PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Some Portsmouth parents have launched a petition against Cradock Elementary School that levies a number of accusations, with one notably being the elimination of science from the fourth-grade curriculum.

The school said this is a part of an “instructional pilot program” that replaces fourth-grade science with Virginia Studies, a social studies course with a focus on Virginia.

“We believe this approach will enrich students’ educational experience and better prepare them for continued success in upper grades,” a Portsmouth Public Schools spokesperson wrote. “Cradock Elementary teachers have been preparing for this transition and are excited to bring these subjects to life through dynamic and meaningful instruction.”

In this new program, fourth grade science would be mo

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