A Clarification Was Offered. Accountability Is Still Required.

I want to provide an update on the concerns I raised earlier regarding a Grade 6 assignment at Dr. Ross Tilley Public School, and to do so fairly, accurately, and in good faith.

After I wrote to Principal Skye, she responded promptly and respectfully. That response matters, and it deserves to be shared in full. I appreciate the tone and the seriousness with which the issue was addressed.

Principal Skye clarified that the written assignment prompt itself did not include Charlie Kirk, nor did it explicitly direct students to research or write about him. The prompt was broad and open-ended, asking students to write a newspaper-style article reflecting on a topic from 2025. The stated goal was to develop informational writing skills, not to engage students in political analysis or ideological debate.

That clarification is important. It corrects one narrow point, and I accept it.

But it does not resolve the underlying issue, and pretending it does would be dishonest.

Dear Mr. Adams,

Thank you for your thoughtful email and for raising your concerns in a respectful manner. I appreciate your interest in age‑appropriate, well‑balanced civic learning.

I will be reviewing the matter further on Monday; however, I have had the opportunity to review the assignment itself. The Grade 6 assignment in question did not include Charlie Kirk, nor were students asked or directed to research or write about him. The writing prompt was intentionally broad and open‑ended, asking students to select a topic from 2025 and write a newspaper‑style article summarizing an event or the actions of a group or individual. The prompt did not reference Charlie Kirk or encourage the inclusion of any specific political figure. 

This was the prompt:

2025 – A look back on an interesting year… 

Here we are in our first few weeks of a New Year… 2026 has arrived! During today’s class you will choose a topic to “look back on” from last year (look for the link in Google Classroom). You are required to summarize the event or the actions of a group or individual, in the proper format of a newspaper article. Your articles must be written at a level that is appropriate for junior/intermediate student reading. The success criteria below, as well as the rubric you have been given, should guide you in this assignment. Use the organizer below to begin gathering your information - ensure you are using accurate, reputable sources of information. Good luck Reporters, your deadline is 3:35 pm Wednesday January 14th!

The purpose of the assignment is to develop informational writing skills—such as summarizing facts, using an appropriate tone for a defined audience, and drawing from reputable sources—rather than to engage students in political analysis or ideological debate. Topics selected by students reflect a wide range of interests and subject areas.

I also want to assure you that we take community questions seriously. Thank you again for reaching out and for your engagement in educational matters.  I will continue to look into this assignment on Monday. 

Kind regards,

Skye

What This Clarification Does (and Does Not) Address

The principal's response confirms that the curriculum, on paper, does not endorse Charlie Kirk or any other partisan figure. That's good. That's how it should be.

What it does not explain is why several eleven-year-old students believed that an American political influencer was a valid or acceptable topic for a Grade 6 classroom in the first place, to the point where it was brought home as a real option.

That distinction matters.

Classrooms do not function solely on written prompts. Teachers explain assignments verbally. Students ask clarifying questions. Topics are proposed, accepted, redirected, or discouraged in real time. Those interactions are rarely documented, but they shape student understanding just as much as the assignment sheet does.

So while the written curriculum may be neutral, implementation still matters.

This Is About Guardrails, Not Accusations

Let me be clear about what I am—and am not—saying.

I am not accusing any individual teacher of acting in bad faith. I am not claiming that ideology was deliberately pushed. And I respect the principal's professionalism in responding.

What I am saying is this:

If the curriculum does not endorse foreign partisan figures, then there should be clear guardrails ensuring that students are redirected toward age-appropriate, nationally relevant topics when those figures arise.

That is not a radical expectation. It is a basic standard of elementary education.

Children at this age do not yet have developed critical-thinking or media-literacy skills. They cannot reliably distinguish between civic learning and ideological influence. When a topic is perceived as “school-appropriate,” it carries an implicit stamp of legitimacy, whether intended or not.

That is precisely why clarity matters.

The Question That Still Needs Answering

The core question has not changed:

If the curriculum does not support this topic, how did it become acceptable in practice to begin with?

That is not a partisan question.
It is not an ideological one.
It is a governance and judgment question.

And it is entirely reasonable for parents, siblings, and community members to ask it.

Why I Spoke Up, and Why I Still Am

I raised this issue because I care about our community, our schools, and my sister. I believe Canadian classrooms should focus on Canadian civic education; our institutions, our politics, our shared public life—especially at the elementary level.

This is not about censorship.
It is not about shielding students from reality.
It is about professional responsibility and age-appropriate boundaries.

I appreciate the principal's response and the willingness to review the matter further. But acknowledging a clarification does not mean abandoning the broader concern.

That concern remains valid.
And it remains worth discussing.

That's how accountability works, respectfully, honestly, and without theatrics.

— Will Adams
Editor, The Provincial Times