Springfield Public Schools lands on far-right Missouri group's list of 12 'Woke Hotspots'
The Springfield district was singled out on a list of "woke" Missouri school hotspots by a far-right conservative organization.
The Missouri-based Liberty Alliance identified 12 hotspots — one of which is the state as a whole, which it alleges interjects critical race theory into schools through diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
There are six hotspots in the St. Louis area and three in the Kansas City area. There is one in Columbia.
Springfield is the only hotspot in the southern half of Missouri.
The slang term "woke" commonly refers to being aware of and attentive to important issues — especially related to racial and social justice. Among conservatives, the term has been used as an insult.
The Liberty Alliance offered a few examples of what it described as the "woke agenda" including critical race theory — which argues race is a social construct and that racism has been embedded in policies and legal systems in the U.S. — and "grooming toddlers with sexually explicit books."
The website states: "That is why we have officially launched the Woke Heat Map – an interactive tool designed to expose the insane actions of the radical left. This map will alert Missourians of craziness happening in their own communities."
In nearly all cases, the documentation used to designate a "woke" hotspot was based on a tweet, column or article from a conservative leader or platform.
'Does not accurately reflect the facts'
Springfield's inclusion is based on a January 2021 article about equity training provided at Cherokee Middle School.
It was part of a series of articles about critical race theory in schools in a publication of the far-right Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
The article was "'Antiracism' Comes to the Heartland: A Missouri middle school forces teachers to locate themselves on an 'oppression matrix' and watch a video of George Floyd's last words."
The article includes some details about the training provided by the district and mixed it with opinion and allegations.
Stephen Hall, chief communications officer, said the allegations in the article have been
"refuted by the district on numerous occasions."
"SPS is perplexed by this website, the false narrative it perpetuates, and the mysterious group responsible for the content," Hall said.
"We stand by our assertions that it does not accurately reflect the facts of what occurred in 2020, who we are as a district, or the values we represent."
Hall said the district is focused on "helping each child achieve their full potential."
"It is our hope that the public will recognize this website for what it is and reject its falsehoods outright," he said. "Unfortunately, this divisive distraction inflicts considerable harm on public education."
Hall said employee training on diversity, equity and inclusion has been on hold.
More: SPSboard candidates weigh in on critical race theory, efforts to ban it
In August 2021, two Springfield district employees filed a federal lawsuit, alleging the mandatory staff training on diversity violated their rights.
In November, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit alleging the district had violated the Sunshine Law in responding to his office's request for "records relating to critical race theory and anti-racist teaching."
Reasons for 'woke' designation
Not all "woke" hotspots designated by the National Alliance are public schools. The list also includes private schools and colleges.
The organization designated the following school hotspots for these reasons:
Pembroke Hill School, a private college-preparatory school in Kansas City, for its plan to address "racial inequity" and provide employee training;
University of Missouri-Kansas City for a student podcast called "Angry White Men and How they Ruined the World";
Grain Valley, near Kansas City, for "safe space" stickers allegedly distributed to show teachers who were LGBTQ allies;
Rock Bridge High School, in Columbia, for offering a gender-affirming closet that provides clothing and resources for LGBTQ students;
Lincoln County district for a worksheet on Maya Angelou that referenced her sexual abuse and sex work;
Francis Howell district for hiring a consultant to provide training and support for the development of African American history and literature courses;
St. Louis University after allegations that students vandalized a pro-life memorial;
Wentzville district for an allegedly partisan quiz in an advanced government class;
Fox district in Arnold for a parent-submitted "Genderbread Person" slide apparently used to explain gender expression, gender identity, and biological sex;
Rockwood district after allegations about curriculum transparency for parents.
On the website, the organization asks Missouri parents to report any "woke" behavior by schools and provide supporting documentation.
In addition to the "woke" hotspots, the National Alliance includes a "Blue Lives Spotlight" on law enforcement and a store selling "Let's Go Brandon" apparel, bumper stickers and membership cards.
There is also a list of "Conservative Champions" that includes Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Gov. Mike Parson, and various lawmakers.
Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield district named in group's list of Missouri 'Woke Hotspots'
