[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6669956,"mediaKeyId","2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9","parentId",2173330,"title","Public commenters clash over curriculum, 'woke' rhetoric and inclusivity at Catawba County school-board meeting","audioSeconds",433,"startMs",1575000,"endMs",2008000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9&start=1575&end=2008","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9/thumbnail_1575000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6669956/North-Carolina/Public-commenters-clash-over-curriculum-woke-rhetoric-and-inclusivity-at-Catawba-County-school-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669956-7e1c093154fc6a697937429d013221ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159995&Signature=leOR8-fA-qO1-bY~jREYvD3YqNcqaidGfukNEMMXu57PtwUygh245cd~nCbzEwMaAZi~Elvyb~FOQS4Eg9qBi96r65p-aAi34iB0Zooj9KNbdGDjOX1Vf8mn3Wg6395JFJrH8ZvX0eauaYMUEy7haeJUMmL97QosBBdQGHnE9dt3BmzFfrpnDLNxqqblhJ8i~mpmBJJ1nf~pgw8Dyu2Ev91jixn0q4-1p2ZcNfxPHf9PTiskdk4fVlCx6ZYHG~M1crCDmFNAyoRRSlRHm2RKA7CrhdAn-T0l1pYbfHFwglxUveMWLBfhA~nmj6dYKxM6NGI2M7im33qKYYLu~bInEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Catawba County Schools","date","2025-01-28T06:11:00.797Z","article","During public comment at the Jan. 27 Catawba County Board of Education meeting, several speakers debated the presence and handling of curriculum issues including critical race theory, social-emotional learning and broader inclusion efforts.

Charlie Shepherd, a public commenter, told the board that he believes public schools have \"welcomed and most recently promoted toxic ideologies\" such as \"Marxism, socialism, critical theory, DEI, and social emotional learning,\" and urged the board to make quick changes. \"These are discriminatory on their face,\" Shepherd said, adding that he views the content as a moral problem and that fresh board membership offers a chance for change.

Board members sought specifics; one member asked Shepherd to cite sources and give concrete examples of curriculum or contractor materials. Shepherd said he could provide examples later and the chair asked him to email the board with specifics.

Lawrence Wiedemann and other commenters pushed back on campaign rhetoric used during recent elections. Wiedemann encouraged new board members to use facts and homework rather than fear‑driven campaign claims, saying one newly elected member had campaigned against the teaching of critical race theory but produced no evidence that CRT was being taught. Wiedemann referenced House Bill 187 as a legislative response to concerns about CRT and said he challenged the campaign claims to produce proof.

Aaron Schirmayer urged the board to serve all students and warned against narrowing the district's focus. \"You serve all of them, the ones that are at every race, every socioeconomic status, every belief system,\" Schirmayer said, and called for continued support for arts and language-immersion programs, stronger anti‑bullying efforts and higher pay for teachers.

The board listened and asked public commenters to provide sources for specific allegations. No formal curricular action or policy change was taken during the meeting; the board recorded the comments and asked for follow-up details from speakers who asserted specific instances of problematic curriculum or materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1-27-25 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Two public speakers urged the board to remove what they called \"toxic ideologies,\" citing critical race theory and social-emotional learning; other commenters and the board challenged those claims and urged evidence-based review.","taxTitle","Catawba County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",38345,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6669960,"Parents and teachers tell Catawba County board bus-driver shortages and teacher workload need urgent attention",449,2160000,2609000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9&start=2160&end=2609","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9/thumbnail_2160000.jpg","/articles/6669960/North-Carolina/Parents-and-teachers-tell-Catawba-County-board-bus-driver-shortages-and-teacher-workload-need-urgent-attention","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669960-fab9d9548aef0b0dba7d8db1176afacd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159995&Signature=GZ1CNl~PqXs2WY~sUGhO0BR~6z2U79H6g-VeibFI0slsl1cHNpsqFjkjs299g9KhAYmjUfK2-J4fss9aUxZa6I4LUPeCApAwUYk6iwjGl3WQOFqVMJ1OSy9EWr02f~ZM4TFkibLxcGudKfqv51MX6rj9m0Kec87TGFpEAeAXqR9m5iabUPdp1OZigR8TXpA--XRCG8EZj7dnqVtSAqeLo~prGreQYaRLPOMwzkUhdMVWVGaBRau0WFHYNmyD6T~qEchWF80Eh3I-CSXHyFOKK5wbOTYWcMn1Mcm05M1P3f8wCRAx2HXVrgphLI5FM6hMqodS38qRaK2NWRoCapbXNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several parents and teachers used the Catawba County Board of Education's public comment period on Jan. 27 to press the board on staffing and workload issues, including a shortage of bus drivers that has left some students without daily transportation, teacher expectations for extracurricular supervision, and gaps in elementary attendance policy for excused absences.

Jeremy Williams, a parent, said his son was transferred to an alternative school and the family has encountered repeated failures of transportation. \"We literally cannot get bus drivers,\" Williams said. \"Last week, 3 days of the week, the school week, we didn't have a bus driver.\" He described routes that require long workdays for drivers and urged the board to connect him with district staff after the meeting so the problem can be addressed.

Dr. Kimberly Turck, who identified herself during public comment as a teacher, asked the board to recognize and compensate faculty sponsors who lead clubs. She read a handout showing a district list of extracurricular duties and said that while compensation exists for coaching and gate duties (with comp time available for additional gate work), faculty sponsors for student clubs currently receive neither pay nor comp time. \"If we choose to be a faculty advisor for a student club, that does not get you any financial compensation or comp time,\" Dr. Turck said. She said acknowledging and compensating that work would help keep students engaged and improve outcomes.

