Middleton-Cross Plains School District part of consortium that teaches middle and high school students about intersectionality and collectivism; contracted with Controversial Ethnic Studies Consultant for $500 an hour

In 2019, Middleton-Cross Point hosted the MSAN Consortium Student Conference. The conference featured keynote speakers such as Jose Gonzalez and Bettina Love. MSAN Executive Director Madeline Hafner’s welcome message stated that while the participants would have fun, “at the core of this conference is hard work. Creating plans of action to systematically dismantle institutionalized racism within our schools.”

MSAN Consortium is “a national coalition of multiracial school districts that have come together to understand and eliminate racial opportunity gaps that persist in their schools.” Part of the consortium’s programming includes the “MSAN Intersectional Social Justice Collaborative for Middle School & High School Students.” Past sessions included “Exploring Collectivism and Collaboration” and “Exploring Mother Earth, my environment & materialism: What’s the story of the land I’m living on?” The latter session featured a video highlighting Adrienne Maree Brown, a “post-nationalist writer, doula, activist and Black feminist.”

The district contracted the “Culturally Responsive History Teacher” Jose Gonzalez for professional development services. The contract, dated February 17, 2020, stated that the consultant would be paid $3000 for the day (up to six hours) plus travel and lodging costs.

In 2011, Jose Gonzalez, was part of a lawsuit to overturn a ban on teaching ethnic studies in Arizona. A 2015 document stated that Gonzalez “anchors his instruction by implementing a Xican@ Critical Race Pedagogy.”