CARY, N.C. — A Wake County parent is trying to get a video about the Native American perspective of Thanksgiving banned from schools because she claims it’s filled with lies and is racist to white people.

The YouTube video from Cut.com shows Native Americans using words like “horror beyond measure,” “massacre,” “slaughtered,” “romanticism” and “lies” to describe what thoughts they associate with Thanksgiving.

On Wednesday, the Wake County school system’s Instructional Materials Review Committee unanimously upheld Alston Ridge Middle School’s decision to use the video, despite the objections of parent Beth Braswell. The committee also unanimously voted to allow the video to continue to be used in middle schools and high schools.

“Banning the video does not change the history of the atrocities brought upon the Native Americans that owned this land and were killed by Europeans to creates the colonies,” said Nicole McNeil, a parent member of the district committee. “Instead it suppresses the beliefs and opinions of Native Americans.”

After the vote, Braswell said she would not appeal the committee’s decision to the school board.

“I was trying to gauge the ideological capture of the Wake County school administration and teachers,” Braswell said in an interview Wednesday. “I know now.”

Perspective of Native Americans

The video is part of the “One Word” video series from Cut.com asking people what they associate with a particular word. Chris Rudy, the chief executive officer of Cut.com, said the people in the video were selected after producers put out a call in Seattle asking for Native Americans to share their thoughts on Thanksgiving.

Rudy said the Native Americans in the video are not actors.

“If they have a perspective rooted in their experience, how can you say it’s not credible?” Rudy said in an interview Wednesday.

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