Parents of children at PS 321 William Penn Elementary in Brooklyn have raised concerns after their kids were given coloring books promoting Black Lives Matter principles during Black History Month. The workbooks include no historical content, and parents are worried about the politicized nature of the material.
The coloring book, titled “What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book,” was distributed to students from kindergarten through fifth grade at the progressive Park Slope school. The book promotes 13 principles of the Black Lives Matter movement, including Queer Affirming, Transgender Affirming, and Restorative Justice.
The content in the book has garnered criticism from at least one parent of a fourth grader at the school. The phrase “Empathy,” which is explained as “engaging comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts,” raised concern for a parent whose grandparents fled Communist China before settling in the US. The parent expressed worry about the nature of this content being introduced to young children.
It’s reported that the Black Lives Matter-themed coloring book has led some parents to believe that their children are being exposed to radical ideology under the guise of a Black History Month lesson. The book, using kid-friendly illustrations, has been described as a way of introducing revolutionary ideas associated with the Black Lives Matter movement to young children.
Additionally, concerns have risen over the lack of historical content in the material. The coloring books focus on the movement’s principles, with little to no mention of historical context related to Black History Month. The omission of this essential historical content has sparked worry among parents, who believe that it does not provide a well-rounded view of black history and the civil rights movement.
This development comes at a time when instances of politicized education materials in schools have been increasingly scrutinized. The concern over whether certain ideologies are being promoted in educational environments continues to be a contentious issue at schools across the country.
As the debate around the appropriateness of curriculum content continues, the distribution of these Black Lives Matter coloring books has raised important questions about the balance between acknowledging social justice movements and ensuring that educational materials are comprehensive and inclusive of the rich history and heritage of the black community.
