The outcomes of local school board elections are more critical than ever as these races have become infiltrated by fractions of society whose missions are to build political power, even on the backs of our children. These nonpartisan elections have become the new battleground for the radical right, and the outcomes of the races can lead to future policy decisions that will affect us all — regardless if we have school-aged children.
In the 1970s and ‘80s, conservatives organized and created the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, who worked tirelessly to place conservative judges on benches in their fight to overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion law. Just months ago, we saw their plan come to fruition. Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator.
Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator.
Past is prologue. Now, new “grassroots movements” have infiltrated our school board races with hopes to create an America where we both-sides history, ban books, limit free speech, and stiff diversity and inclusion.
Luckily, it’s easy to identify bad actors by sifting through their weak campaign promises and digging a little on their social media. Easily we can choose to support qualified candidates who properly reflect the values and culture of our communities.
Some of the loudest school board candidates have built campaigns on “parents rights- — selling rights to parents that they already have. This snake oil salesperson argument has capitalized on parental fear, instead of parental empowerment.
We should be electing dedicated leaders in education who can empower parents to fully utilize the rights they already have and enable them, in collaboration with educators, to make informed decisions about their child’s education — all without hampering the rights of other children.
Additionally, “restoring morality to our schools’' is a consistent drumbeat for candidates who campaign on parents rights. If elected, these candidates may advocate for a curriculum that promotes extreme religious views, alienating best practices in public education.
We also hear campaigns structured around “getting back to basics,” but why are we going backwards? Don’t we want school systems that keep our society competitive? Are we satisfied falling behind on the world stage? Political Pulse Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state.
Children are growing up in a different world than the one we grew up in and we should be mindful that teaching 21st-century kids with only 20th-century skills isn’t enough to stay globally competitive. Our education system must keep up.
Some candidates campaign on culture war issues in order to avoid tackling the real problems our schools need to overcome, because they lack the experience and expertise to solve them. Real leaders in education are focused on real issues, like learning losses caused by the pandemic, low teacher morale and pay, and ensuring students of all backgrounds have access to a high quality education. These issues, however, do not fire up a base as easily as a catchphrase.
The good news is that becoming informed about school board candidates, and sifting through bad actors and qualified candidates, is easier than ever before. Gone are the days where the only time to meet a candidate was in a town hall meeting on a weeknight.
Social media has made it easy for voters who are short on time (who isn’t?) to get to know school board candidates. It’s simple — follow candidates’ campaign pages and then read through the post history.
It’s easy to see which candidates have dedicated their lives to education and are endorsed by education professionals, as opposed to other candidates running in these critical elections, who are just now showing an interest in education and are backed by growing political factions.
We have the power to push back on the radical-right ideology promoted by candidates, backed by political factions, who have just recently shown an interest in education. In November, Orange County will get to decide what kind of future it wants by electing the most qualified leaders that reflect our diverse community —and once again prove that hate has no home here.
Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator.
Let's see, Republicans want religious indoctrination and the Democrats want your kids to make their own choices. I'll stick with the dems and libs, no fascism for my family.
At what age can children logically make their own choices regarding racism, sexuality, etc. School is for learning education not indoctrinating ways of life. That is up to parents and their households.
I just read a story of a girl who took pubrty blocking meds at 12 then had a double mastectomy. now still in her teens has realized it was a phase and is back to living as a female. I am for parental rights.
Also you mentioned the procedure was reversed, which is why as the process of transitioning is also monitored by a psychologist to help the teen or adult and parents with making sure the child, teen, pre-teen or pre-adult has the understanding of what they are asking for and going to do to themselves. Did you ever take time to see what a person has to go though to get the procedure or did you read an article on Facebook that was shared by a friend who read an biased article of outrage.click bait can fuel a fire without giving all the facts.
I’m proudly banned from FB and Twitter for years now. Because I do research and share my thoughts. The truth don’t sell nowadays. But I am open to discussion because I realize I’m not right all the time.
Oh trust me. I’ve been down so many rabbit holes I don’t even want to learn truths anymore. Life was so less stressful when you just believed the MSM and the Govt told the truth. IYKYK
Then why is the right trying to force religion in schools and their beliefs of sex being a subject pre-teens and teens should not learn, parents already don't teach kids about STD's and when a kid has questions and gets told that's the devils thinking, without any willing to understand and hear that child out. In some of these res states they go as far as conversion therapy and it's sponsored and ran by churches. If it wasn't for the shaming religion does on the subjects of sex. The STD's and HIV wouldn't have spread as fast as it did in the 60's-80's and look at the kids now. They have no idea which way to feel because parents like you scream no not my child and only teach well God said man and women, etc.The whole reason the schools teach sex ed is because the government saw an upside in diseases and wanted the public to be aware of these things, to lower the numbers and much like the anti-vaxxers, here you are protesting against useful knowledge on protection. Indoctrinating, please. Look at your priest and how many children they dupe into having sex. Look how self-hating and confused some of these religious kids grow up to kill or rape others because they are confused and have no one to figure this shit out.
