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Uproar over ISBE’s “culturally responsive” teaching standards

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A group of Republican state lawmakers, including State Rep. Dan Brady (105th District), State Rep. Tom Demmer (90th District), State Rep. Adam Niemurg (109th District), and Steven Reick (63rd District) spoke against Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards Monday. […]

While agreeing that all students should feel welcomed, some state representatives say the standards are pushing partisan politics into schools.

“That’s why this is an overreach, it establishes a whole series of new mandates that are outside of some of the core parts of education that we’re already struggling within Illinois,” Demmer said.

“It’s so disappointing that rather than focusing on any of these issues, the State Board of Education has instead chosen to create pages of new rules and mandates that prioritize social activism over basic skills,” Brady said.

* Chicago Republican Party…

Oppose Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards
On Tuesday, February 16, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) of the Illinois General Assembly will vote on a new rule already approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.
The rule’s title, which might as well have been dreamed up by a propagandist like Goebbels, is called “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards.” Assuming the rule is ratified on February 16, which will most likely occur, it will mandate that teachers fulfill a whole slew of progressive, politically-correct objectives, including but not limited to:

• “Understand and value the notion that multiple lived experiences exist, that there is not one ‘correct’ way of doing or understanding something.” This could mean that if a student’s parent is a drug-addict, his teacher would say that there is no single correct way to parent.
• “Recognize how their identity (Race/ethnicity, national origin, language, sex and gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical/developmental/emotional ability, socioeconomic class, religion, etc.) affects their perspectives and beliefs about pedagogy and students.” An affront to our Judeo-Christian foundation and a promotion of secularism (let’s not forget a rising sensitivity to Islam!)
• “Assess how their biases and perceptions affect their teaching practice and how they access tools to mitigate their own behavior (racism, sexism, homophobia, unearned privilege, Eurocentrism, etc.). Belief in God will be relegated to the bias ash heap.
• “Provide multiple opportunities for parents to communicate in their language and method of preference.” Continuation of the Left’s effort to divide through the multiplication of languages with a hiring spree for translators, thereby diverting more dollars from the classroom.
• “Engage with students’ families and community members outside of the classroom to develop a more holistic understanding of the students’ lived experience.” Open season for taxpayer-funded field trips to leftist political rallies.

Needless to say, this proposed rule is a complete encroachment on our liberties and will be imposed upon a bureaucracy already smothered with woke-ism and virtue-signaling. Please reach out to the members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules listed below before the vote on Tuesday, February 16.

That’s a bit of a stretch, to say the least, but this thing is gaining ground on social media. Groups like the Illinois Opportunity Project are asking supporters to call the Democratic chairman of JCAR to ask him to kill the rule and use these talking points…

1. Students should be provided with the basic skills and knowledge they need to succeed and we should leave politics out of the classroom. Teachers have incredibly difficult jobs, and forcing them to teach certain political viewpoints and ideologies will only make their jobs harder.
2. Students at young, impressionable ages should not be forced to comply with a political ideology regardless of what it is. This rule creates a dangerous precedent for the government to promote a preferred political agenda in schools.
3. We shouldn’t be creating more mandates and barriers that turn away qualified teachers who do not wish to push a certain political ideology.

* The ISBE sent out this clarification yesterday, noting that this program is optional, won’t take effect until 2025 and is about teacher prep, not curricula…

• Implementation of the proposed Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards will consist only of approved Illinois educator preparation programs incorporating the standards into their coursework in the best way they see fit.
• ISBE also will offer optional professional development on the standards to current educators. Educators and school districts maintain local control over what professional development they choose.
• The Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards apply to teacher preparation programs, not to K-12 school curricula.
• ISBE updated the draft standards in response to public comment to provide further clarity on the intended goal and remove language perceived as political.
• The standards will take effect in October 2025, giving educator preparation programs ample time to incorporate the standards.
• The standards support multiple viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives; promote inclusiveness; and encourage critical thinking.
• The standards were developed by a diverse group of educators from around the state.
• The standards affirm educators of all races and ethnicities and will help them better engage students from all different backgrounds. More than 52 percent of Illinois students identify as students of color, and English Learners make up the fastest growing student population. The ability to reach students from different cultural backgrounds is an essential skill to succeed as a teacher in Illinois today.
• Research shows that teachers of color help close achievement gaps for students of color and are highly rated by students of all races. Incorporating the Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards into educator preparation programs will help attract and retain educators of color.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Reick pointed specifically to a portion of the new standards that call on teachers to “understand and value the notion that multiple lived experiences exist, that there is not one ‘correct’ way of doing or understanding something, and that what is seen as ‘correct’ is most often based on our lived experiences.”

