Assault on education

[Captain Wiggles]

3 hours ago, mojo said:

Prayers up for that teacher. I can’t imagine her grief and confusion when a 12 year old refers to it by the wrong pronoun.

 

Really? It? So you don't consider gender neutral people humans but things? JFC. 🙄

[mojo]

21 minutes ago, Captain Wiggles said:

 

Really? It? So you don't consider gender neutral people humans but things? JFC. 🙄

That’s not what I meant and not how I consider them.

 

[JCB]

9 hours ago, mojo said:

That’s not what I meant and not how I consider them.

 

Then use the right words and stop having a hissy-fit over basic human things.

[China]

Texas students push back against book bans for censoring LGBTQ, racial justice issues

 

For high school senior Gabrielle Izu, Texas’ public school book bans feel personal.

 

The books Texas is targeting — mainly novels that focus on discussions of race, sexual orientation and gender identity — tell the tale of Izu’s past and future. The 17-year-old high school student is Asian American, Black and Hispanic and bisexual, and she hates to see her identities or her peers’ censored.

 

“I ignored [my sexuality] for a really long time. And I think that as a young girl, if a book showed me that this is a life that could be lived, I could have had a lot more peace and coming to terms with bisexuality,” said Izu, who attends James E. Taylor High School in the Katy Independent School District near Houston.

 

Here and there, Texas students are forming their own book clubs to read what adults want banned. Books like Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Ashley Hope Perez’s “Out of Darkness” and Carmen Maria Machado’s “In the Dream House.” Books that, until last fall, were easy to find and access.

 

In Katy ISD, students have distributed hundreds of novels challenged by adults in Texas. They’re getting the books free of charge from a political advocacy organization and publishers. And in Leander ISD near Austin, students are coming together in a banned-book club to discuss those books. Some students are starting to attend school board meetings to fight for the freedom to choose what to read.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Larry]

17 minutes ago, China said:

“I ignored [my sexuality] for a really long time. And I think that as a young girl, if a book showed me that this is a life that could be lived, I could have had a lot more peace and coming to terms with bisexuality,”

 

But they don't want you to come to terms with your bisexuality.  

 

They want you to be a self-hating, sexually repressed, adult who's denying their actual feelings.  

 

Who become Republicans.  

 

[mojo]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mynorthwest.com/3378199/mask-mandate-king-county-school-districts/amp/
Seattle teachers union pushing to extend masks mandate in school even though the state has dropped their requirements bc it promotes ‘normalcy’.  Normal to who?  I guarantee it’s not the kids.

[China]

‘I Need a New Butt’ book gets assistant principal fired at Mississippi elementary school

 

 

The former assistant principal of a Mississippi elementary school says he’s out of a job over a children’s book he read to a group of second graders.

 

Toby Price was fired from Gary Road Elementary School in Byram after he read the “I Need a New Butt” book to students last week, WJTV reported. The picture book, written by New Zealand author Dawn McMillan, has a suggested reading age of 6 to 10 years old, according to Amazon.com.

 

Price confirmed the news in a March 7 Facebook post, saying he was let go by the Hinds County School District “for reading an awesome book to kids.” In an online fundraiser, he described “I Need a New Butt” as a “funny silly book” that children love.

 

“A young boy suddenly notices a big problem — his butt has a huge crack! So he sets off to find a new one,” a synopsis of the book reads. “Will he choose an armor-plated butt? A rocket butt? ... Find out in this quirky tale of a tail.”

 

Price said he stepped in to do the reading after a guest reader failed to show up.

 

“My boss told me ‘Go ahead and read,’” he recalled to WLBT. “I grabbed one of my favorite books that I had nearby, I read it to them.

 

“I didn’t think twice about reading it because I’ve never had an issue with it before,” Price added. “There are other books that have much more suggestive material that are much more widely accepted.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Texas Library Association Forms Coalition to Battle Book Bans

 

 

The Texas Library Association has announced the formation of a grassroots coalition, Texans for the Right to Read, to "amplify and unify the voices of librarians, educators, parents, students, authors, and others" who oppose the growing effort to ban books from schools and libraries across the state of Texas.

 

TLA officials say the coalition will seek to educate the public, as well as work to oppose any "legislation, regulations, or executive orders" that would subjectively infringe upon the freedom to read. The move comes as efforts to ban books, primarily books involving race or LGBTQ issue, have increased dramatically.

