UPDATED APRIL 30, 2021

We appreciate your concerns about the classroom discussion at Horace Mann Junior School regarding sensitive social and political issues. Please note that we are actively addressing the situation in accordance with our policies and procedures. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. We ask for your patience as we work through this process.

On April 19, 2021, the Goose Creek CISD Administration was made aware of a verbal exchange involving one or more teachers and at least one student at Horace Mann Junior School. The conversation revolved around sensitive social and political issues, including race-related issues, and was not part of the planned or approved curriculum for the class. We pride our educators for their ability to discuss sensitive issues with students and encourage students to engage in respectful dialogue with each other; however, these conversations and exercises should always take place in a controlled and productive environment and should be age-appropriate. Based on the information we have reviewed so far, this conversation did not meet our standards for classroom dialogue. We have reached out to the parents of the students in the classroom at the time of the exchange and are continuing our investigation to determine whether any similar conversations have taken place this school year. We ask that any student or parent with information about this or other classroom conversations of this nature involving a Goose Creek CISD employee contact their campus principal.