During a recent interview, the Gorham Times asked Gorham School superintendent Heather Perry to comment on the FOAA requests (Freedom of Access) recently made to the school department. She was also asked for her reaction to reports indicating that these requests have come from individuals who are opposed to certain policies and materials, mostly related to diversity, inclusion, and gender identity.
Perry pointed out that there have been 38 FOAA requests during the current school year, while the department received 25 requests during the 2021-2022 school year. Prior to that, there were typically one to two per year. She stated that each request must be fulfilled according to law, despite the increased costs to the department.
She was also asked about whether the current critical environment may be affecting the quality of students’ and teachers’ experiences in the classroom, as well as the ability to retain dedicated teachers.
Superintendent Perry replied that while the current polarized political climate may be challenging for public schools, she believes that a core role of public schools is to ensure that all children feel welcomed in a safe and supportive environment, regardless of their beliefs, race, socioeconomic status, background or gender, and that policy can place schools in a difficult spot when questioned by outside interests.
Still, Perry said she feels confident that the Gorham schools are on the right track with their current policies, that the schools are doing what is required, as well as doing what is best for the students. She added “I try to look at the bigger picture, like maintaining the trust of the community.”
When asked about her top concerns, she replied “What’s most concerning is the seeming effort to make people mistrust public education. It’s very concerning, because public schools are a cornerstone of our democracy.”
Perry said she believes there will always be those who disagree with the schools’ policies, making clear the school staff should continue listening respectfully to parents and others when they present concerns, though they might not agree with all requests.
When asked about whether the schools should comply with parents’ requests to remove parts of the curriculum, Perry said “we’re a public school, and we have specific [state] standards that we’re supposed to meet. We have to educate every student, and we have to create an inclusive environment for every student. That’s what we do.”
On the topic of whether teachers should do more to avoid controversial topics, Perry replied that to help students become informed adults, the teachers’ responsibilities include facilitating developmentally appropriate classroom discussions, including controversial topics and a variety of viewpoints, teaching important skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
When asked whether there is anything the Gorham school system can do to shield teachers from being attacked on social media, Ms. Perry commented “It is a reflection of our current society.”
She went on to observe that it is inevitable that teachers and administrators will sometimes become the subject of negative online comments, due to the nature of today’s social media climate, but nevertheless public school educators must continue focusing on meeting the needs of children.
Superintendent Perry cited a recent survey that the department completed using the “Thought Sharing” app, including 1,099 Gorham students, 530 parents, and 124 staff. She said the results overwhelmingly support the school department implementing an atmosphere of welcoming, diversity, and inclusion, providing a link: https://gorhamsuperintendent.blogspot.com/2022/12/december-2-blog-post.html.
She also mentioned that she and the assistant superintendent conducted a “Listening Tour” in October and November of 2022. She wrote about the results in her Dec. 2, 2022 blog post.