 

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has publicly demanded that the state agencies that oversee education and library funding keep "inappropriate” books out of Texas schools, specifically calling out two books involving LGBTQ themes that have been featured in complaints in other states: Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, and In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. According to the Texas Tribune, Abbott has even directed agency officials to open criminal investigations over the offending titles. Abbott’s directive follows a headline-grabbing inquiry, launched in October by a Texas state representative that included a list of some 850 books singled out for scrutiny.

 

“The right to receive an education is something that is foundational to America,” said Daniel Burgard, TLA president, in a statement. “Possibly the most important skill students learn is how to develop a curious mind and think critically about a broad spectrum of subjects. Removing books based on the subjective opinions of elected officials has no place in our state or our democratic republic.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Florida Senate passes GOP-backed ban on teaching students to 'feel guilt' for history

 

The Florida Senate voted Thursday to ban public schools and private businesses from teaching people to feel guilty for historical events committed by people of their race, addressing a top priority of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

 

The bill, which passed the GOP-controlled state Senate by a vote of 24-15, would also prohibit instruction that says certain races or sexes are privileged or oppressed. The legislation previously passed the state House 74-41 and now heads to DeSantis' desk, where he is expected to sign it.

The crackdown on certain teachings about race in Florida is part of a national effort by Republicans to remove critical race theory from school curricula, even where it doesn't exist. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[JCB]

Fascism is here. Fight.

[China]

Voter-approved Arizona education tax dead after court ruling

 

A judge has declared that a tax on high-earning Arizona residents to boost education spending can’t be enforced because of a state Supreme Court ruling and has ordered its collection permanently blocked.

 

Friday's ruling from Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah was widely expected after the Supreme Court ruled in August that the tax was unconstitutional if it put schools above a legal spending cap.

 

Voters approved the tax in 2020 to increase teacher pay and school spending in a state with the lowest educator pay in the nation and overall per-student spending levels.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

DeWine trying to 'weaponize' schools, targeting leaders who condemn racism| Opinion

 

Every child deserves an honest education grounded in facts and diverse perspectives, regardless of race, background, or zip code.

 

As a coalition representing some 30 organizations, from teachers unions to faith groups, and hundreds of students, families, and educators across Ohio, Honesty for Ohio Education believes that fair maps for state board of education districts are necessary to ensure all our children get a truthful and complete education. Without fair maps, we weaken the foundations of our democracy.

 

That’s why we’re appalled by Gov. Mike DeWine’s attempt to weaponize public education by gerrymandering new state board maps. DeWine’s plan, based on Senate districts since invalidated by the Ohio Supreme Court, is an attempt to suppress the voices of four elected state board members who want an honest, high-quality education for every Ohio student.

 

Even more importantly, it would dilute the voices of urban and suburban families and significantly reduce the opportunity for voters of color to elect representatives to the state board.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

Teachers not going to be able to tell kids why they're now Mrs. Suchandsuch instead of Ms. Suchandsuch.

[philibusters]

I think these bills, banning teachers from discussing topics, are a big overreaction.   You get slight overreach by the left and a much larger overreach by the right.

 

 

[Larry]

25 minutes ago, philibusters said:

I think these bills, banning teachers from discussing topics, are a big overreaction.   You get slight overreach by the left and a much larger overreach by the right.

 

 

 

Overreach is precisely the point.  

 

These bills are being passed to placate a cadre of voters who's primary motivation is that they're angered by people treating them badly for being bigoted.  

[China]

On 1/23/2022 at 10:37 AM, China said:

House committee in Florida passes 'Don't Say Gay' bill

 

A Florida House committee on Thursday passed a bill seeking to ban discussions of sexuality and gender identity in school classrooms, which LGBTQ+ advocates say will effectively “erase” LGBTQ+ history, culture, and students.

 

The Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, passed Thursday in the House Education and Employment Committee largely along party lines.

 

“This bill is about defending the most awesome responsibility a person can have: being a parent,” Florida state Rep. Joe Harding (R), who first introduced the bill, said Thursday. “That job can only be given to you by above.”

 

Harding’s bill, along with its companion bill introduced Tuesday by Florida state Sen. Dennis Baxley (R), would block teachers in Florida from talking about LGBTQ+ topics that are not “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

 

According to the bill, parents may take legal action against their child’s school district and be awarded damages if they believe any of its policies infringe on their “fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.”

 

Chasten Buttigieg, the husband of transportation secretary and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, after the bill had passed called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for making Florida a more hostile place for LGBTQ+ youth.