He also pointed to another provision calling on teachers to “(a)ssess how their biases and perceptions affect their teaching practice and how they access tools to mitigate their own behavior (racism, sexism, homophobia, unearned privilege, Eurocentrism, etc.)”

Another provision calls on educators to “(b)e aware of the effects of power and privilege and the need for social advocacy and social action to better empower diverse students and communities.”

“Let’s be clear. This rule is not an improvement to education,” Reick said. “It’s an attempt to interject politics into the classroom. The standards that ISBE wants to impose are beyond misguided. Requiring certain political viewpoints in our school systems is simply unacceptable.”

Look, I get the uproar. The ISBE’s approach appeared to arrogantly assume they were dealing with allies who would wildly cheer from the cheap seats. Nope. But, there is not one correct way of doing quite a lot of things. And people, particularly teachers, ought to assess their own biases. None of that has anything to do with “politics.” Maybe some folks should check themselves.

Also, maybe the ISBE ought to also start issuing guidance for how districts should be vaccinating teachers.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:08 am

Comments

I see the Chicago Republicans are aspiring to remain irrelevant by going straight to Godwin.

Comment by Slade the Leveller Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:13 am
You’d think the Chicago Republican Party would lay off bringing up the Nazis these days. You know, the same area republican party who couldn’t be bothered to recruit a candidate to run against a literal Nazi three years ago. Maybe lay off the cliche soup next time you write a press release.

Comment by ChrisB Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:19 am
If this costs one dollar it is a waste of money and should be killed. The money is better spent elsewhere in an underfunded education system.

Comment by Lake Effect Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:20 am
Is it still Godwin’s law if they only invoke Goebbels?

This reads like a to-do list for becoming a super-duper minority. Kick out the secularists and non-Judeo-Christians, no matter what they actually stand for, politically.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:20 am
This is incorporating the ideology of postmodernism into education. Post-modernism teaches about structures of power and intersecitonality.

I’m not saying this is bad or good, but it’s where this stems from.

Comment by PostModern Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:21 am
It strikes me that the ISBE is asking teachers to be empathetic. And rather than being an attack on Christianity, it is reinforcing the second great commandment, the Golden Rule “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”

Comment by City Guy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:22 am
Right, standards that actually tell teachers to “embrace and encourage progressive viewpoints” aren’t political…give me a break

Comment by Yeah Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:28 am
Chicago Republican Party, there’s freedom of religion, or do you not believe that?

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:35 am
It’s really wild to compare the rather benign language of the actual rule to the bizarre lies being told about it. Very clearly about ensuring students are taught the value of diversity and to feel comfortable in their own skin regardless of color, gender, religion, background, etc. Theres a Charlie Kirk video making the rounds that contains too many lies to count. I think that’s where the uproar is coming from. In the video he claims the rule is a law being voted on by the generally assembly and forces teachers to admit there are unlimited genders and forces them to promote the Green New Deal and gun control. None of that is remotely true, but that never matters to our Rauner/Uihlein bankrolled wunderkind

Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:37 am
Chicago Republican Party? Who knew?

Comment by Captain Who? Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:39 am
“More than 52 percent of Illinois students identify as students of color, and English Learners make up the fastest growing student population”

We are a diverse state and these standards aim to prepare teachers in how to promote inclusivity in a rapidly changing world. I’m disappointed that Demmer is siding with the radical Chicago Republican Party on making a fuss about providing resources for teachers, particularly when they are using far-right, Trumpian rhetoric (”propagandist like Goebbels”).

Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:40 am
Illinois teachers have been evaluated based on the Danielson rubric since 2014 that addresses most of the the components avove.

So:
1. there’s nothing in it that really hasn’t been already occuring for years now.
2. It’s more or less a redundancy.(see above)

IMO, it’s neither revolutionary as the right would have you believe, nor is it neccessary as the left would have you believe.

As the Bard of Avon would say, ‘full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing.”

