The Columbia school superintendent and school board president sent “a message of support” in a mass email Friday afternoon, responding to what they described as “an intentional effort to discredit, disgrace, and destroy the reputations” of the district.
The email, coauthored by Superintendent Peter Stiepleman and School Board President Helen Wade, was sent out of “a sense of urgency to clarify a particular topic” and to express “empathy and gratitude” toward the district’s employees.
Race Matters, Friends included a copy of the email in a news release that they shared with the Missourian Saturday morning.
The message came after parents, students and advocates flooded the school board meeting Monday night, criticizing the district and its policies regarding students with special needs. The board, initially slated to vote on its restraint, seclusion and isolation policy, eventually postponed its decision after the testimonies. Board members at the meeting didn’t discuss the policy before sending the proposed language back to their policy committee.
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