 

“This will kill kids,” he wrote Thursday on Twitter. “You are purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Disney employees stage walkout to demand action against 'Don't Say Gay' bill

 

LGBTQ workers and employee allies at The Walt Disney Company staged a walkout in protest of Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by opponents.

 

Some employees have been walking out each day since March 15 from 3 to 3:15 p.m.

 

On Tuesday, more than 100 employees in different parts of the company joined a full-length walkout and protest.

 

"The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) LGBTQIA+ community and their allies are determined to take a stand against TWDC’s apathy in the face of the bigoted 'Don’t Say Gay' bill put forth by the FL state legislature," the protest's website states.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Noem signs bill that rejects 'divisive' race trainings at South Dakota universities

 

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) on Monday signed legislation banning the state's public universities from using training and orientation materials that could cause racially based "discomfort."

 

“No student or teacher should have to endorse Critical Race Theory in order to attend, graduate from, or teach at our public universities,” Noem said in a statement. “College should remain a place where freedom of thought and expression are encouraged, not stifled by political agendas.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Apparently the irony of that statement is lost on her.

[mojo]

On 3/17/2022 at 4:53 PM, Cooked Crack said:

Teachers not going to be able to tell kids why they're now Mrs. Suchandsuch instead of Ms. Suchandsuch.

Isn’t this bill for classes Kindergarten through 3rd grade?  Or is that not accurate?

[Cooked Crack]

8 minutes ago, mojo said:

Isn’t this bill for classes Kindergarten through 3rd grade?  Or is that not accurate?

Not accurate

Quote

No teacher, school employee or other presenter shall cover the topics of sexual orientation or gender identity in any classroom discussion or instruction in kindergarten through grade eight," according to the legislation.

 

"No teacher, school employee or other presenter shall discuss his own sexual orientation or gender identity with students in kindergarten through grade twelve," the bill says.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_2d055508-a6ea-11ec-bd04-1b531b9bf777.html

 

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=22RS&b=HB837&sbi=y

 

Again, this means if a teacher starts talking about a spouse/partner they could be breaking the law.

[skinsmarydu]

I'm gonna assault education if they don't get the kids back in school from spring break.

[LD0506]

[China]

School apologizes after teacher leads California preschoolers in anti-Biden chant

 

A Southern California private school apologized to parents after a teacher shared a video last month of her leading preschool students in a chant denouncing President Joe Biden.

 

The video obtained by ABC 7 News in Los Angeles shows the unnamed teacher at Turning Point Christian School in Norco asking the 4- and 5-year-olds, “Who’s our president?”

 

When they answer in unison, “Biden,” the teacher then asks, “What do we want to do with him?”

 

The students shout back, “We want him out!”

 

Parent Christina McFadden told ABC 7 the video from the President’s Day lesson was shared through the school’s messaging app, before it was taken down.

 

Turning Point officials said in a statement to parents that the school was “sorry for any misunderstanding” caused by the video.

 

“Earlier today a video was posted that has since been deleted as it did not share our school and church philosophy of honoring and respecting authority including those in government positions,” the school statement said.

 

It’s unclear what, if any, disciplinary action was taken against the teacher.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

[mojo]

On 3/17/2022 at 4:53 PM, Cooked Crack said:

Teachers not going to be able to tell kids why they're now Mrs. Suchandsuch instead of Ms. Suchandsuch.

Isn’t that a good thing?  Who needs these teachers pushing traditional archetypes like marriage on our impressionable youth?

[philibusters]

My thoughts on education in a nutshell:

 

1.  I think the whole CRT debate is overblown.  Do I think that some social justice ideas have made it into a minority of school curriculums?  Yes.  Do I think that is a good thing?  No.  Do I think the Republican response is to make a mountain out of a molehill?  Yes.  Do I think when you encounter bad ideas you should try to point out their faults rather than ban or outlaw them in legislation?  Yes.  To sum up, I think the whole debate is a whole lot of talking about very little of substance.

 

2.  I think issue that actually matters in education is the whole education reform debate.  I personally am a moderate education reformist.  That means I support things like charter schools and am a bit weary of teachers union.  However, I am  moderate in the sense that I don't support for profit charters at all and believe that the public school system needs to continue to be the backbone of our education system.   But the debates surrounding education reform is where the debate that actually matters is happening. 

[Cooked Crack]

2 hours ago, mojo said:

Isn’t that a good thing?  Who needs these teachers pushing traditional archetypes like marriage on our impressionable youth?

So the response you're going for is "I was wrong but isn't this the future you kind want?"