At an elementary school science fair last year, the Boulder Valley School District decided that one third grade girl’s project might be interesting, might actually teach some important lessons, might demonstrate a knowledge of scientific technique on the part of the girl … but it was Not Allowed under the school district’s non-discrimination policy, because it might be “hurtful”.
See, the girl set up Barbie dolls, one white and one black, and asked both students and adults to answer which was “prettiest.” She found that adults chose based on the clothing on the Barbie, but that the children tended to choose the white Barbie most often.
Bzzzzzzz! The BVSD certainly couldn’t allow other little kids to hear about that.
Well, after months of discussions, including with the local ACLU, the district has revised its policies — well, at least the guidelines regarding those policies — to recognize that there is some value in free speech, in science, and in having discussions that maybe are hard but which might give insight.
Imagine that.