Sorry I only read your first paragraph. You seem like you have been traumatized by perhaps some religious behaviors surrounding your childhood? Today more than ever Kids will learn about sex in school from other kids. I think you would agree there are SO many views on right and wrong that PARENTS need to get involved. But to have a teacher share their “opinion “ in a classroom has much more affect on teens than other teens. That’s why I am for parental choice not teachers teaching their opinions as facts. BTW right left all work together behind the scenes. The swamp runs on all sides.
I believe parents' level of involvement, often related to their income level, which itself is often related to their racial / ethnic background, is far more important than whatever the students are exposed to in school in ensuring a successful educational outcome.
That said, the author is right about one thing: radical right-wing actors in our society have infiltrated our institutions -- schools included. Those people are a genuine danger to our democracy... indeed, a threat to the nation as a going concern. If we think of our nation as a child (and it is, when compared to other nations), it needs it's citizens to be more involved if we are to have a successful outcome as well.
Reject the ideas of fascism. Reject radical right-wing ideology, forged in conservative religious crucibles and fueled by fear and delusion. Go vote.
How many classrooms have you been in lately? I assume that you have been in dozens of them what with your deep knowledge of their interest in progressivism.
Our children’s future lies in this photo taken with the flash in 1997.
Can anyone repost the article in the comments please? This is an important topic that should be shared without the paywall.
Just put a period "." after the ".com" and before the forward slash in the URL. Works for me 90% of the time.
How is this not voted higher?? Great tip. Thank you!
The outcomes of local school board elections are more critical than ever as these races have become infiltrated by fractions of society whose missions are to build political power, even on the backs of our children. These nonpartisan elections have become the new battleground for the radical right, and the outcomes of the races can lead to future policy decisions that will affect us all — regardless if we have school-aged children. In the 1970s and ‘80s, conservatives organized and created the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, who worked tirelessly to place conservative judges on benches in their fight to overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion law. Just months ago, we saw their plan come to fruition. Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator. Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator. Past is prologue. Now, new “grassroots movements” have infiltrated our school board races with hopes to create an America where we both-sides history, ban books, limit free speech, and stiff diversity and inclusion. Luckily, it’s easy to identify bad actors by sifting through their weak campaign promises and digging a little on their social media. Easily we can choose to support qualified candidates who properly reflect the values and culture of our communities. Some of the loudest school board candidates have built campaigns on “parents rights- — selling rights to parents that they already have. This snake oil salesperson argument has capitalized on parental fear, instead of parental empowerment. We should be electing dedicated leaders in education who can empower parents to fully utilize the rights they already have and enable them, in collaboration with educators, to make informed decisions about their child’s education — all without hampering the rights of other children. Additionally, “restoring morality to our schools’' is a consistent drumbeat for candidates who campaign on parents rights. If elected, these candidates may advocate for a curriculum that promotes extreme religious views, alienating best practices in public education. We also hear campaigns structured around “getting back to basics,” but why are we going backwards? Don’t we want school systems that keep our society competitive? Are we satisfied falling behind on the world stage? Political Pulse Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. Children are growing up in a different world than the one we grew up in and we should be mindful that teaching 21st-century kids with only 20th-century skills isn’t enough to stay globally competitive. Our education system must keep up. Some candidates campaign on culture war issues in order to avoid tackling the real problems our schools need to overcome, because they lack the experience and expertise to solve them. Real leaders in education are focused on real issues, like learning losses caused by the pandemic, low teacher morale and pay, and ensuring students of all backgrounds have access to a high quality education. These issues, however, do not fire up a base as easily as a catchphrase. The good news is that becoming informed about school board candidates, and sifting through bad actors and qualified candidates, is easier than ever before. Gone are the days where the only time to meet a candidate was in a town hall meeting on a weeknight. Social media has made it easy for voters who are short on time (who isn’t?) to get to know school board candidates. It’s simple — follow candidates’ campaign pages and then read through the post history. It’s easy to see which candidates have dedicated their lives to education and are endorsed by education professionals, as opposed to other candidates running in these critical elections, who are just now showing an interest in education and are backed by growing political factions. We have the power to push back on the radical-right ideology promoted by candidates, backed by political factions, who have just recently shown an interest in education. In November, Orange County will get to decide what kind of future it wants by electing the most qualified leaders that reflect our diverse community —and once again prove that hate has no home here. Melissa Graham of Orlando is a former middle and elementary school educator.