Comment by Morty Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:40 am
== “embrace and encourage progressive viewpoints” aren’t political…give me a break==

Text of the rule says to “embrace and encourage inclusive viewpoints”

Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:41 am
Good grief, the Chicago Republican Party seems to think that simply trying to appreciate or understand or even acknowledge others’ different life experiences or beliefs will somehow diminish their own. I thought our government literally was supposed to secular in nature? I am saddened by the “build a wall” around my white, Judeo-Christian existence reaction but not surprised. We like to brag of being a melting pot historically but we apparently want everything to melt into a neat homogenous, bland white soup.

Comment by Rosie Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:41 am
“We have to protect the kids from being indoctrinated in school … by teaching them that Judeo-Christian values are the only acceptable values.”

Comment by Actual Red Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:49 am
I thought the Goebbels reference was a just a little over the top.

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:50 am
When ISBE not only feeds the trolls, they basically invited them to dinner. NO ONE saw this coming and did anything to get out in front of it?

Comment by Third Reading Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:56 am
“Open season for taxpayer-funded field trips to leftist political rallies.”

By their own slippery-slope logic, wouldn’t “[e]ngage… to develop a more holistic understanding of the students’ lived experience” also be open season for taxpayer-funded trips to taxpayer-exempt churches and synagogues?

There is a reason Christian Theocracies have been assigned to the history books. And it is the same reason why the Chicago Republican Party also seems to be headed there.

Comment by IL4Life Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:57 am
Even after 2020, the caucasity of white men….telling ISBE that the agency should stop trying to address systemic inequities and instead focus on other topics “less divisive” topics. Give me a break.

Comment by The Failing New York Times Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:01 pm
Thanks to District 186 teachers in Springfield for already incorporating this into their history curriculum. Last week my middle schooler had to compare and contrast Bacon’s Rebellion to the Insurrection. Relevant and timely lesson on extremism, then and now. Not that hard, folks!

Comment by FIREDup!! Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:02 pm
Doesn’t cost a penny. The words “progressive” and “activist” have been removed. It’s for professional development. Calm down.

Comment by A Parent Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:06 pm
The GOP really needs to examine the things they’re now required to be opposed to. First, they oppose legislation to fight white supremacy. Now, they oppose things like “keeping racism out of the classroom.” When you immediately see things like those as an attack on your political beliefs, it might be time to reexamine your political beliefs.

Comment by wildcat12 Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:09 pm
Post-modernism in elementary education, even in the professional development of elementary school teachers, IS BAD. I said it.

Comment by Lake Effect Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:09 pm
Students should learn about people who aren’t white men? When will this end? /s

Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:10 pm
Goebbels? That reads like projection, not condemnation.

Good luck, Congressman Kinzinger.

The GOP is fully a white nationalist party. In utter denial about our nation’s history and the relevance of that history to every major issue we face today.

All the GOP offers now is fear-based politics.

The congressman’s gonna need a lot more than $10k from Bill & Melinda Gates if he’s going to change that reality.

Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:12 pm
I agree with Morty. This is basically establishing standards that are already being implemented and have crept into education over time. Teachers have been participating in diversity and cultural competency programs for a while and have been encouraged to look at their own internal biases as they evaluate students as well as develop lessons plan. All this does is put on paper what exists. As a result some people have become aware and found fodder for their cause that schools are indoctrination sites.

Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:15 pm
== Post-modernism in elementary education, even in the professional development of elementary school teachers, IS BAD. I said it.==

Why, specifically?

Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:17 pm
Needs to be repeated: this is guidance for the development of college courses for education majors and not a mandate on local school districts.

BTW, talk to any current education major (or any recent grad) and you’ll find out they’re classes are already infused with “culturally responsive” teaching strategies.

Comment by TNR Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:22 pm
=== An affront to our Judeo-Christian foundation and a promotion of secularism ===

Ironically, this attitude is what caused me to leave the church and become more secular in my own life.

I suppose if you are going to put out a message like this and attach it to your political party, might as well put it on the shoulders of someone with zero chance of being harmed by it in the public eye. It’s not like this is going to cause the Chicago republicans to lose more.

How that makes the rest of the party look seems to have been an afterthought though.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:23 pm
=== * The ISBE sent out this clarification yesterday, noting that this program is optional, won’t take effect until 2025 and is about teacher prep, not curricula…===

Do the legislators objecting like to discuss this aspect to clarity of steps?

Did any of the Raunerites make clear their own positions on things like… Black Lives Matter… so context to their thoughts can be viewed critically?

