State dismisses claim against Newton Public Schools history curriculum

http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20131025/News/310259812State dismisses claim against Newton Public Schools history curriculumPosted Oct 25, 2013 @ 04:22 PM

The state has dismissed a claim that a Newton teacher broke the law by failing to review materials taught to 9th and 10th grade history students, but a group called Americans for Peace and Tolerance continues to cry foul.

The decision was announced in a letter from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to Newton resident Kerry Hurwitz, and obtained by the TAB. The letter is dated Sept. 20, 2013.

In it, Ellen Convisser, a state employee with the Program Quality Assurance Service, wrote:

Based on the information gathered, my inquiries indicate that no violation of education law, regulation or policy has occurred with regard to the specific concern(s) you have raised.

Hurwitz is part of a small, but vocal group that continues to claim Newton Public Schools are teaching from textbooks that demonize Israel and America while glorifying Islam, even after months of reassurances from the district that the material was removed.

As part of its investigation, the DESE requested a report from the Newton Public Schools, which were submitted to the state on June 25, 2013 and July 17, 2013.

The report included a public statement by the superintendent, Convisser writes. In this document . . . the superintendent indicated that a supplementary document used by staff that contained a controversial statement was addressed in the classroom. The statement indicated the teacher noted that the commentary was a biased perspective. The statement also noted that further review of the material by the teacher and department chair led to the decision to removed the reading from the curriculum.

The letter goes on to say that the complaint is closed and the findings are not subject to appeal.

Americans for Peace and Tolerance last week took out ads in several area publications, including the Newton TAB, asking readers to call Newton Mayor Setti Warren and School Committee member Matt Hills to express concern over the materials.The ruling was not about the curriculum, it was about the adequate review of class material

This is confidential information and should not have been released or published. The DESE ruled that its release was unlawful.

Correct date is September 17, 2013.

This paragraph is completely untrue. I do not belong to any group (other than PENS, which I founded), including Americans for Peace and Tolerance and/or Open Newton Schools, which are the groups which took out the adver- tisements referred to in the last paragraph.

The material is still in use.

This is NOT my position; I reject it entirely. The phrase in quotes is from the advertisements referred to in the last paragraph. I am NOT a member of the group that took out the advertisements. The Tab is well aware of this, but refuses to correct this false and defamatory information.

Students in the class said the teacher did not comment about the false allegation.

The material was removed due to parental protest; the teacher and department chair was not invoved with the decision

This statement Implies I am involved with APT and/or the ads publication, which is untrue. The Tab has been informed of this numerous times.