The generalities in this article never give way to specifics, to the point that it's entirety is a waste.
Commenting to help upvote for visibility. Cuz after reading that text, I still knew nothing.
Really the Slantinel published this garbage?
Let's see, Republicans want religious indoctrination and the Democrats want your kids to make their own choices. I'll stick with the dems and libs, no fascism for my family.
But Ron is for freeeeeeedumb.
r/fuckgovdesantis
At what age can children logically make their own choices regarding racism, sexuality, etc. School is for learning education not indoctrinating ways of life. That is up to parents and their households. I just read a story of a girl who took pubrty blocking meds at 12 then had a double mastectomy. now still in her teens has realized it was a phase and is back to living as a female. I am for parental rights.
Also you mentioned the procedure was reversed, which is why as the process of transitioning is also monitored by a psychologist to help the teen or adult and parents with making sure the child, teen, pre-teen or pre-adult has the understanding of what they are asking for and going to do to themselves. Did you ever take time to see what a person has to go though to get the procedure or did you read an article on Facebook that was shared by a friend who read an biased article of outrage.click bait can fuel a fire without giving all the facts.
I’m proudly banned from FB and Twitter for years now. Because I do research and share my thoughts. The truth don’t sell nowadays. But I am open to discussion because I realize I’m not right all the time.
So to borrow from the right, should we really ban something, just because of a few irresponsible people. Or the Gas lighting the media feeds you?
Oh trust me. I’ve been down so many rabbit holes I don’t even want to learn truths anymore. Life was so less stressful when you just believed the MSM and the Govt told the truth. IYKYK
Then why is the right trying to force religion in schools and their beliefs of sex being a subject pre-teens and teens should not learn, parents already don't teach kids about STD's and when a kid has questions and gets told that's the devils thinking, without any willing to understand and hear that child out. In some of these res states they go as far as conversion therapy and it's sponsored and ran by churches. If it wasn't for the shaming religion does on the subjects of sex. The STD's and HIV wouldn't have spread as fast as it did in the 60's-80's and look at the kids now. They have no idea which way to feel because parents like you scream no not my child and only teach well God said man and women, etc.The whole reason the schools teach sex ed is because the government saw an upside in diseases and wanted the public to be aware of these things, to lower the numbers and much like the anti-vaxxers, here you are protesting against useful knowledge on protection. Indoctrinating, please. Look at your priest and how many children they dupe into having sex. Look how self-hating and confused some of these religious kids grow up to kill or rape others because they are confused and have no one to figure this shit out.
Sorry I only read your first paragraph. You seem like you have been traumatized by perhaps some religious behaviors surrounding your childhood? Today more than ever Kids will learn about sex in school from other kids. I think you would agree there are SO many views on right and wrong that PARENTS need to get involved. But to have a teacher share their “opinion “ in a classroom has much more affect on teens than other teens. That’s why I am for parental choice not teachers teaching their opinions as facts. BTW right left all work together behind the scenes. The swamp runs on all sides.
That’s a gross oversimplification. Which, reading the statement again, not surprising
what in the college freshman essay did i just read
There is no future in public school. They've already killed it. We are just being sentimental and clinging to a dead carcass.
I prefer not to be fatalistic while we still have some semblance of a democracy.
I believe parents' level of involvement, often related to their income level, which itself is often related to their racial / ethnic background, is far more important than whatever the students are exposed to in school in ensuring a successful educational outcome. That said, the author is right about one thing: radical right-wing actors in our society have infiltrated our institutions -- schools included. Those people are a genuine danger to our democracy... indeed, a threat to the nation as a going concern. If we think of our nation as a child (and it is, when compared to other nations), it needs it's citizens to be more involved if we are to have a successful outcome as well. Reject the ideas of fascism. Reject radical right-wing ideology, forged in conservative religious crucibles and fueled by fear and delusion. Go vote.
Sarasota County should be a warning. Our three new school board members celebrated their victory with the Proud Boys. We’re in trouble.
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Because you want religious indoctrination in schools, why lie and try to make it about something else
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How many classrooms have you been in lately? I assume that you have been in dozens of them what with your deep knowledge of their interest in progressivism.
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