Frequently Asked Questions

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a phrase that is frequently mentioned in the media and in public conversations. CRT is an academic approach used in colleges, universities, and law schools to examine the appearance of race and racism in American life. CRT attempts to understand how victims of systemic racism are affected by cultural perceptions of race and how they are able to represent themselves to counterprejudice.

Critical Race Theory is not a component of the NJ State Learning Standards and it is not required by the state to be adopted as part of curricula. Therefore, our curricula does not incorporate Critical Race Theory.

No. Although various media channels and members of the public sometimes use terms interchangeably, they mean two different things. Unlike CRT, which is a tool primarily used in institutions of higher education, educational equity is a K-12 term referring to federal and state policies and requirements.

Specifically, the term is closely associated with “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) legislation that was led by former President George W. Bush and signed into law in 2002. This federal law established clear requirements for school districts to not only examine student achievement data by race but also to work to close achievement gaps where they exist.

In recent years, the terms equity work or diversity, equity, and inclusion have become commonplace in K-12 education as many districts revisit and renew their local efforts to close achievement gaps as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). When signed into law in 2015, ESSA was intended to further advance equity in U.S. education policy by upholding protections outlined in NCLB, including calling for comprehensive state-developed plans designed to close achievement gaps, improve the quality of instruction, and increase outcomes for all students.

Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, the State requires every NJ school district to incorporate instruction on diversity and inclusion at appropriate places in the curriculum for students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of our district’s NJ Student Learning Standards implementation.

Curriculum updates and revisions are ongoing, and our teams have already begun to add instructional resources that reflect greater diversity and inclusion (i.e., multicultural supplemental book lists, websites and databases that link directly to our instructional units with increased opportunities to reflect the cultures represented in our student body, etc.). Our approach will include activities, resources, and guidance from the NJ DOE when they are released to school districts. All curriculum revisions will be reviewed, approved by the board of education, and shared with the community at large on our website.

We have always worked toward creating inclusive curricula so that all students can see themselves and others within classroom lessons and activities. Our goal has been and will always be to promote safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students regardless of race or ethnicity, sexual or gender identities, mental and physical disabilities, and/or religious beliefs.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) plays a critical role in the delivery of instruction across our elementary classrooms. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. To promote inclusive learning environments in our classrooms, we continue to embed the State Department of Education’s core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making into classroom experiences.

As per the updates present in the State Department of Education’s 2020 Comprehensive Health & PE Standards, discussion regarding gender identity and sexual orientation is to be integrated into classroom instruction by fifth grade, continuing through twelfth grade in a variety of ways (see p.28, 31, & 34 for specific content). These standards are not expected to be implemented until 2022-23 and their integration into the curricula will contain an opt-out option for parents to request in specific grade levels. A4454 does reference gender identity and sexual orientation as it relates to promoting diversity and inclusion.

As we do with any updates or additions to the NJ Learning Standards, Randolph Township Schools will work closely with curriculum teams to write age-appropriate health and physical education curricula for all students. Curriculum documents are presented first at the Board’s Education Committee meeting and then to the full Board for approval. Once adopted following formal approval at a board meeting, parents will be provided an opportunity to opt their children out of instruction for progressive topics within the Health curricula.

As always, all updated, board approved curricula are posted on our website under the Academics tab.

Pursuant to New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 18A:25-4.7) any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instructions in health, family life education or sex education is in conflict with his conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom. There are no other areas of the curriculum which contain an opt out provision.

Pursuant to New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 18A:36-34) a school district shall not administer to a student any academic or nonacademic survey, assessment, analysis or evaluation unless the school district has obtained prior written informed consent from that student’s parent or guardian if the survey, etc. reveals information concerning: 

(1) political affiliations; 

(2) mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or the student’s family; 

(3) sexual behavior and attitudes; 

(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior; 

(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom a respondent has a close family relationship; 

(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; 

(7) income, other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under a program; or 

(8) social security number. 

The school district shall request prior written informed consent at least two weeks prior to the administration of the survey assessment, analysis or evaluation.