Eighteen months ago, four families in the Forest Hills School District filed suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against its school board and superintendent to enjoin enforcement of the “Culture of Kindness Resolution.”
Today, the families and their attorneys announced a settlement between the two parties. (Reference: Updike v. Jonas (1:22-cv-00374)
As part of the settlement, the school board rescinded the “Resolution to Create a Culture of Kindness and Equal Opportunity for All Students and Staff,” which banned curriculum and staff training involving “anti-racism,” critical race theory, intersectionality and gender identity.
Forest Hills Community Says No to “Culture of Kindness” Resolution
On May 18, 2022, 150 students from Anderson and Turpin High Schools participated in an off-site, after-school Diversity Day after the Forest Hills School Board permanently canceled "Racial Diversity Awareness Day".
Had Diversity Day remained an in-school, parental and student opt-in activity, 175 students from Turpin—30 % of the junior and senior classes—would have participated. Moving the event led to after-school conflicts, like sports and part-time jobs.
At the conclusion of Diversity Day we asked students to share their feedback about what they experienced in an anonymous survey. A selection of the comments are provided in this report.
Show Your Support
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Yard Signs
Show support for diversity in our district with a yard signs.
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Community T-Shirts
Students picked up shirts on May 16; they were provided thanks to a GoFundMe campaign.
If you're interested in a shirt for yourself or your family, order below. (available in FH green, AHS orange and black or Turpin maroon and gold.)
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Stickers, Buttons, Etc.
See more information about other awareness materials available.
Student GoFundMe
Contribute here to the students' GoFund Me campaign to raise awareness and host an off-site event. Run with approval by and in coordination with the students of Turpin.