Category: Schools / Schooling / Education / Libraries
Dash Reacts to Trump’s Transphobic Remarks at Latest Rally
Florida Is Banning “Social Justice” From its K-12 Textbooks
Barring critical race theory wasn’t enough.
Florida textbooks may no longer teach “social justice,” according to new state guidance, part of Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ongoing attack on pluralistic democracy.
The guidance, which was recently updated but is undated, states that “social justice” is now one of the topics that are prohibited in state-approved textbooks for K-12 social studies classes. According to Politico, which reported on the new criteria, textbook publishers have until June 10 to submit social studies proposals. The DeSantis administration recently rejected math textbooks for including “impermissible” topics—a warning shot to publishers that the state will make political hay by rejecting textbooks with even a hint at the fact that America is not a perfectly fair, racism-free country.
Social justice generally refers to the movement for equality in American society and against unfair treatment and unequal opportunities, and is often associated with movements against racism, sexism, and anti-LBGTQ rights. Clearly, Florida Republicans want to keep such movements out of Florida classrooms. The new rules do not actually define social justice but merely include three prohibited ideas:
- Potential Social Justice components include:
- Seeking to eliminate undeserved disadvantages for selected groups.
- Undeserved disadvantages are from mere chance of birth and are factors beyond anyone’s control, thereby landing different groups in different conditions.
- Equality of treatment under the law is not a sufficient condition to achieve justice.
Under this definition of social justice, Florida textbooks cannot actually explain or acknowledge that some people in society receive better treatment and advantages than others. Because the guidance leaves the scope of social justice open-ended, publishers will likely go beyond this definition in order to meet the state’s new criteria.
The guidance also bans inclusion of critical race theory, social and emotional learning, and “any other unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination”—using a broad approach to suppress any attempt to acknowledge the ongoing presence of discrimination.
The list of topics included under the CRT prohibition makes clear that Florida classrooms must not acknowledge that there is any lasting effect from slavery, Jim Crow, or other forms of oppression in American life. Complying textbooks would have to convey that any pesky problems like racism and segregation have been solved. In this way, the textbooks will reflect the restrictions placed on teachers by the “Stop WOKE Act,” which DeSantis signed last month. That law restricts how teachers, college professors, and employee trainings discuss race, oppression, and the country’s founding, with language that’s identical to that of the textbook restrictions.
If the “Stop WOKE Act,” which is being challenged in court, stands, alongside the textbook restrictions, then Florida classrooms will present a distorted image of American history and society today, one where everyone has an equal shot at success and the vestiges of oppression have fallen away. When the students step out into the Florida sunshine, however, they will still live in today’s America, one made even more oppressive and authoritarian by their own schools.
Trans Woman Falsely Blamed By Right Wing Trolls for Uvalde Shooting Speaks Out
https://www.intomore.com/breaking/trans-woman-falsely-blamed-uvalde-shooting-speaks/
An alt-right conspiracy theory is baselessly positing that the Uvalde Elementary school mass murderer was a trans woman. One of the main targets of the conspiracy has now spoken out about the effect this has had on her life.
The conspiracy seems to have originated on 4Chan, where users shared photos of various trans women, claiming that these were images of the shooter. One screenshot of a 4Chan discord server suggested this was intentional, with some users apparently plotting to “psyop” people into believing the shooter was trans.
The conspiracy gained further traction when it was spread by high-profile right-wing figures. Arizona Representative Paul Gosar claimed the shooter was “a transsexual leftist illegal alien” in a now-deleted tweet, resulting in calls for his resignation. Candace Owens, in a tweet that has not been deleted at the time of this writing, also repeated the claim to her 3.1 million followers.
Alex Jones’s show Infowars also reportedly alleged the shooter was trans. Although they appear to have ceased spreading the claim, they still found a way to blame the shooting on the general dissolution of the traditional family.
In the wake of the conspiracy surrounding the Uvalde shooting, user Apprehensive_Ad_995 took to reddit to combat the misinformation. She shared a current photo of herself (very much alive whereas the real shooter is dead), saying, “It’s not me, I don’t even live in Texas.”
Apprehensive_Ad_995 has since identified herself as Sam, an artist, in a new interview with inews. Speaking on the sudden stress the conspiracy has caused her, Sam said, “I am being harassed and accused of murder with no evidence. And all I’ve done was live my life.”
At the same time, she acknowledged that her struggle pales in comparison to what the victims of the tragedy are going through. “I’m more worried about the victims and hope they get the support they deserve,” she said.
While the conspiracy is currently being downplayed, with some right-wing figures like Andy Ngo denouncing the misinformation, it is a symptom of something that has become all too common in the conservative movement. Sam acknowledged this, saying of figures like Gosar, “I’m ashamed that people like that are voted into office. People so concerned about their personal beliefs that they ignore the truth just to hurt innocent people.”
Everything You Know About The 2nd Amendment Is WRONG
Let’s talk about teachers, old ideas, and new dynamics….
This is a new video updating the one I posted earlier about arming teachers. As he says the very teachers you don’t trust with rainbow stickers and to teach the history of racism while you claim they are grooming your kids with LGBTQ+ something … You are now demanding they have guns to handle what armed police can’t. Please watch to see him again shatter the right-wing talking point, again. Hugs
Let’s talk about armed teachers….