I’m asking questions.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:24 pm
I fully support probing our own history through the lenses of the people descended from marginalized people. We tend to teach history only through the actions of great individuals, but a full examination of the social conditions, powerful interests, political machinations and necessities really puts into perspective how much, or how little progress we’ve made. I read the Lincoln Douglas debates for the first time last week and was absolutely blown away how timid and dodgy Lincoln was on the issue of slavery and equality. When you read about all the people and interests and economic and social conditions that pushed him to eventually issue the Emancipation Proclamation, you appreciate how much work so many other groups had to do to push him to that point. It wasnt just Lincoln. It was decades of work by so many forgotten people that got us that bit of progress

Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:27 pm
Lake Effect. I’m assuming you like “local control?” It’s optional. Calm down.

Comment by A Parent Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:33 pm
Bringing in Goebbels? Always a good move to go with a Nazi reference.

Also, Judeo-Christian: anytime you see that phrase used, it automatically means it is going to be something that Jewish people are actually against.

Comment by filmmaker prof Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:52 pm
Rural Social Studies teacher here, had somebody text me about this the other day I looked up the guidelines and….I really don’t understand the uproar. Nothing about this changes what I already do, as several commenters have already mentioned. Also, by pushing teachers to consider the viewpoints/backgrounds of their students this appears to be protecting conservative ideologies in rural districts while still exposing students to other points of view. I’m not sure anybody has actually read the rules as opposed to simply reading an outraged article…..I certainly don’t feel oppressed or mandated upon….slightly annoyed….but otherwise ‘meh.’

Comment by GeneralAubrey Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:55 pm
====It strikes me that the ISBE is asking teachers to be empathetic. And rather than being an attack on Christianity, it is reinforcing the second great commandment, the Golden Rule “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”

It’s almost like empathy is an important part of being a good teacher.

Students learn better in environments and through lessons that are consistent with their experiences. That’s all this is about. It can be tough in areas that are truly integrated to do this for every student, but not many places are truly integrated.

Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 12:57 pm
===Post-modernism in elementary education, even in the professional development of elementary school teachers, IS BAD. I said it.

Except it isn’t post-modernism. These standards don’t indicate that all life choices and environments are equal, but that there are multiple life choices and environments that are legitimate choices.

You might be more familiar with the notion that we accept Protestants and Catholics as being valid life choices and environments and they traditionally had very different home lifes.

Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:02 pm
Chicago Republican Party;

The last time a National Socialist ran in Illinois, he ran as a Republican, that same National Socialist was a nominee of the Republican Party the cycle before.

If a current American party in Illinois knows about National Socialists, it would be the ILGOP, and those experiences?

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:03 pm
@Lake Effect

Please define Post-Modernism without running straight to Google. I need some amusement this afternoon.

Comment by LP Questions Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:04 pm
=maybe the ISBE ought to also start issuing guidance for how districts should be vaccinating teachers.=

Schools are not in the business of vaccinating teachers or anyone else. We can be a facilitator, as we were. The health department reached out as to how we could help them and we provided an opportunity for staff to sign up for the vaccine. It went very well, our health department did a commendable job.

It isn’t the ISBE’s job either. It is the health professionals who need to run this show not k-12 teachers and administrators.

=Post-modernism in elementary education…=

What? Thanks for paying attention for the last 15 years or so. Including more people in the education process and understanding them IS part of what we do and has been. This isn’t about post-modernism or any other word salad mumbo jumbo. It is about making sure that all kids and aspects of our collective culture are represented.

Should we simply assign girls to home ec and call it a day?

School teach about various religions and their role in history and society but we don’t teach a religion. Public schools by our very nature and our Constitution are exactly secular.

These mopes need to go back and take a high school government class.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:07 pm
This is the GOP’s new chew toy this week. The last couple of weeks they were on their fainting couches about HB 3653. They’re really trying to keep their voters worked up in a frenzy.

Comment by Highland Il Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:11 pm
==“It’s so disappointing that rather than focusing on any of these issues, the State Board of Education has instead chosen to create pages of new rules and mandates that prioritize social activism over basic skills,” Brady said.==

Students can more effectively learn those basic skills when curriculum is inclusive and they feel safe and welcome at school.

Comment by Horseshoe Voter Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:29 pm
- ChrisB - Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 11:19 am:

They probably share an HQ.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:30 pm
–These mopes need to go back and take a high school government class.–

They already took the class years ago & didn’t listen/learn just as they don’t wish to listen/learn now. Always easier to complain after reading facebook posts.
As a former administrator in diverse districts, I needed to hire teachers willing to see what/where their students came from. On the 1st institute day we went on a tour of the district to actually show them the neighborhoods. Most new teachers were shocked at what they saw.

Comment by Interim Retiree Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:41 pm
== This is the GOP’s new chew toy this week. The last couple of weeks they were on their fainting couches about HB 3653. They’re really trying to keep their voters worked up in a frenzy. ==

Amen. When your party becomes a cult of personality, you have nothing left to offer but theatrics. Sad!

Comment by The Failing New York Times Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:50 pm
While there is more than one way to do or understand something, there is also something called standards. Last I knew, your BOSS will be evaluating you based on some standard set by the company.

Grade, if we are to continue using them, are standards used to asses learning. Teachers use a variety of methods to get students to understand various curricular content, but, those pesky evaluations, based on standards creep in there.

Otherwise, why have ACT, SAT, state assessments, report cards, etc.

Eventually, however students get there, they are evaluated. So are adults.

Comment by A Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 1:56 pm
=== This could mean that if a student’s parent is a drug-addict, his teacher would say that there is no single correct way to parent.===

In what context would the teacher say this? Aren’t teachers mandated reporters? So if someone endangered their child the teacher would still have to report it.

=== etc.). Belief in God will be relegated to the bias ash heap.===

How does that work? What is the mechanism for belief in God being “relegated to the bias ash heap.”

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:05 pm
=== Otherwise, why have ACT, SAT===

Colleges agree. Why have ACT/SAT… they’re starting to not require them.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:22 pm
An interesting read, even to the entirety of the post.

“Colleges Are Backing Off SAT, ACT Scores — But The Exams Will Be Hard To Shake” - NPR

One snippet;

=== In California, where the UC system voted in May to phase out the SAT and ACT in admissions at its nine campuses, the task now turns to what will replace it.

Eddie Comeaux, a professor of higher education at UC Riverside, leads a committee focussed on the admissions of undergraduate students throughout the UC system. “The UC decision really gave us an opportunity to see, ‘What is the role of standardized testing?’ ” he says. “Hopefully whatever recommendations we put forth are aligned with principles of equity and fairness.”

In addition to studying new assessments, he’s also turned his attention to the “readers,” the folks who evaluate the application. He says those people need to come from diverse backgrounds and have implicit bias training, because they’re the ones tasked with drawing from the context of a student’s situation, school and environment.

“There is a healthy, growing skepticism about standardized test scores,” says Andrew Ho, an expert in educational testing at Harvard University. “But there is a way in which that sort of oversells how weighty they are in a selective admissions process.”===

https://n.pr/39HGkfC

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:30 pm
Goebbels? Yes, saying that teachers should consider their biases in their pedagogy is equivalent to Triumph of the Will.

Also, they argue that political opinions should stay out of schools, and then go on to lament that “god” and “Judeao-Christian” leaving our schools. WHAT? So they’re encouraging a specific religious perspective in school? How does anyone take the GOP seriously? They’re clowns

Comment by Incandenza Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:36 pm
It’s almost like they still haven’t read the bill.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:37 pm
Another Leftist stab at brainwashing. Hopefully it gets killed or this will be yet another nail in the coffin of education in this state.

Comment by Aron Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:49 pm
This is such a self own by the Chicago Republican Party. They’re against making students comfortable and learning more. Students must be taught (conservative) white culture is supreme. Lived experience and other cultures are, by definition, inferior. Their white supremicist roots are exposed. It is similar to their complaints that blocking lies and incitemnts to violence on the FB and Twitter discriminates against Repubicans. The Republican Party makes my skin crawl…again.

Comment by Froganon Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:56 pm
=== Another Leftist stab at brainwashing===

Goebbels And National Socialists were/are Leftists?

Huh. That’s a new one.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 2:59 pm
Aron @2:49.
I’m sorry you find learning about Christopher Columbus’s atocities or Woodrow Wilson’s racism to be brainwashing. But as DJT once said (about Covid’s rising death toll) “It is what it is.”

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 3:18 pm
Today I was sent an article by Tony Perkins about this that was totally over the top. According to the article, “the new standards make it very easy for any district that would want to force a teacher into therapy to help them eliminate their whiteness.”

And here I’m old enough to remember when churches preached it was wrong to lie.

Comment by Still Waiting Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 3:32 pm
I dunno, I’m just a child of the 60’s, but I do believe everyone needs to be taught this book by this guy named Chuck….Chuck….Chuck….darn it…..oh yeah Chuck Darwin! Charles Darwin’s “Evolution of the Species” should be mandatory. You all can take it from here.

Comment by Taxedoutwest Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 3:34 pm
First:

===While agreeing that all students should feel welcomed===

And then:

===An affront to our Judeo-Christian foundation and a promotion of secularism (let’s not forget a rising sensitivity to Islam!)===

I think it would all save a lot of time if they stuck to the standard, “I am not a racist, but” and “I am not a bigot, but” phrasing with these talking points.

All of those extra words to avoid saying what they are clearly saying is costing us a lot of time.

I have been saying that the Illinois GOP has a Nazi problem, but maybe I have been misunderstanding what’s going on here. Maybe they don’t think it is a problem.

It is very clear with this issue that the Illinois GOP and their elected legislators seem to be interested giving voice to people that do not want their racism and their bigotry to be labeled and identified as what it is.

They’re not even bothering with dog whistles anymore.

Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 3:48 pm
For funsies, I decided to break down the Chicago GOP’s claims:

There is a single correct way to parent.

Recognizing that a person may identify by their traits, background, or sexual orientation is an affront to “our” Judeo-Christian foundation and a promotion of secularism.

Being aware of bias relegates belief in god to the ash heap.

Providing better methods of communicating with parents causes division.

Teachers engaging with parents and community members will result in field trips to left wing political rallies.

I have been wrong. Illinois has a Nazi problem. We have a Nazi problem.

I don’t think we can expect the Illinois GOP to fix it.

Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 4:25 pm
I believe that teachers should be aware of the cultural and social background of their students.

I also think there are core American values that can be adopted by people of different heritages. Understanding and teaching those values is one of the tasks of the schools.

You don’t have to teach religion in school. But you cannot understand America and its history without acknowledging the role religion played.

Universal literacy came because people needed to be able to read the Bible on their own. Equality comes in part from the belief that each person had a direct connection to God, with no intermediaries needed. Europeans were the first cultural group to abolish slavery. Our prison system is built on the premise that every person can be redeemed, a very Christian belief that runs counter to empirical observation. The list goes on.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 5:23 pm
White people whining about the loss of hegemony has served this nation so well in recent years. Why stop now?

Comment by Rich Hill Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 7:16 pm
Rich - thank you for explicitly referencing teacher vaccination in this post.

I’m a full-time teacher and it has been nothing short of chaos in trying to land a vaccination appointment. Still trying, after several hours of apparently not knowing the right person. Finding a vaccine now is probably more like trying to land Petty tickets 15 years ago 3 hours after Ticketmaster made them available online.

I’m enrolled in at least three “portals”, none of which allow you to search all vaccination sites simultaneously under their aegis for available appointments. Instead, I have to keep clicking and hoping on a site-by-site basis. An immense waste of time. And I’m far from alone in this.

That there is no single centralized system for a teacher to go to in this state to register for an appointment organized by their region - given the months of hype leading up to this vaccination arriving - is boggling.

Comment by Zoomer Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 7:56 pm
===Otherwise, why have ACT, SAT, state assessments, report cards, etc.

The ACT and SAT are being used far less and I think we have figured out the state assessments don’t tell us much of anything.

Now, that said, nothing eliminates assessment of students, grading, testing, or anything else in this and instead it seeks to more effectively teach students with different backgrounds. Those who want to claim this is an attack on standards are the ones seeking to limit student performance in this case.

Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Feb 2, 21 @ 8:44 pm
A hyper-partisan and political policy already radicalized teaching group set into law is the perfect example of how foreign entities have compromised our society for their benefit. The Constitution is not instructed or respected but is forgotten and abhorred by this group. Next step: break up unions and hand back education to private sector.

Comment by Pro-Constitution Wednesday, Feb 3, 21 @ 3:00 pm
=== The Constitution is not instructed or respected but is forgotten and abhorred by this group.===

Opinion. In Illinois, the constitution is taught. You should check that out.

===Next step: break up unions and hand back education to private sector.===

For someone so obsessed by the constitution, the Illinois constitution has public education in it.

Are you against the Illinois constitution?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 3, 21 @ 3:04 pm