Parent files complaint over civil rights video shown in Seminole County classroom

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — An educational video about the civil rights movement raised concerns after it was used in a lesson at a Seminole County elementary school.

One parent complained about the “BrainPop” video, saying it constituted the teaching of critical race theory and sex education.

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The school board held a special meeting to determine whether the video should be tossed from the classroom.

The board ultimately denied that parent’s appeal, saying there was nothing wrong with the video. But school board chair Amy Pennock said she believes in this political climate, they expect to see more challenges to educational materials schools use.

READ: Osceola County schools to consider ban on teaching critical race theory

The video used by Stenstrom Elementary starts out explaining segregation and how African Americans like Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. forced change.

But the signs depicted in a part of the video that read “Black Lives Matter,” “stop police violence” and “white silence is violence” is what one Oviedo parent had a problem with.

READ: Local lawmaker pushes bill that requires instruction on significant events in Black history

She also took issue with a clip in which a banner read “full rights for immigrants” and with an image of a person holding a rainbow flag with a gender glyph.

According to her complaint, the mother called the BrainPop racially divisive, controversial and said it represents topics related to sexuality and sex education.

READ: Central Florida schools have no plans to divert from state standards to teach critical race theory

She went on to call it propaganda, saying it misrepresents police and immigration policies and validates an anti-American, anti-freedom, pro-socialism controversial organization, Black Lives Matter.

The video was reviewed by several different district committees, and all said it was appropriate.

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