'Shocking' video exposes school officials plotting to 'trick' Ohio parents, teach CRT

Critics are outraged after shocking video surfaced of Ohio school officials discussing how they can push critical race theory covertly, working around school policies already in place. 

Protect Ohio Children Coalition co-chair Cathy Pultz, who is a former teacher herself, joined "Fox & Friends First" Thursday to discuss the bombshell video and the broader impact of the curriculum on the community. 

"It should be a parent and school partnership, and it's really not," Pultz told co-host Todd Piro. "In our district in Upper Arlington, the transparency has been a problem for years. They have their agenda. They get caught doing something. They get caught reading books without telling the parents. And they turn around and say, we're going to do an investigation, but then nothing happens."

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"There have been no consequences for any of our teachers or staff when they're breaking board policy, and it is really frustrating," she continued. "And this is just another example of parents losing control of what's being taught to their children."

The video, showing Ohio school officials discussing how they can secretly advocate the controversial content even if the state banned it, was released by a conservative media watchdog, Accuracy in Media. 

The employees supposedly were not aware they were being recorded. 

"There's more than one way to skin a cat," Matthew Boaz, the executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion of Upper Arlington Schools, said. "You can pass a bill that you can't teach CRT in a classroom, but if you didn't cover programming, or you didn't cover extracurricular activities or something like that, that message might still get out. Oops."

Pultz, who knows Boaz personally, said she was "shocked" when she saw he was the one discussing the push, calling it "disappointing."

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But Boaz wasn't the only one caught red-handed.

"If we have a certain content that we want to share with students, and they see one in word the language, it's like, oh, no, we can't do that," Hillary Staten, an administrative assistant for Groveport Madison schools, said in the video. "We have some parents… they don't fully understand. So… it's when we trick them, you know?"

The push to advocate CRT hasn't come without consequences, Pultz said. She noted how students have suffered as a result, as their academic progress continues to dwindle. 

"As a teacher, I'm more interested in teaching, making sure they know how to read right, do their math," Pultz said. "In our district and in many I know across Ohio, the academics have decreased significantly because so much is spent on teaching cultural issues as opposed to teaching the basics."

"It's a battle," she continued. 

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Upper Arlington Schools released a statement over the footage, noting the video was recorded under "false pretenses" and the district teaches its curriculum in accordance with state law. 

"Upper Arlington Schools and the Upper Arlington Board of Education are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and ensuring our schools are places where every student is welcomed, respected, celebrated and supported while receiving the highest quality education," Upper Arlington interim Superintendent Kathy Jenney wrote Wednesday. "This is a crucial part of ensuring that we live out our mission — to challenge and support every student, every step of the way."

"While we remain committed to DEI, critical race theory is not part of the district’s academic program," it continued. "The district follows the state learning standards and all laws in effect related to public education."

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Groveport Madison schools also reacted to the video saying, "Accuracy in Media’s video grossly and irresponsibly mischaracterized a conversation with a Groveport Madison School District secretary that took place last summer."

"The video was taken without the secretary’s knowledge or permission, and the reporter and his colleague misrepresented themselves as new parents moving to the area," the statement continued. "The questioner manipulated the conversation in an effort to obtain sound bites fitting AIM’s agenda, then removed those statements from context."

The statement also noted the video has been referred to legal counsel to "consider all available options."

Pultz urged parents to take action in their own communities to have a voice in their kids' classrooms, arguing there is "strength in numbers."

"It is an uphill battle because we have a very involved community, but we just have to constantly be on them," Pultz said. "And you got… to have people who run for school board… who will listen to you."