After receiving criticism from parents and district employees for directing school counselors to divide elementary students by the sex they were assigned at birth, and not their gender identity, for classes on puberty, Central Bucks School District has made all of those classes virtual and optional.
Over the past year, simmering political conflicts and resentments boiled over in the wake of Jan. 6 have cropped up repeatedly in Pennsylvania.
Board Vice President Joan Cullen — who has said on social media that she does not believe in systemic racism, homophobia or sexism — defended this week’s action as a way for a new committee to address the issue with fresh eyes.
Advocates hope the move will prompt other counties to issue similar orders, guaranteeing that tenants won’t lose their homes while waiting for help.
The new development could restart a tense, yearslong conflict over whether the Neshaminy School District’s symbolism is racist and harmful to Native Americans.
A feud between those valuing personal freedom and those prioritizing health concerns has been building for the past year. Now, it’s at boiling point.
Voters say political lines drawn during the COVID-19 pandemic, protests for racial justice and presidential campaigns have seeped into contests for school board, judicial positions and other seats.
