Throughout the 2021-22 school year, the GHAPS school board and leadership felt pressure from a large number of community members on a wide range of topics. Several members of the community questioned:
Covid policies which did not respect individual liberties.
Policies of providing sexually explicit, age-inappropriate books to school children.
The focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training provided to teachers.
Anti-racism lessons given to high-school students during academy class.
Encouraging 5-9 year olds to read books on the topic of transgenderism.
GHAPS partnership with the Anti-Racism Task Force at the Momentum Center.
Instead of addressing the concerns of parents and community members, some members of GHAPS leadership chose to ignore concerns, others organized community activists to speak out in opposition to parents. Here is a summary of the following emails which shows the collusion between GHAPS leadership and community activists.
August 18, 2021 – GHAPS Director of Instructional Services Mary Jane Evink requested the Anti-Racism Task Force speak at the September 2021 school board meeting
August 24, 2021 – Mary Jane Evink retracted the request for the Anti-Racism Task Force speak at the September 2021 school board meeting
September 7, 2021- Activist community members decide to write a letter to the editor that speaks against concerned community members speaking at school board meetings.
September 8, 2021 – Activist community members decide Mary Jane Evink should draft the letter, but shouldn’t sign her name.
October 4, 2021 – A Momentum Center activist and good friend of Mary Jane Evink emails four school board members and Mary Jane asking how they can work together.
December 13, 2021 – Mary Jane Evink and Barbara Lee VanHorssen from the Momentum center discuss collective action by having a large group of activists attend a school board meeting. Mary Jane Evink mentions the name of a specific parent she is meeting with regarding books. Although her job is to consider the concerns of the parent, she tells Barbara she “would like to brainstorm how we can be strategic.”
December 13, 2021 – The discussion continues with Mary Jane Evink disclosing the name of a second parent to Barbara Lee VanHorssen who she believes is leading a group of people.
January 13, 2021 – Barbara Lee VanHorssen emails board members and speaks against concerned community members. She also refers to a recent article in the Tribune.
January 13, 2021 – Mary Jane Evink thanks Barbara for sending her email to all board members.
It is highly inappropriate for GHAPS administrators to be working with community activists organizing against parents and concerned citizens.