Parents are the primary educators of their children, and it is the responsibility of the school system to help build a student's academic skills and performance. Parents are being increasingly left out of the discussions on class curricula and age-appropriate content. Banning books is not an American practice, and should be opposed in schools. Age appropriate books should always be available for students to read.

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In a time where politics is becoming very divisive in society, political narratives and ideologies are also becoming common in various classroom curricula. Public schools are taking a position on moral and ethical ideologies, lifestyles, values, and behaviors that should be left to parents to teach their children. We need to restore measures that respect the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit.  The school district needs to focus on academic excellence while restoring an environment that is free of divisive social issues.  The classroom needs to be a safe place for students of all backgrounds to come and be taught how to think rather than what to think.

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It is imperative that students learn the entire history of the United States. This includes the historical struggles of systemic racism, anti-immigration ideologies, and various oppressive government acts, and also the celebrated achievements of abolition, equal rights, and personal freedoms and liberties. School curricula should teach that history cannot only be viewed only through the lens of racism. We need to teach students that the American Dream is still alive and well for all students. We need to fulfill the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech of living in a nation where people will "not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

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The Anoka-Hennepin School District is actively promoting equity plans that are misguided and inefficient in teaching our students. Tax money is being used to hire equity committees instead of helping the 50% of Third Grade students who are not meeting reading standards in the district.

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What Steps Zach Arco Will Propose

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1. Reconsider all district funding of professional curriculum development for teachers and staff that endorse specific social or political narratives, agendas, or ideologies.

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2. Dissolve the district partnership with the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center and reevaluate the current 2021 Equity Achievement Plan.

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3. Teach a vibrant United States history that includes multiple perspectives, presents historical struggles and achievements, and celebrates our American heritage.

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4. Require classroom transparency to empower parental involvement pertaining to classroom material that is racially divisive, inappropriate for a particular age, and politically biased.

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5.  Remove and replace any curriculum that ventures into non-academic positions on subjects that only parents should teach their children and that should stay out of the public school system.