Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals Promoted “Racial Equity” and “Gender Support Plans” at 2020 ReCon Conference
Incidents
On Oct. 19-20, 2020, the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, or MASSP, held its annual ReCon conference. The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals is an education association whose stated purpose is “…promoting excellence in school leadership and advocating for education system improvements for the benefit of students, educators, and schools throughout Michigan.” The conference featured sessions titled “Leading Amid a Social Justice Crisis,” “Challenging Ourselves to Lead for Racial Equity,” and “Back to School in Usual Times: Responding to the Needs of LGBTQ+ Students.”
In Sept. 2022, Parents Defending Education received a tip that Davison Community Schools in Michigan were using a “Confidential Gender Support Plan.” 2020 ReCon Conference materials suggest that this plan may have been in use as early as 2020.
Below are examples of the material from ReCon 2020.
Session: A Call to Action: Leading Amid a Social Justice Crisis
ReCon 2020 took place during the COVID-19 pandemic when many children were not given access to in-person learning, but MASSP prioritized social justice over how to best support virtual learning.
Session: Learning to Unlearn: Challenging Ourselves to Lead for Racial Equity.
The session featured Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s statement that they are “committed to nurturing anti-racist environments” as an example of how to properly address issues related to race in the classroom. The term “anti-racism” is often used with critical race theory- an ideology that categorizes people based on immutable traits like skin color and gender.
A recommended list of teacher interview questions focused on “social justice” and “equity”.
Part of the session focused on creating a classroom culture where “There isn’t only one right way to do things” which featured a list of “Dominant Culture Values & Alternatives” which includes some of the items listed below. The “Dominant Culture Values & Alternatives” document was inspired by information from a website called White Supremacy Culture focused on how “white supremacy” allegedly pervades the United States.
- “The belief that there is only one “right way” to do things and once people are introduced to the “right way” they will see the light and adopt it”
- “Most of the resources are directed toward producing measurable goals”
- “Belief that those who are part of the dominant [white] culture have a right to emotional and
- psychological comfort”
- “Worship of the written word”
Session: Back to School in Usual Times: Responding to the Needs of LGBTQ+ Students
This session included a “Confidential Gender Support Plan” which contains a question suggesting that the plan can be implemented without parental consent or notification.
Articles Referenced:
Michigan Public School Appears To Hide ‘Gender Support Plans’ From Students’ Parents
Stay Informed