Republican Assault on Public Education (2 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.

 

[Optimus Prime]

A privately funded effort to use disputed videos to teach conservative values in public schools is gaining traction, as Louisiana recently became the sixth state to endorse educational materials produced by Prager University.

PragerU is not a university but a nonprofit that produces short videos that push patriotism and conservative views of history, race, sex and gender, among other topics.

Since last year, Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Montana and Arizona have also announced partnerships with PragerU under which the nonprofit’s lessons become state-sanctioned, optional teaching materials for public schools.

PragerU is neither paying nor receiving money from state partners, the nonprofit and state officials said.

The company and its supporters hail the moves as countering what they call left-leaning ideas in education. The half dozen partner states, said PragerU Chief Executive Marissa Streit, are just the beginning.

“We are pursuing every state in America,” she said.

Opponents say materials produced by PragerU amount to right-wing indoctrination.

“PragerU’s materials are hyperpartisan to the point of propaganda, inaccurate and incredibly substandard,” said Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, a statewide teachers group. Arizona launched a PragerU partnership in January.

PragerU, founded in 2009 by conservative talk show host Dennis Prager and screenwriter Allen Estrin, began by producing videos aimed at college students and expanded its offerings in 2021 to reach younger students.

Its website says its goal is to counter “the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education” by promoting “American values.”

Two of the most-watched videos on the “PragerU Kids” YouTube channel are a lesson on “Student Loans 101” and a cartoon-style retelling of the biblical story of David and Goliath that instructs children, “when God is on your side, you have nothing to fear.”

Some of PragerU’s videos have drawn criticism for factual inaccuracies, especially for a fictionalized animated clip that portrays famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass defending the nation’s Founding Fathers’ support of slavery.

Streit disputes that PragerU’s materials are inaccurate. She said the nonprofit is providing a patriotic viewpoint missing from public schools nationwide.

“American students are basically given a very one-sided perspective of American history and civics,” Streit said. “We don’t teach that America is perfect. But we teach that America is the greatest experiment on planet Earth.”

Supporters of the PragerU partnerships note that teachers are not being required to deploy the materials. They say the introduction of PragerU to public school classrooms is a much-needed course correction after years in which schools adopted implicitly or explicitly left-leaning lessons based on materials like the New York Times’s 1619 Project, which positions slavery at the heart of the nation’s founding.

In Oklahoma, which debuted a PragerU partnership in September, state Superintendent Ryan Walters framed the need for the nonprofit’s videos in overtly political terms.

“There is no better example of a curriculum that rips the soul out of the liberal takeover of our schools than providing PragerU to every Oklahoma student,” Walters said in an emailed statement.

In Louisiana, which approved the PragerU materials last month, Superintendent Cade Brumley said the nonprofit’s videos represent an important optional addition to the state’s new “Freedom Framework” social studies standards.

The standards, adopted in 2022, are “based in American exceptionalism and our ongoing quest for a more perfect union,” Brumley said in a statement.

“Students should understand and appreciate their role in sustaining and improving our constitutional republic” — and the PragerU videos “could be very helpful,” he said............

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/06/13/prageru-conservative-education-videos/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3dfdb27%2F666b1e71f769e8755d5213aa%2F59813061ae7e8a6816fb1940%2F28%2F54%2F666b1e71f769e8755d5213aa

 

[bird]

A privately funded effort to use disputed videos to teach conservative values in public schools is gaining traction, as Louisiana recently became the sixth state to endorse educational materials produced by Prager University.

PragerU is not a university but a nonprofit that produces short videos that push patriotism and conservative views of history, race, sex and gender, among other topics.

Since last year, Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Montana and Arizona have also announced partnerships with PragerU under which the nonprofit’s lessons become state-sanctioned, optional teaching materials for public schools.

PragerU is neither paying nor receiving money from state partners, the nonprofit and state officials said.

The company and its supporters hail the moves as countering what they call left-leaning ideas in education. The half dozen partner states, said PragerU Chief Executive Marissa Streit, are just the beginning.

“We are pursuing every state in America,” she said.

