Concerns about BCS policy changes

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 11.06.25

I’m a Brunswick County resident, Air Force veteran, and father of five — my youngest a freshman at North Brunswick High School. My family moved here in 2019 after my military retirement, seeking a better life for our kids. We love this community, which is why I’m deeply concerned about the direction our BCS Board of Education is taking.

On Oct. 7, the board proposed sweeping changes to Policy 3100: Curriculum Development—changes that would quietly strip accountability and transparency from the process of deciding what our children learn.

First, the proposal removes the superintendent’s obligation to ensure that the curriculum includes the founding principles of our nation. That means students could graduate without understanding core ideas like popular sovereignty, checks and balances, or individual rights.

Second, it eliminates teacher participation in developing curriculum, cutting out the very professionals who know what works in classrooms. This shows blatant disregard for the expertise of our educators.

Third, the revisions abolish the curriculum committee and weaken outside review, giving the superintendent near-total control over what is taught while shielding decisions from public or professional oversight.

Education should be about learning, not ideology. If these changes pass, our schools risk becoming vehicles for personal agendas rather than centers of knowledge. I urge parents, teachers, and citizens to attend the next BCS Board of Education meeting on Nov. 5 and demand answers. Our children’s education is too important to leave unchecked.

Brian Rupp

Winnabow