A text message to parents and guardians from Aaron Mossell Junior High School, about a celebration of African American history, ruffled some feathers on social media Tuesday.
The text message asked parents to “opt out” their child from a Feb. 2 field trip to Lockport High School, to take in a performance by Sankofa African Dance and Drum Troupe, if there was a reason their child couldn’t attend.
After the text message was posted to the Facebook group Lockportians on Tuesday afternoon, instant reactions included, it’s “disappointing behavior” and “disgusting” on Lockport City School District’s part, and the district “should be ashamed”. Another poster wrote that the opt-out option didn’t “sit well” with him.
This was the text message from the junior high school: “Attention AMJHS Parents and Guardians: Permission slips to opt-out of the African-American History Field Trip have been given to students today. ONLY complete and return if you DO NOT want your child to participate. Contact the school with questions.”
In hindsight, district superintendent Mathis Calvin III said, the text message was not fully fleshed out. AMJHS was not inviting parents to stop their children from attending the celebration, he said; school administrators were experimenting with a different way of getting a head count on field trip attendance. He said the return rate on the traditional permission slip has been low at the junior high school, so the team came up with a different approach: counting only students who could not attend.
Calvin said normally the only reason a student can’t participate in a field trip is they have a doctor’s appointment or another commitment.
In response to questions from the Union-Sun & Journal about the ruffled feathers at Lockportians, Calvin said he finds it discouraging that the first thing people do when they don’t understand is rush to Facebook and the media. Individuals with concerns should call the school or his office first, he said.
“There was no ill will. The theme of the year is ‘everyone belongs’ and that’s not just a theme. We have done a lot to bring everyone together,” Calvin said.
District officials also caught the exchange at Lockportians and Calvin quickly issued a letter to parents explaining the rationale for the permission slip experiment.
Parents were reminded that the district had celebrated two cultural heritage field trips to the high school earlier in the school year and permission slips had been sent home with every student from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“While this is the traditional way we have sent home permission slips, Aaron Mossell Junior High School wanted to streamline the process for both parents and staff. Instead of opting in and giving signed consent, the school thought an opt-out notification would make it easier for our teachers, staff and caregivers,” his letter stated.
In the letter, Calvin acknowledged that the text message was “confusing” and a lesson was learned to take more care with communications coming out of the district.
“The Lockport City School District is committed to celebrating the diversity, culture and history of each student and this includes African American History,” he wrote.