Williamson County School Superintendent Mike Looney has reportedly decided to never again show the controversial Cultural Competency videos to teachers, according to Nashville Public Radio.
This information was revealed during an interview The Tennessean reporter Amelia Knisely gave to the station Wednesday.
Knisely also said district officials will roll out a new social studies curriculum in August. What she called “extensive training” to teachers on issues like slavery and race will accompany that curriculum, she said.
As reported, the Cultural Competency videos preached “white privilege” and America’s supposed dysfunctional history.
The Tennessee Star broke the story, something Knisely alluded to during her on-air interview with Nashville Public Radio’s Jason Moon Wilkins.
“The [online conservative news outlet] Tennessee Star filed an open records request with the district about the videos,” Knisely said.
“That was how the Williamson County Republican Party picked up on them and that language of ‘indoctrinating students’ and teachers, which is what the Republican Party accused the district of doing, kind of came out of those Tennessee Star stories.”
Knisely, who covers education for The Tennessean, went on to say a group of parents approached Looney with concerns about school field trips to local plantations.
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, slavery was a topic during those field trips. The people giving the tour — and not the teachers —said insensitive things about slaves that upset African-American parents, Looney said.
Thus, the need for the Cultural Competency training.
As The Star reported, Williamson County parents and members of the public were never supposed to see the Cultural Competency videos that preached white privilege. This, according to what Looney told a group of about 20 people at a meeting with parents.
Only teachers were supposed to see the videos, Looney said. Taxpayer paid for those videos.
As reported Wednesday, Looney may soon vacate his position and relocate to Atlanta.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Amelia Knisely” by Amelia Knisley.
Not to be all conspiracy theory-ish (pretty sure that’s not a real word), but could these videos have two goals. One to show to the teachers and two, to plump up his resume with Fulton Co.? The timing of these videos seems suspect as they were pulled together rather quickly for production. Or it could be what it appears, and it is just another boneheaded decision by Mike Looney.
Can you guys please no cut it out for the next 2 week? Looney is trying to get a new job. Stop attacking him otherwise he will be back here.