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10/12/2021 03:00 PMThe controversy surrounding Guilford’s school curriculum, the ensuing Republican primary to successfully oust current members of the Board of Education (BOE), and the many perspectives that surround this topic have all seemingly left out one voice-Guilford students themselves. Several former Guilford High School (GHS) students are attempting to address that by hosting a forum that will directly deal with how this current issue affected them upon graduation.
GHS graduate and current resident Kara Fikrig has initiated a forum that will allow her and other former GHS students to relate the benefits and problems with the education they received via the Guilford school system.
Fikrig, who has a Ph.D. from Cornell University, said she and other former GHS students want the community to know that despite an excellent school system and education, there are improvements that need to be made in some areas.
“There is a lot of misinformation swirling around town, most of it about current curriculum in Guilford schools, and how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) education would impact Guilford students. Although many people have weighed in on this subject, some of the most important voices—those of GHS alumni—have gone largely unheard,” said Fikrig.
Fikrig and other students praised their education at GHS and said in terms of many subjects they graduated with an excellent foundation to succeed. However, they state that Guilford schools did fail in educating them fully in other areas that are increasingly an important component of career and life choices.
“I decided to organize this forum with the GHRC because I believe that the perspective of GHS alumni is absolutely essential to the conversation taking place in town about the BOE and the curriculum,” Fikrig said. “The other speakers and I all went through the Guilford school system relatively recently and then went on to college and into the job market, so we are acutely aware of how our education either prepared or failed us for the next steps in life.”
To address this gap in the conversation, Fikrig and other former students will host a forum with the Guilford Human Rights Commission on Monday, Oct. 18 from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
In a letter to the Courier, Fikrig stated that she is very grateful for the education she received at GHS but that simply the changing attitudes of the country need to addressed in public schools.
“As alumni, we have recently transitioned from Guilford schools to college and the job market and are acutely aware of the ways in which our Guilford education either prepared or failed us to enter the wider world,” Fikrig wrote.
Fikrig in a further statement said, “Hundreds of people reached out to the BOE with personal stories about why they believed that these actions were necessary, many of whom were GHS alumni. The board members have said that these stories were extremely impactful and eye-opening. I was impressed by how the board members listened to us and responded with action—that is exactly how local government is supposed to work! Meanwhile, they have maintained the rigorous and high-quality education that prepared us on many other fronts....All while juggling keeping the students safe during COVID.”
Fikrig said that “vitriolic backlash to the BOE’s actions” concerning disagreements over supposed curriculum standards in Guilford schools, prompted her to organize the forum.
“These stories will show how our education thoroughly prepared us on almost every front – science, math, reading, and writing. However, they will also demonstrate how Guilford failed to teach us the full history of our country and its role in the structure of current inequities. As a result, we left Guilford unprepared for the cultural realities of the world. We are hosting this forum to share our personal experiences and advocate for improving the curriculum so that future students receive a better and more complete education.”
The forum will be hosted by the Guilford Human Rights Commission on Monday, Oct. 18 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Visit shorturl.at/bvyIS to register, and join in and listen via Zoom.