Topic
Rob Watson
Rob Watson is Superintendent of Missoula County Public Schools and oversaw the school district’s response to COVID-19.
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Missoula School Board Avoids Curriculum Concerns, Discusses Seating New Board Members
Last Tuesday’s meeting of the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees came to order at 6pm with all trustees present except for Trustee Michael Gehl. Following the pledge of allegiance, the board approved the minutes of the April 12th meeting during which a parent had read the contents of a homework assignment given out by a…
State Superintendent Questions Curriculum Standards at Missoula Schools After Student Sexual Orientation Questionnaire Surfaces
In a call from State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Wednesday night, the head of the Office of Public Instruction told Free Missoula News that her office was notified of the sexual orientation questionnaire shared by a Missoula sex education teacher at Sentinel High School and that the matter is being investigated by her office. Arntzen said…
UPDATED: School Board Notified of Inappropriate Sexual Orientation Questionnaire Distributed by Missoula Teacher
UPDATED (04/13/2021): Post updated to reflect comments from State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen whose office is investigating the situation. A Missoula sexual education teacher distributed a handout titled “Questions for Exploring Sexual Orientation” to Sentinel High School students, according to parents and confirmed by school officials. The questions on the handout asked students to consider changing…
Missoula School Board Adopts Controversial Curriculum Policy
The March 29th Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees meeting began at 6pm starting with The Pledge of Allegiance. Nine trustees were in attendance with Mike Gehl calling in via Zoom. Approximately 35 members of the community were present in the audience for the in-person meeting. Public comment for non-agenda items began with a…
WATCH: Missoula Schools Trustee Declines Mask, Chair Suspends Meeting for “Spreading Germs”
On Tuesday night, the regular meeting of the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees was suspended by board chair Diane Lorenzen after trustee Mike Gehl declined to wear a mask. An agenda item that was set for discussion was Montana High School Association sports eligibility issues, which the chair mentioned was “popular with…
Over 500 Montanans Sign “Vote of Confidence” Letter Supporting State Superintendent
Over 500 Montana signatories including school board trustees from Flathead, Lincoln, Missoula, and Ravalli counties and two-dozen elected officials have signed on to a “Vote of Confidence” letter supporting Montana’s head of schools, State Superintendent of Instruction Elsie Arntzen. “We write to refute the unauthorized “no-confidence” letter recently sent to you by certain school superintendents…
Montana Public Health: No Evidence Masks Work, Missoula Schools Defiant
Defiantly, Missoula schools said that parents who choose not to mask their children opt into “virtual learning.”
Missoula School Mask Lawsuit Filed: Parents have “fundamental liberty interest in the care, custody, and control of their children”
Stand Up Montana and 11 parents are the plaintiffs listed in a lawsuit filed yesterday against Missoula County Public Schools and Missoula County. Other defendants in the suit include Elementary District 1, High School District 1, Target Range School District, and Hellgate Elementary School District. In an interview with KGVO, the attorney representing the parents,…
Missoula Parents and School Employees Raise Legal Funds For Mask Lawsuit
After Missoula County Schools Superintendent Rob Watson shutdown in-person access to school board meetings and finalized mask requirements for students and staff, despite overwhelming demands for parental choice, Missoula parents and school staff are stepping up their fight against the school board’s unscientific mask mandates. Missoulian and parent Joseph Suchanic took to GoFundMe just over…
Regarding Masks Mandates, Montana Governor and State Superintendent Urge School Boards, Administrators to Listen to Parents and Science
“As we have heard from hundreds of parents across Montana, it is critical our kids get back into the classroom in as normal a setting.”
Missoula Superintendent Watson: Mandatory Mask Mandate For Students “Until Further Notice”
Citing no science, Superintendent Rob Watson shares draft letter to parents mandating masks with staff and teachers first.
Missoula Superintendent Watson Switches to Zoom-only COVID-19 Reopening Meeting Day After Major Public Comment
MCPS Superintendent Rob Watson does not want Missoula parents showing up in person again.
Parents Come Armed With Data to Missoula Public Schools “COVID Task Force” Reopening Meeting
UPDATE (Aug 4th @ 10:30pm): Superintendent Rob Watson distributed a draft letter meant for parents to teachers and staff outlining mask mandates for the 2021-2022 school year. UPDATE (Aug 4th @ 1:20pm): Superintendent Rob Watson sent an email to Board of Trustees this morning saying that the next COVID-19 meeting would be Zoom-only citing specious…
Big Sky Student Seriously Ill After Missoula Public Schools, Public Health Coerce COVID-19 Vaccine Without Parental Consent
Big Sky High School Principal Jennifer Courtney and Superintendent Rob Watson told the student that “good people get vaccinated.”