O’FALLON, Mo. — The Francis Howell School District has decided to discontinue the use of a video platform that was widely used in the district, following claims that the platform was promoting social agendas.
During a school board meeting on Thursday night, the decision to stop using the platform was met with frustration as speakers highlighted its importance as a resource for teachers.
President of the district’s teacher’s union, Anita Kuehner, expressed concerns, stating, “It doesn’t feel like we trust teachers to teach.”
The platform, BrainPop, offers animated videos on various educational topics, including math and history, along with quizzes and games.
Video via BrainPop promotional YouTube video.
In Francis Howell, teachers have utilized BrainPop to explain topics such as the U.S. Constitution, peer pressure, the solar system, Martin Luther King Jr., and the water cycle.
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However, the platform has faced criticism from conservative political organizations, including Moms for Liberty, due to its inclusion of lessons on topics like Black Lives Matter, which they consider divisive. These groups have lobbied for the removal of the platform in certain states, including Florida.
BrainPop is the latest classroom material to be removed by a conservative majority on the board in Francis Howell schools. Five out of the seven board members, who identify as conservatives, have been working to eliminate perceived “political indoctrination,” including social justice standards from Black history and Black literature courses.
Board member Randy Cook, who spearheaded the effort to remove BrainPop, mentioned that his decision was prompted by a parent’s complaint about their child viewing a Black Lives Matter video on the platform, leading to uncomfortable discussions at home.
Cook pointed out examples of what he perceived as biased content on BrainPop, such as videos glorifying Barack Obama’s presidency and touching on gender identity topics in discussions on personal pronouns.
Although Cook initially challenged BrainPop last October, he ultimately voted to renew its subscription, a decision he now regrets.
Despite the controversies, the instructional technology leader of the district, Meredith Bates, emphasized the importance of BrainPop as a valuable resource for teachers and students.
Students in Francis Howell engaged with over 80,000 activities on BrainPop during the last academic year, demonstrating its widespread usage in the district.
While newly elected board member Steven Blair and board president Adam Bertrand advocated for keeping BrainPop, the majority voted in favor of discontinuing its use. The platform will remain in schools until December, with plans for a potential replacement still unclear.
At the meeting, Cook declined to provide specific details regarding his objections to BrainPop, simply stating that he does not support the direction it has taken.
The district had the option to renew the subscription for $28,803 until July 2025, but decided to terminate the agreement instead.
As of now, it remains uncertain what alternative program, if any, will be implemented in place of BrainPop in the district.