Julia LaRochelle, who identified herself as president of the Catawba County Association of Educators, urged the board to revisit the district's attendance policy for elementary schools. LaRochelle said the current policy lacks limits for excused absences at the elementary level and that, in some cases, a parent can report a student sick and the child may miss dozens of days without additional follow-up. \"If there's a child who's missing that many days of school, we need to figure out what medical condition the child has and see if we can assist the family,\" she said, urging the board to discuss the issue further.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and asked staff to follow up. After Williams raised the bus‑driver shortage, a board member requested his contact information so staff could connect him with appropriate personnel; staff later said either the chair or superintendent would be in touch. On teacher workload and attendance policy, members said the items had been discussed previously and suggested further review in upcoming meetings.

Speakers also urged the board to advocate for increased funding and teacher pay. Michael McLamb, a public commenter, praised the board's plan to form committees and encouraged continued outreach to county commissioners and state legislators for funds to address facilities, curriculum materials and teacher compensation.

None of the public comments produced immediate board action on the agenda; board members recorded the remarks and directed staff to follow up where appropriate.","During public comment at the Jan. 27 meeting speakers urged the board to address a shortage of bus drivers, ask for comp time or compensation for faculty sponsors and extracurricular duties, and revise elementary attendance policies to limit extended excused absences.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6669964,"Catawba County Board of Education approves capital request, budget packet, calendar, policies and personnel motions",1165,2987000,4152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9&start=2987&end=4152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173330-ae66dd8cc499b70a493f15fc918ed5d9/thumbnail_2987000.jpg","/articles/6669964/North-Carolina/Catawba-County-Board-of-Education-approves-capital-request-budget-packet-calendar-policies-and-personnel-motions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669964-9aceab9c0ec318cbc63767675ce59761/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159995&Signature=eXTB669fcs8OWwEUTRwRxpgnw-i3qarVuz6BZTB3oTqNApU1Aq5-ujTesOQtVEzZ3HVxICMlYVHEkfTPBVGRJ4xs0oq9Kw7-RORGlG6dtaCFHfaFRqSSceWB7seAOqejePTVRBxFWmVu1pYAJsPq9obCH0TMxZTynGOFz-lLEiVJ1-M8JVNR44IHTarK6rTNSLpbzSEre0J84AfEqEq7m~SZoTMPyMlO6gIfgEpbEgzeu3HpT8irdiQEXDa~znSygV7ZCdKwgdUTQInm8VGxtC1u5c7AIWEdt-GlLniMB4slS4YSVMkItmD5pd94dmzj4CvIHUWfjZfaNM2CfjTVCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Catawba County Board of Education on Jan. 27 approved a package of budget, facilities, policy and personnel items, including the district's 2025–26 fixed capital outlay request and a 165‑day student calendar for the 2025–26 school year.

Board members voted unanimously by a show of hands on motions to send the 2025–26 fixed capital outlay request to Catawba County commissioners, to forward the district's 2025–26 current local expense request to the county, and to approve a slate of consent items and personnel recommendations with one recusal noted. The board also approved a bid for HVAC equipment at Star Town Elementary, added a sports-and-event-marketing course to several high schools' catalogs, approved the proposed 2025–26 school calendar, renewed an access easement for sewer infrastructure, and adopted several policy amendments and deletions, including changes tied to Title IX regulations.

The capital outlay list presented to the board included site-specific critical needs and school requests to be considered by the county for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The board approved the list after a motion by a member who said the group had reviewed items earlier in the day, including theatrical lighting and a greenhouse at Maiden High School.

On the district budget request, staff told board members the request largely mirrors the prior year and that no increased local supplement was requested this cycle because of capital needs; staff said the board and new finance staff will have an opportunity to revise the request in February if needed before county submission.

Facility and procurement approvals included a low bid of $76,708.30 from a Hickory firm for HVAC mini‑split equipment at Star Town Elementary; staff noted equipment warranties of five years and seven years on compressors.

Curriculum changes approved by the board added a level‑3 sports and event marketing course (an honors designation because existing level‑2 offerings are honors) at the high schools listed in the agenda for additional student course options.

The board approved the 2025–26 school calendar that reduces student days to 165 by adding an employee workday on Sept. 26; staff summarized the calendar as starting Aug. 25 and concluding in May with a 77/88 first/second semester split.

On policy, the board voted to amend and delete several policies identified on the agenda; the Title IX item was presented as an amendment to return policy language to the 2020 regulations and to remove references to the 2024 regulations after a legal review referenced a Kansas court finding invalidating the 2024 rules.

On personnel, the board approved the recommended hires and other personnel actions listed in the packet and recorded one recusal: Dr. Barnett was recused from consideration of a personnel item related to Alyssa McCreery.

All motions on the agenda passed by the board as recorded in open session. Where votes were taken, the board used a show-of-hands method and recorded unanimous approval for the motions shown in the meeting record.

The meeting concluded after approval of the agenda items and a motion to adjourn.","At its Jan. 27 meeting the Catawba County Board of Education unanimously approved the district's 2025–26 fixed capital outlay request, submitted its current expense request to the county, approved facilities and course changes, adopted a 165‑day student calendar, and moved multiple policy and personnel items, including Title IX policy amendments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenters clash over curriculum, 'woke' rhetoric and inclusivity at Catawba County school-board meeting

Parents and teachers tell Catawba County board bus-driver shortages and teacher workload need urgent attention

Catawba County Board of Education approves capital request, budget packet, calendar, policies and personnel motions