This is from three years ago. He describes all the reasons arming teachers is not going to work. He details all the reasons that it is set up for failure. The video is a great answer to the Republicans that want more guns in schools. Hugs
North Carolina GOP Introduces “Don’t Say Gay” Bill
Raleigh’s ABC News affiliate reports:
North Carolina Senate Republicans took a step that could have been expected: They are filing a bill that dictates what teachers can say to young children about sexuality and requires them to disclose confidential conversations they have with students about gender identity and sexuality.
State Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga), chair of the Senate Education Committee, announced the bill, joined by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) and Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover).
If Republicans do pass this bill or something like it, there’s a strong possibility it would be vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper, and Republicans don’t have votes by themselves to override. However, this does create a political debate leading up to elections in November.
Raleigh’s NBC News affiliate reports:
The new bill’s parental notice section generated concerns among opponents Tuesday that LGBTQ students, afraid of how their parents would react if they find out about their sexual identity, could no longer turn to trusted teachers for guidance.
What if a parent is abusive, state Rep. Allison Dahle, one of the legislature’s few openly LGBTQ members, said after the bill was announced.
“Is the teacher going to be responsible for the child’s beating,” said Dahle, D-Wake. “North Carolina needs to be a safe place for everybody, and this is going to remove that safety net for children.”
Children are pawns to be used, abused, and shot in a classroom… apparently.
Tietokone Opettaja • 2 days ago
Republicans want to hide the fact that sexual orientation is fixed, immutable.
If a gay child is not informed that there are others, that can lead to suicide.
That has happened.
It is documented by news media.
I know this because I was on a suicide prevention hotline in D.C. when a young gay teen killed himself because he couldn’t face being gay with parents who hated gays.
That is what happens when you hide the fact that being gay is not a choice but is immutable and there are others who are well-adjusted adults and successful.
After local Citizens on Patrol public seminars, I picked up a young hitch-hiker years ago and took him to a shelter for homeless teens since he was trying to hire himself out as a rent boy to make a living after his God-fearing parents threw him out of their home and he was on his own. They were “Christians”. Right.
Don’t hide the facts. Don’t belittle gays. They are not sick. They are different.
Accept that.
christians prefer indoctrination to education.
always have, always will.
it’s the only way christianity can survive, you see.
(((heleninedinburgh))) • 2 days ago
Wow, so ‘bold and courageous’ to have started a moral panic which will lead to kids being abused, subjected to conversion torture, and disowned by their families.
Does the “Parent’s Bill of Rights” include anything about a reasonable expectation that the kids won’t have to face down gunmen with military-level hardware designed to mow down hordes of humans in short order? Or is it only to protect them from the horror of hearing about same-sex couples?
How dare queer kids grow up without shame.
Gregory In Seattle • 2 days ago
“Removing the safety net” has been a key GOP platform plank for decades. Republicans want corpses, and they aren’t picky as to how they get them: children beaten to death by their parents for not being straight and cis is just one way to reach that goal.
Uncle Mark’s ugly face returns • 2 days ago
They’re far more afraid of kids catching ‘the gay’ than they are of kids catching a lethal bullet.
Family values my ass!!
Texas Paul REACTS to Lauren Boebert’s Dumbest Statement Yet
Benham Brothers: Only Jesus Can Stop Mass Shootings
The Benham brothers write on Facebook:
There’s not enough “gun laws” on earth to turn a young man from a predator to a protector. But there is a King, whose name is Jesus, that can step into the heart of a man and change him from the inside out. Unfortunately, we don’t want this King.
Our nation glorifies everything that stands against King Jesus and His Kingdom fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. As a result, we’re losing our young men and have lost the soul of our nation.
The radical Left says it’s all about the guns – but it’s the heart that holds the gun! A gun in the hand of a good man brings peace and protection, but a gun in the hand of a bad man brings pain and destruction. Our nation has a heart problem – not a gun problem.
Exalt Jesus once again. Teach our young men to deny themselves, become men of God, and fight against evil instead of perpetrate it. Our boys need to be called up to something much higher than video games, binge shows, and porn! There’s so much more…in Christ.
Let’s do our part as we grieve with the families in TX today. Let’s look at our own kids, our sphere of influence, our churches and schools…and let’s call these young men to lay down their lives, bow to Jesus, and pick up His cross and follow Him. Until then, this path of destruction will never stop.
Longtime JMG readers will recall that the Benham brothers were once regulars here, starting in 2014 when they lost their planned HGTV show after activists informed the network about their history of anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ activism, which included annual attempts to force the cancellation of Charlotte Pride.
The pair last appeared here in 2017 when they declared that God murders people with hurricanes in order to force America to repent for “satanic” same-sex marriage (and homosexuality in general).
Their father is notorious anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ activist Flip Benham, who has been convicted multiple times for stalking and threats.
When his sons lost their HGTV show, he declared that the network’s acronym stands for “Homosexual Garbage Television” and that gays are the “most violent community” in the nation and that they want all Christians dead.
“Only Jesus Can Stop Mass Shootings”
Well, hes doing a pretty shit job at it, isn’t he?
