Vermont school district cancels ‘Flannel Friday’ due to ‘equity’ concerns

The Essex Westford School District recently sent an email to parents, addressing the change in the fun Friday flannel-themed celebration.

"As we work to dig in and better understand our system with an equity lens, each time we act, we have an opportunity for consideration of how our impact shows up for all. Based on a discussion with our leadership, we are changing Flannel Friday to Favorite Friday!" the email, obtained by Twitter account Libs of TikTok, states.

"Please wear your favorite clothes to school on Friday. This will support everyone in having a day they can participate in and share some joy at the same time," the email to families and staff continues. "Feel free to share with others that you are in your favorite clothes and fun stories that go with your choice!"

"A school in Vermont canceled 'Flannel Friday' this week cuz apparently flannel isn't equitable enough," commented Libs of TikTok, a popular social media sleuthing account that exposes woke insanity in K-12 schools.

One post written on March 5, 2019, describes the flannel-filled day, a district-wide tradition, as a bond-building event for the community. Plaid is specified as an alternative option for those who aren't in posession of flannel apparel.

"We are inviting all #EWSD students and staff to take part in Flannel Friday this Friday (March 8)! This fun, unity-building activity will be a District-wide event. No flannel? Plaid will work as well," the 2019 post from the school district states.

Last year, in late spring to early summer 2021, Essex-area residents, donning flannel, gathered for a public forum focused on critical race theory in the Essex Westford School District and beyond, Vermont-based Seven Days reported.

Event speaker Liz Cady, then a newly-elected Essex Westford School District Board member who has been an outspoken critic of the Black Lives Matter movement and the school district's proposed equity policy, cited an example of critical race theory teachings disgused as "a Courageous Conversation training" for educators that the Essex Westford School District had offered back in 2019.

Essex High School senior Alex Katsnelson said students experienced "overtly political presentations" during the school's advisory time, a nonacademic block of the school day meant for student discussion. In one instance, he said, students were shown "an artwork piece" from a newspaper depicting "characters" such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin, and were then asked to reflect on how their whiteness contributed to those deaths. "This is why we have fifth graders coming home saying that they wish they were Black," said Katsnelson.

"They're showing our children these political things and then telling them to join them in pushing their agenda. How else can you describe this except accepted indoctrination?" the student asked at the community discussion.

The Essex Westford School District has not responded to The Post Millennial's request for comment at the time of publication.