Opponents say materials produced by PragerU amount to right-wing indoctrination.

“PragerU’s materials are hyperpartisan to the point of propaganda, inaccurate and incredibly substandard,” said Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, a statewide teachers group. Arizona launched a PragerU partnership in January.

PragerU, founded in 2009 by conservative talk show host Dennis Prager and screenwriter Allen Estrin, began by producing videos aimed at college students and expanded its offerings in 2021 to reach younger students.

Its website says its goal is to counter “the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education” by promoting “American values.”

Two of the most-watched videos on the “PragerU Kids” YouTube channel are a lesson on “Student Loans 101” and a cartoon-style retelling of the biblical story of David and Goliath that instructs children, “when God is on your side, you have nothing to fear.”

Some of PragerU’s videos have drawn criticism for factual inaccuracies, especially for a fictionalized animated clip that portrays famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass defending the nation’s Founding Fathers’ support of slavery.

Streit disputes that PragerU’s materials are inaccurate. She said the nonprofit is providing a patriotic viewpoint missing from public schools nationwide.

“American students are basically given a very one-sided perspective of American history and civics,” Streit said. “We don’t teach that America is perfect. But we teach that America is the greatest experiment on planet Earth.”

Supporters of the PragerU partnerships note that teachers are not being required to deploy the materials. They say the introduction of PragerU to public school classrooms is a much-needed course correction after years in which schools adopted implicitly or explicitly left-leaning lessons based on materials like the New York Times’s 1619 Project, which positions slavery at the heart of the nation’s founding.

In Oklahoma, which debuted a PragerU partnership in September, state Superintendent Ryan Walters framed the need for the nonprofit’s videos in overtly political terms.

“There is no better example of a curriculum that rips the soul out of the liberal takeover of our schools than providing PragerU to every Oklahoma student,” Walters said in an emailed statement.

In Louisiana, which approved the PragerU materials last month, Superintendent Cade Brumley said the nonprofit’s videos represent an important optional addition to the state’s new “Freedom Framework” social studies standards.

The standards, adopted in 2022, are “based in American exceptionalism and our ongoing quest for a more perfect union,” Brumley said in a statement.

“Students should understand and appreciate their role in sustaining and improving our constitutional republic” — and the PragerU videos “could be very helpful,” he said............

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/06/13/prageru-conservative-education-videos/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3dfdb27%2F666b1e71f769e8755d5213aa%2F59813061ae7e8a6816fb1940%2F28%2F54%2F666b1e71f769e8755d5213aa

Interesting. What, exactly, are “American Values”? Because I do not think such a thing exists. What does exist is xenophobia, religionism, unfettered worship of the non-existent “free market” as well as consistent and deliberate misreading of history in an attempt to place on a pedestal “The American Reich.”

What is more astounding is that none of these people understand a damn thing about, well, anything.

 

[MT15]

This lady is in charge of public education in SC? OMG!

 

[fooferdoggie]

This lady is in charge of public education in SC? OMG!

yes, then the abuse physical mental, and sexual be so much worse.

 

[bird]

This lady is in charge of public education in SC? OMG!

And end up with the stupidest populace in the world.

There is no such thing as faith-based science, math, language arts etc.

These are dangerous loons.

 

[SamAndreas]

I remember the last ten Commandment fight during the 80's.

I looked at the LA law, it appears to have a fatal flaw. The legislature dictated the exact wording which will be used for this one.

The legislature in giving the religious law, and makes it official, that would appear to cross the Constitutional boundary of favoring one religion over the others.

The wording they used clearly violates Jewish tradition. They spelled out the name of GOD for instance, that's not done by religious Jews.

There's also the issue of there being three versions in the bible, and there were the original tablets supposedly written by G-d.

The second set of tablets were supposedly written by Moses after he smashed the first set in anger. Those two versions of the tablets are not the same.

The LA legislature used a version which does not appear to have been from any of the recognized translations of the Hebrew text. Apparently it's a version the Fraternal Order of Eagles came up with 60 years ago. It was centered in an old legal case which eventually got to the Supreme Court.

