AIM investigation front and center at Goshen school board meeting
June 22, 2023
Outside of those in attendance receiving awards and honors at the end of the school year, by and large, the majority of the crowd in attendance at Monday night’s Goshen School Board meeting came to speak about their views on the alleged Equity and Inclusion Committee, Critical Race Theory, and Social Emotional Learning — topics that have become entwined in recent education dynamics.
In June 2021, Terry Hartman told the board, he and his wife Linda Hartman met with Superintendent Steve Hope and Director of Staff and Student Services Lori Shreiner to address concerns with the district. Terry said during the conversation they brought up a webpage on the district’s home site for an “Equity and Inclusion Council,” which he said included phrases like “Goshen Community Schools must eliminate the systems in our dominant culture that sustain the bias and oppression.” He said other phrases like “restorative justice,” “historic traumas,” and “the word systemic,” were also used.
“If you’re familiar with any of these phrases, these are simply code words for CRT,” he declared.
Terry claimed that Hope agreed with him that the language was “loaded,” and about a month later, Terry said he noticed the page had been changed to “Every Student Succeeds Council,” and all the “CRT-phrasing was removed” and the Hartmans were content with the change.