Appeal of La Grande School District curriculum ruling denied by Oregon Department of Education

Dick Mason, The Observer, La Grande, Ore.
·2 min read

Feb. 16—LA GRANDE — An appeal of a complaint against the La Grande School District, one linked to a curriculum issue, has been denied by the Oregon Department of Education.

Steve Boe, of La Grande, filed the complaint against the La Grande School District charging discrimination because of the way the school district responded to a curriculum challenge he filed. Boe was upset because of the showing of a video in a social studies class at La Grande High School in 2022.

The Netflix video, "Explained: Racial Wealth Gap," presented information about the economic disparity in the United States among racial groups. People interviewed in the video included U.S. Sen. Corey Booker, D-New Jersey, who along with others spoke of the need for the federal government to provide financial reparations to racial groups in the United States as compensation for policies that have harmed them economically.

Boe filed a curriculum challenge after learning that students in the class were not provided with information regarding an alternative viewpoint on the issue of reparations after being shown the video.

La Grande School District Vice Superintendent Scott Carpenter said the other side of the issue was not explicitly taught because during discussions with students the instructor had concluded that their opinions indicated they already understood the other side of the issue.

The La Grande School District's curriculum committee then met and determined students in the class should be presented with material informing them about the other side of the reparation issue in an attempt to help them develop a better understanding of it.

The curriculum committee then made a list of 20 books and articles the instructor could select from. Boe then said he was concerned the list did not include any works by African American authors who do not believe reparations are necessary.

Boe said he believes it is important high school students learn that some African Americans have "conservative viewpoints."

Boe then filed a second curriculum challenge against the school district, asking that students be presented an anti-reparation piece written by an African American. Boe's request was rejected by the La Grande School Board in December.

Boe then filed his appeal, which charged the La Grande School District with discrimination because the work of an African American author was not selected to provide an alternative viewpoint on the reparation issue.

The Oregon Department of Education denied the appeal on the basis that Boe did not articulate facts that constitute discrimination, according to Mark Siegel, the Oregon Department of Education's communications director.

"The complaint does not articulate facts that, if proven true, would constitute different treatment of authors on the basis of race," Siegel said.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer. Contact him at 541-624-6016 or dmason@lagrandeobserver.com.