North Cook News

After parents voiced concerns with wanting their children to return to in-person learning. Dr. Devon Horton, the Evanston/Skokie District 65 superintendent, accsed the parents of 'white supremacist thinking.'

Horton, who is Black, responded to a parent’s email saying that COVID-19 was negatively impacting people of color more than white people and, because of that, he was not going to reopen schools and risk a single student contracting the coronavirus.

“In the world that we live in, I’m sure that you have not had to reflect on your white supremist (sic) thinking and way of life,” Horton wrote in an email. “White Supremacy is no longer the white hooded villain attempting to cause physical harm. You make personal attacks towards me because we are not giving you what you want. I suggest you look in the mirror and reflect on who you are and how you are presenting yourself to an African American leader. I refuse to sit back and be assaulted about my decision making to not return to in person learning especially when the undertone is outright racists.”

The parent who emailed Horton said they were disappointed and disgusted with how the administration was handling the pandemic.

“Every other community and suburb has responded and found ways to make hybrid or full in-person models work carefully,” the parent wrote. “District 65 and you personally should feel ashamed for your continued lack of action and appropriate choices. I’m certain that Evanston has a much higher contingent of high-risk youth than Wilmette, Glenview and every other north shore suburb yet we are the one community that has not even TRIED to get our kids back in school.”

The parent said anyone who could was leaving the school district and that the administration’s choices would be long lasting in the community.

Another parent sent an email saying that the school system had been teaching remotely for nearly a year and that they were frustrated and disappointed in how the school board was handling the situation.

“There is such a void of leadership from you and the school board at this point that we are submitting our application for St. A's tonight for next school year,” the parent wrote. “Our daughter, who cried when we told her we were considering it when she found out weeks ago, today told my wife ‘Mom, I am ok switching schools. I just want to be in-person.’ I am nearly certain we are not the only ones which will likely hurt the district's finances even further.”

Horton forwarded the same response to the second parent, signing each email “Unapologetically, Dr. Devon Horton” and he copied two board members on the emails.

Evanston isn’t the only district where frustrated parents are being accused of being white supremacists. The president of the Pasco Association of Educators (PAE), a teachers union, in Pasco, Wash., also made similar comments.

PAE President Scott Wilson even compared listening to concerned parents to the U.S. Capitol riots from last week and called parents concerned with their children's mental health an example of “white privilege.” 

Horton made headlines in October for his plan involving racism when he said during a public meeting held via Zoom that the school district would prioritize Black and brown students, special education students and LGBTQ students.