parents, which formed in response to the firings of the five Sewickley Academy faculty and administrators. Ashley Birtwell began as the interim head of school effective June 25, and less than one month later on July 21, she fired the five administrators and one teacher, three of whom were Black. We would like to see the following actions implemented immediately: In this conversation. / CBS Pittsburgh. 8/04/2021 - NAACP described Sewickley Academy as ".misguided in the meaning of the philosophy of diversity, equity, and inclusion when it comes to staff." select their own faculty sponsors. Dolan, like Cirucci, also has portrayed himself as a concerned parent in right-wing media, although he announced in his newsletter that his school-aged child will attend the Catholic school where he teaches, rather than the public schools in the Fox Chapel school district. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Members plan to meet with the administration Friday at 1:00 pm to address the unexpected and numerous changes immediately before the start of the school year. Our objective is to shine a spotlight on our childrens experiences at Sewickley Academy. Public statements have included, "research driven; moving in a new standards set by the Commission on Accreditation" (PAIS website). Presenting herself as an independently concerned constituent, she makes no mention of working for then-Republican state Rep. Eli Evankovich. Over 150 individuals from the Sewickley Community (Board of Trustees; Faculty and Staff representatives; Student Leaders; and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. considering leaving TV Q&A: Is a Pittsburgher writing for CBSs East New York? We are concerned that this is a hostile environment and our students will be ostracized," the group said. Sewickley Academy .Celebrates differences, and educates students that every individual is a valued member of our community." We have witnessed so much of this over the years, beginning with our four children who completed 43 student-years at the academy all flourished thereafter, each in their own way. NAIS Principles of Good Practice. www.sewickelyacademy.org The Home and School Association is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization with a purpose to support the education of the children at Sewickley Academy by fostering relationships among parents, faculty, and the administration. Our Mission - Sewickley Parents Organization Our Mission Working with the Board, the Administration and the Community ensure Sewickley Academy: A strong focus on academic fundamentals unencumbered by divisive social or political doctrine Engagement of parents in the selection and adoption of curriculum The Sewickley Academy Board of Trustees Needs to Answer the Following: "No. Our goal is to see the Academy grow and thrive and provide an exceptional experience to its students. to see our latest opportunities and sign-up to volunteer. For these reasons, pause to consider your demands. Concerned Sewickley Parents outraged over recent siege of power at the school: experience and qualifications. Youth Connect conducts a series of community forums where speakers are brought in to . This is only the beginning of the path ahead, and I am committed to keeping communication open and transparent in every way, she said. - Frederick Douglas, North Star, December 3, 1847 Paid for by ConcernedSewickleyParents.org. I think the Academy has this perception of how they see themselves. Western PA. conservative super PACs attack ad against Lamb, went to the Capitol for the Jan. 6 insurrection, children attended Clarion-Limestone High School, vice president of the Republican Women of Butler County, affiliated with the Koch family and the American Legislative Exchange Council, Critical race theory protests in Pgh-area schools have ties to GOP organizing, right-wing media. hoped-for outcomes that are developmentally appropriate, and thoughtfully conceived." Birtwell concluded the letter by mentioning this will not be the last time she will be open to the public about Sewickley Academys internal workings, and that she is proud to be a member of the community. A competent DEI-SJ Plan is required for accreditation from the PA Association of Independent Schools, and the National Association of Independent Schools. Concerned Sewickley Parents. Commit to all the items listed in the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org 7/21/21 - "Leadership Team Purged at Sewickley Academy Following Parent Pushback on Equity Initiatives," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Recently, the administration enacted practices that prohibited teachers from participating in A 2019 study revealed total Independent School enrollment was down in Western PA. 2019 schoolwide communication. Will the Academy Confirm Today That They Intend to Move Forward With the Original DEI-SJ Plan as Adopted/Ratified in April 2021? Sewickley Academy College & university. Teachers come under pressure as politicians, parents battle over critical race theory. Make all future Board of Trustees meetings open to all Sewickley Academy parents and alumni. 7/27/21 - "The head of school being fired and almost the entire administration is an extremely unusual situation in the independent school world," Gary Neils, Penn. Join the Concerned Sewickley Parents and sign the petition at https://concernedsewickleyparents.org We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed. be willing and qualified to help during this transition In doing so, we recognize the passion and beliefs driving your insistence that the school make these radical changes. "Parents, community groups upset over staffing changes at Sewickley Academy https://t.co/yTIw8C5PJv" At Sewickley Academy, an anti-CRT campaign from the group Sewickley Parents Organization has led to the firings of five administrators and one teacher who were in support of the schools recent mission to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice measures. Sewickley Academy alumni Stephen Nesmith ( Pittsburgh City Paper photo). - Frederick Douglas, North Star, December 3, 1847 Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. College & university. The foundation for the academy is on a strong Republican, white foundation, and they are old fashioned. Two more teachers have since left the school, as well as many minority families. Since the purpose of this site is to display digital ads, please disable your ad blocker to prevent content from breaking. College & university. The Interim Head of School at Sewickley Academy, Ashley Birtwell, sent out a letter Aug. 4 to parents addressing the recent turmoil of events that have occurred at Sewickley Academy over the past six weeks. And the Vice President of the Charles Koch Foundation penned a Letter to the Editor in the Chronicle of Higher Education in May criticizing efforts to pass anti-CRT legislation. Go to concernedsewickleyparents.org for survey Finally, Mars Area School District school board member Dayle Ferguson, who introduced a proposal that unanimously passed banning critical race theory, has similar ties to right-wing activity. What Is Happening at Sewickley Academy Affects The Whole Community and Parents and Community Partners) were involved in the development of EnVision24 and the accompanying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DEI-SJ) Plan. In your petition, you demand that several. Please let us know how we can help. 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