Republican Assault on Public Education (3 Viewers)

[MT15]

This probably needs its own thread. It ties in with a lot of different R culture wars: Attacks on universities, attacks on CRT and “woke”. Classifying teachers and librarians as “groomers”. Pushing vouchers to send tax money to private, often religious, schools. Betsy DeVos was an advocate for all these policies that will weaken public education, and there are several billionaires who also want to dismantle public education. Public education may have its faults, but it is responsible for an amazing amount of upward mobility. Kids from poor areas can still get a college prep education in a public school.

Vouchers (sometimes disguised as “school choice”) are a particular peeve of mine. Public money is diverted from poor schools to wealthy private schools, which aren’t required to offer accommodations for special needs or challenged students. Families with special needs kids are left out. Rural areas often suffer disproportionately because there are no private schools to attend, but their public schools still see the reduction in funding. Often the families who take advantage of the voucher money are upper class and the private schools simply raise tuition knowing the families are getting taxpayer money now.

Greg Abbot is being particularly vile in this area. No surprise. Voters will have to make a statement about public education. If we want to halt the growing divide in this country between the “haves” and “have-nots”, we need to pay attention to public education.

 

[MT15]

Something tells me they aren't interested in reports of discrimination against minorities in school
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The Department of Education is teaming up with the far-right activist group Moms for Liberty, launching a portal Thursday where parents can submit tips to the department to investigate as part of the crusade to end diversity and inclusion efforts in schools.

In a press release, the department announced it was launching the portal so that anyone can “submit reports of discrimination based on race or sex in publicly-funded K-12 schools,” which the department would then use as a guide “to identify potential areas for investigation.”

The press release included a statement from Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty and Heritage Foundation employee. Justice claimed that “parents have been begging schools to focus on teaching their kids practical skills like reading, writing, and math, instead of pushing critical theory, rogue sex education and divisive ideologies — but their concerns have been brushed off, mocked, or shut down entirely.”

Justice, who heads an organization whose members have been accused of waging harassment campaigns and repeatedly rebuked in school board elections, went on to say: “This webpage demonstrates that President Trump’s Department of Education is putting power back in the hands of parents.”.......................

Moms for Liberty, Education Department launch program to report teachers who promote diversity

The department has created a tip line for people to report schools accused of promoting DEI policies

www.salon.com

People should flood it with actual reports of discrimination and abuse. Not the fake kind they want to pretend exists.