 

[Neworleansfan]

And end up with the stupidest populace in the world.

By design. Easier to control and manipulate.

 

[Lapaz]

And end up with the stupidest populace in the world.

There is no such thing as faith-based science, math, language arts etc.

These are dangerous loons.

If Republicans keep pushing this garbage, there will be a backlash against religion. They will gain a little in the short term, but will lose much more in the long term. This will finish religion in America.

 

[t_rav_82]

If Republicans keep pushing this garbage, there will be a backlash against religion. They will gain a little in the short term, but will lose much more in the long term. This will finish religion in America.

If I believed your last sentence (and I wish I did) I’d start voting republican and pushing the garbage like crazy just to end religion’s stranglehold on America. Ending religion in America would be a huge net win eventually. Or we’d just fork it up with something else in its place.

 

[Lapaz]

If I believed your last sentence (and I wish I did) I’d start voting republican and pushing the garbage like crazy just to end religion’s stranglehold on America. Ending religion in America would be a huge net win eventually. Or we’d just fork it up with something else in its place.

I think it will result in a backlash against both religion and Republicans, so no need to vote Republican for this garbage to have the effect. About 1/3rd of Americans are now unaffiliated, and a substantial portion are Republicans. That adds another issue to turn off people from the Republican Party.

1. How U.S. religious composition has changed in recent decades

Only a few decades ago, a Christian identity was so common among Americans that it could almost be taken for granted. As recently as the early 1990s,

www.pewresearch.org

 

[Optimus Prime]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive sent Thursday to superintendents across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction.”

The directive is the latest effort by conservative-led states to target public schools: Louisiana required them to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while others are under pressure to teach the Bible and ban books and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Earlier this week the Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked an attempt by the state to have the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country.


A former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, Walters ran on a platform of fighting “woke ideology,” banning books from school libraries and getting rid of “radical leftists” who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms……..

Oklahoma public schools leader orders schools to incorporate Bible instruction

Oklahoma's top education official is ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12.

apnews.com

 

[fooferdoggie]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive sent Thursday to superintendents across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction.”

well seems he failed to understand the constitution. the desperation of these asshat Christians is amazing. they all count on the SC to give it to them fork the Constitution.

 

[LA - L.A.]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive sent Thursday to superintendents across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction.”

The directive is the latest effort by conservative-led states to target public schools: Louisiana required them to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while others are under pressure to teach the Bible and ban books and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Earlier this week the Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked an attempt by the state to have the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country.


A former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, Walters ran on a platform of fighting “woke ideology,” banning books from school libraries and getting rid of “radical leftists” who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms……..

Oklahoma public schools leader orders schools to incorporate Bible instruction

Oklahoma's top education official is ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12.

apnews.com

The Republican party, as it currently is, wants to turn the US into the evangelical Christian version of Afghanistan under the Taliban.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[MT15]

How do these crazy people get put into these positions? The lady from SC is just as crazy as this guy. It’s an all out war on education from the GOP at this point.

 

[bird]

State Superintendent of Public Instruction | Oklahoma State Department of Education

The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma who determines the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma.

sde.ok.gov

As you can see this clown taught GOVERNMENT when he was a teacher.

 

[fooferdoggie]

State Superintendent of Public Instruction | Oklahoma State Department of Education

The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma who determines the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma.

sde.ok.gov

so teachers not trained in religion have to preach religion? good let them preach all religions.

 

[Optimus Prime]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive sent Thursday to superintendents across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction.”

The directive is the latest effort by conservative-led states to target public schools: Louisiana required them to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while others are under pressure to teach the Bible and ban books and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Earlier this week the Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked an attempt by the state to have the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country.


A former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, Walters ran on a platform of fighting “woke ideology,” banning books from school libraries and getting rid of “radical leftists” who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms……..

Oklahoma public schools leader orders schools to incorporate Bible instruction

Oklahoma's top education official is ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12.

apnews.com

Unless it’s the history of race in America, that you can rewrite (or more accurately not correct)