Racist Views In School Curriculum To Be Reviewed By Task Force

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The new task force of the Pinellas County Schools District will review K-12 curriculum in English language arts (ELA) and social studies that communicate racist reviews, a news release said.

The district will work with a wide cross-section of community and district stakeholders including the PCS’s equity specialist.

The task force will address the following goals over the next eight months beginning this month, school officials say:

• Share current district practices related to race and equity, including Bridging the Gap plan.

• Review actual curriculum and curriculum guidelines in social studies and ELA, grades K-12.
• Identify areas that communicate racist views and remove from curriculum.
• Identify texts and lessons that allow for age-appropriate anti-racist education within the established state standards.
• Identify the next steps for implementing curriculum, including professional development and training.

Members from the following groups accepted a PCS invitation to participate in the review:

• African-American Heritage Association of Florida
• Carter G. Woodson Museum
• Community Members at Large
• COQEBS
• Florida Holocaust Museum
• K-12 Teachers
• NAACP North Pinellas
• NAACP St. Petersburg
• Olu Institute of Learning
• School Board representative
• Teaching and Learning Staff
• The Curtis Museum
• University of Florida
• University of South Florida