BYRON, Minn. – The superintendent of Byron Schools, Mike Neubeck, denied that teachers were ever told not to have class discussions on the Russian war on Ukraine. Such had been the impression voiced at a School Board meeting Monday. The issue School Board Policy 950, which prohibits taking side on “political issues.” In the brouhaha that has followed, Neubeck said that teachers are encouraged to talk about the war in Ukraine s and answer student questions. At no point,” he said, was a a teacher that they cannot teacher told to about not to talk about the war. “In fact, we encourage them to talk about what’s happening, and to try to educate our students about what’s happening,” Neustadt said.
Discussion OK but flags?
Superintendent Neubeck did not dispute that a high school teacher was asked to remove a Ukrainian flag from her classroom after students asked her to display it as a show of solidarity with the Ukraine. That issue, said Neustadt, was narrow — only over which flags or symbols can be displayed at school. He said District lawyers are reviewing the Board Policy 950 on what can be displayed. Allowing teachers to hang the Ukrainian flag now could be problematic in the future, he said. “If we have Ukrainian flags hanging up, and someone wants to come and hang a different type of flag, we can’t say yes to this group, and no to this group,” he said.
Neubeck. Superintdent of Byron schools since 2021. Earlier principal at Mahtomedi Junior Hugh. Holds doctoral degree from Saint Mary’s University.