Rep. Travis Couture: WA needs to get basic ED right before new mandates like inclusive learning

Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, says with tens of thousands of parents pulling they're kids from Washington public schools in recent years due over radical new policies, loss of local control, or other issues now is not the time to mandate new curricula. Couture made the remarks during debate on Senate Bill 5462, the inclusive learning bill from Democrats that requires OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people. It also directs the Washington School Directors' Association to work with OSPI to review and update a model policy and procedure to require school districts to adopt inclusive curricula and select diverse, equitable, inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials that include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups.