It seems that over the years tolerance for sexual identities and practices - homosexuality and transsexuals for example- have morphed into an expectation, no, a demand, that these be accepted as a healthy norm for everyone. Pushing these topics in schools is an example of this. Many of us are open to adults living their lives as they want and have no interest in inhibiting them but do not want to have those alternatives pushed on the rest of us. And why can't these folks live their lives and leave the rest of us and our children alone?
I'm not sure on what your goal is with addressing "Some Education Issues Don't Belong in Court ". Is your intent to simply show your opinion on a legal/education topic? Is it intended to be a persuasive article? It appears that some school districts agree while others disagree. I am not clear myself on what should and should not be brought to court as I am not an attorney. I'd leave that area to the court system to decide. If the courts do not feel that the discussed "education issues" should not be handled by the courts then they should be the ones to state that. You are very good with the literacy as that is one of the areas that you are excellent in. I prefer to see your specific expertise and key contribution mainly focused in the areas that can have the most positive impact...although it is just my opinion.
My goal, as with all of my posts, is to inform, persuade--and maybe even entertain! (I know that according to the formula for Determining the Author's Purpose, I'm only supposed to do one of these at a time.)
I'm not expecting to persuade judges to just refuse to take certain cases -- that's not really how the court system works. Rather, my hope is to persuade school districts, etc., not to bring certain cases in the first place -- or even better, not to create the conditions that lead to lawsuits. No guarantees, of course, that anyone will listen to me about anything, ever -- so yeah, some districts will agree and others won't, but I don't see that as a reason not to try to persuade as many as I can.
It sounds like you're saying that I should stick to my lane--i.e., literacy issues. I don't think you actually need legal expertise to comment on these kinds of legal issues, but -- just for the record -- I do have a law degree, and I do have a certain amount of expertise with regard to the Supreme Court. I clerked for a Supreme Court Justice, many years ago, and I spent 10 years as a historian of the early Supreme Court. I've continued to have an up-close view of the Court because my husband has argued over 50 cases there. More to the point, perhaps, my recent book includes a chapter on how to avoid curriculum battles, so this is an issue I've researched and given some thought to.
All of this (and especially the Montgomery County case) does relate to literacy, and here's why (I cut this part from the post because it was getting long): Schools need to define topics in the curriculum in order to provide students with a meaningful education. But defining topics can lead to controversies that distract from teaching and learning--and could lead officials to focus just on comprehension skills, to play it safe. So schools need to find a way to define topics while avoiding controversy as much as possible.
Do you realistically think that is possible? I live in Fairfax County, VA and have been a private dyslexia tutor for ten-plus years. I followed the controversy about the book Gender Queer and Lawn Boy. The content of those books, which were available to middle schoolers, is appalling. All of my three kids attended FCPS for varying amounts of time and my youngest son graduates from high school in June.
The majority of public school teachers are proselytizing about gender and political issues as opposed to teaching students to think critically and acquire knowledge. My oldest son had an 11th grade English teacher who did not do this, but she was a rarity.
I do think it's possible for communities to avoid controversies over curriculum, if that's what you're asking -- or most controversies, anyway. There are a couple of examples I know of where districts did that (see one below), but those communities were right-of center. It may be more of a challenge in more left-of-center communities like Fairfax County (I don't know how many parents there share your point of view).
Here's how Wicomico County MD avoided controversy:
Agree these kinds of arguments do not belong in the court system.
However we must question school boards that approve terrible books for children. There is much great literature. Let's pay attention to the ideas and cultures we are exposing our children. WHAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO WE GET MORE OF.
Fill their heads with great characters that overcome adversity with grit and determination. Let's give them stories that celebrate life, enduring relationships, and the light that shines within each of us.
And in the interest of full disclosure, while I would probably be considered a libtard by most conservatives, I agree with the majority of people who think sexuality and gender identity should not be discussed in elementary school classrooms.
"If large numbers of parents are trying to opt their kids out, maybe that’s a sign that administrators should reconsider..." When it comes to civil rights issues, is this a reasonable standard? By this standard, administrators should have reconsidered when Ruby Bridges was enrolled in an all-white school.
If we could avoid all mention of gender identity or sexuality in children's literature that could be appropriate, but that's pretty much impossible. The vast majority of children's books have cisgender people and heterosexual young adults and adults. How is it ok for trans children to constantly be immersed in stories of cis children, but not ok for cis children to be taught from a book about trans children?
I think it depends on the civil rights issue. Brown v. Board didn't deal with curriculum issues--it was about excluding students on the basis of their race. That's a very different question. I think the analogous situation here would be if a public school were excluding LGBTQ students or students from LGBTQ families. In that case, legal action would be appropriate.
It seems that over the years tolerance for sexual identities and practices - homosexuality and transsexuals for example- have morphed into an expectation, no, a demand, that these be accepted as a healthy norm for everyone. Pushing these topics in schools is an example of this. Many of us are open to adults living their lives as they want and have no interest in inhibiting them but do not want to have those alternatives pushed on the rest of us. And why can't these folks live their lives and leave the rest of us and our children alone?
I'm not sure on what your goal is with addressing "Some Education Issues Don't Belong in Court ". Is your intent to simply show your opinion on a legal/education topic? Is it intended to be a persuasive article? It appears that some school districts agree while others disagree. I am not clear myself on what should and should not be brought to court as I am not an attorney. I'd leave that area to the court system to decide. If the courts do not feel that the discussed "education issues" should not be handled by the courts then they should be the ones to state that. You are very good with the literacy as that is one of the areas that you are excellent in. I prefer to see your specific expertise and key contribution mainly focused in the areas that can have the most positive impact...although it is just my opinion.
My goal, as with all of my posts, is to inform, persuade--and maybe even entertain! (I know that according to the formula for Determining the Author's Purpose, I'm only supposed to do one of these at a time.)
I'm not expecting to persuade judges to just refuse to take certain cases -- that's not really how the court system works. Rather, my hope is to persuade school districts, etc., not to bring certain cases in the first place -- or even better, not to create the conditions that lead to lawsuits. No guarantees, of course, that anyone will listen to me about anything, ever -- so yeah, some districts will agree and others won't, but I don't see that as a reason not to try to persuade as many as I can.
It sounds like you're saying that I should stick to my lane--i.e., literacy issues. I don't think you actually need legal expertise to comment on these kinds of legal issues, but -- just for the record -- I do have a law degree, and I do have a certain amount of expertise with regard to the Supreme Court. I clerked for a Supreme Court Justice, many years ago, and I spent 10 years as a historian of the early Supreme Court. I've continued to have an up-close view of the Court because my husband has argued over 50 cases there. More to the point, perhaps, my recent book includes a chapter on how to avoid curriculum battles, so this is an issue I've researched and given some thought to.
All of this (and especially the Montgomery County case) does relate to literacy, and here's why (I cut this part from the post because it was getting long): Schools need to define topics in the curriculum in order to provide students with a meaningful education. But defining topics can lead to controversies that distract from teaching and learning--and could lead officials to focus just on comprehension skills, to play it safe. So schools need to find a way to define topics while avoiding controversy as much as possible.
Do you realistically think that is possible? I live in Fairfax County, VA and have been a private dyslexia tutor for ten-plus years. I followed the controversy about the book Gender Queer and Lawn Boy. The content of those books, which were available to middle schoolers, is appalling. All of my three kids attended FCPS for varying amounts of time and my youngest son graduates from high school in June.
The majority of public school teachers are proselytizing about gender and political issues as opposed to teaching students to think critically and acquire knowledge. My oldest son had an 11th grade English teacher who did not do this, but she was a rarity.
Many parents are sick of their ample tax dollars funding this crap. I am sure you have read this article: https://www.commentary.org/articles/robert-pondiscio/american-schooling-bleak-broken/
I do think it's possible for communities to avoid controversies over curriculum, if that's what you're asking -- or most controversies, anyway. There are a couple of examples I know of where districts did that (see one below), but those communities were right-of center. It may be more of a challenge in more left-of-center communities like Fairfax County (I don't know how many parents there share your point of view).
Here's how Wicomico County MD avoided controversy:
https://www.the74million.org/article/curriculum-case-study-amid-book-bans-and-board-elections-maryland-schools-embrace-the-science-of-reading/
okay
Agree these kinds of arguments do not belong in the court system.
However we must question school boards that approve terrible books for children. There is much great literature. Let's pay attention to the ideas and cultures we are exposing our children. WHAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO WE GET MORE OF.
Fill their heads with great characters that overcome adversity with grit and determination. Let's give them stories that celebrate life, enduring relationships, and the light that shines within each of us.
We are done with the loser stories.
What do you consider “loser stories”?
And in the interest of full disclosure, while I would probably be considered a libtard by most conservatives, I agree with the majority of people who think sexuality and gender identity should not be discussed in elementary school classrooms.
This is definitely a very tricky one
"If large numbers of parents are trying to opt their kids out, maybe that’s a sign that administrators should reconsider..." When it comes to civil rights issues, is this a reasonable standard? By this standard, administrators should have reconsidered when Ruby Bridges was enrolled in an all-white school.
If we could avoid all mention of gender identity or sexuality in children's literature that could be appropriate, but that's pretty much impossible. The vast majority of children's books have cisgender people and heterosexual young adults and adults. How is it ok for trans children to constantly be immersed in stories of cis children, but not ok for cis children to be taught from a book about trans children?
I think it depends on the civil rights issue. Brown v. Board didn't deal with curriculum issues--it was about excluding students on the basis of their race. That's a very different question. I think the analogous situation here would be if a public school were excluding LGBTQ students or students from LGBTQ families. In that case, legal action would be appropriate.
There are no - or extremely rare - kids who are trans. Seems lots of adults pushing that way however.