West Shore School District
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Published – February 9, 2023
America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against the West Shore School District on behalf of parents who say their rights were violated after the district, despite numerous requests, refused to opt their children out of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program.
In one case cited in the lawsuit, a parent provided written notice to the district saying the curriculum conflicted with her religious beliefs and she would like her children excused. The elementary school principal responded and confirmed the children would not have to participate in the SEL lessons. However, later that day, Superintendent Dr. Todd Stoltz reversed the principal’s decision. He said her children would not be excused because the parent had not “identified specific instruction within the curriculum, which conflicts with [her] religious beliefs.”
The district website described the CharacterStrong program as a social emotional learning curriculum that teaches elementary and middle school students to “learn the value of empathy, service, and connection.” However, critics have argued that the “focus on empathy and compassion is merely a cover for introducing ideas of white privilege and systemic racism – hallmarks of critical race theory – into classroom instruction.”
The lawsuit claims the district also refused other parents’ requests to opt their children out as well. In a press release, America First Legal said “Under Pennsylvania Code, parents have the right to excuse their children from specific instruction that conflicts with their religious beliefs.”
According to AFL Senior Advisor Ian Prior:
“By not allowing them to opt-out their children from objectionable curriculum and materials that violate their religious beliefs, the West Shore School District has violated the constitutional and statutory rights of our clients, despite its unambiguous obligations under the law.”
West Shore School District has 7,357 students enrolled across 15 schools.
