Who is sovereign in the United States — the people or the cultural elite and political class? Whose values should be reflected in the public schools — those of the people or those of the cultural elite and the political class?
That is the No. 1 question Virginia voters face in the gubernatorial race of 2021. Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe made the issue crystal clear — and whose side he is on — when he said during the debate with Republican Glenn Youngkin: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”
The answer begs the question. If not parents, who should tell schools what they should teach? Sure, public schools need bureaucrats who are expert in the process of devising standards, curricula, methods, and tests. Sure, teachers don’t need parents micromanaging them. But who, ultimately, do the bureaucrats and teachers answer to?
Normally, such a question would not get people exercised. But these are not normal times. A movement of the cultural elites, originating in academia with increasing support from the political class, is pushing to convert schools from centers of learning into incubators for sweeping social and cultural change.
McAuliffe is not alone in believing that government knows best. Voices in the political class are openly expressing their contempt for the increasingly vocal protesters at school board meetings as an ill-informed rabble.
A reporter recently asked U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona why school board meetings had gotten so heated. “I think it’s a proxy for being mad that their guy didn’t win. … It looks like education is becoming, in some places, a battleground for ideological differences.”
Translation: Right wingers upset by the radical transformation of public schools have seized on school issues as a way to express their inchoate frustration and rage. There’s no need to understand their concerns. The only thing that needs to be understood is mob psychology.
Another example: Yesterday the National Association of School Boards (NASB) penned an open letter to President Joe Biden accusing conservative protesters of “malice, violence, and threats” against local school board, citing 20 instances of “threats, harassment, disruption and acts of intimidation.” “Heinous actions,” such as performing a Nazi salute to protest masking, stated the letter, “could be equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.”
There are, by the NASB’s count, 14,000 local school districts in the United States and more than 90,000 school board members. Of the 20 incidents cited — one for every 700 school districts in the country — one individual in Illinois was arrested for aggravated battery and disorderly conduct. At other meetings, protesters “incited chaos.” In Virginia, states the letter, “an individual was arrested, another man ticketed for trespassing, and a third person was hurt during a school board meeting discussion distinguishing current curricula from critical race theory and regarding equity issues.”
Horrors! A man was ticketed for trespassing? Head for the bunkers! Call out the National Guard!
True enough, some protesters have gotten out of hand. The right to freely assemble does not give people a right to disrupt public proceedings. Those who do should be admonished for it. I have no problem with escorting people off the premises if they don’t comport themselves properly at school board meetings, or with arresting those who resort to physical violence. I’ve called out Black Lives Matter protesters for disrupting council meetings with shouts and chants, and I’ll apply the same standards to conservatives.
But terming the protests a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.” Really? That’s delusional. But it’s a telling form of delusion — it reveals much about the state of mind in the political class and who the nation’s rulers see as the enemy.
I’ll close this post with a short video from my favorite dissident mom, Nasra Nomani, a leader of the Loudoun County parents’ insurrection.
Originally published at baconsrebellion.com
11 comments
I’m agreeing with you on the bias issue, sort of. I’m saying recognize all bias.
But you can’t. When you call other people perverted your religious bias is there for all to see. Except you. Your are blind.
Why is the whole GQP/Christian Nationalist movement dedicated to regress?
So you fully support pedophelia, grooming behavior, teaching our kindergarten children that it is OK to have sex with adults, pornography in the school libraries (Loudon County)? There are none so blind as he who will not see. Than you for the discussion but we will not agree.
you are out of your mind
” A movement of the cultural elites, originating in academia with increasing support from the political class, is pushing to convert schools from centers of learning into incubators for sweeping social and cultural change. ” That is absurd.
But, of course, if you believe that then of course you are a fan of this woman who spouts the equally absurd CRT bs and tries to get everyone all riled up over something that isn’t happening.
“Send a comment to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent, School Board and Chief Equity Officer and tell them what you think about the money they are spending to indoctrinate students with critical race theory.”
School boards are elected, right? Vote the treasonous bastards out and then fire the Superintendent and every socialist “teacher”. Every year our colleges turn out thousands of new teachers hungry for work. On the day they are hired make sure their contracts contain specific requirements that they teach only their subject and keep personal bias out of it. Period. If they fail they are immediately fired. No recourse.
What about the bias GQP state legislators display by dictating curriculum and forcing Christianity into the schools?
It’s 2021 and evolution is still controversial in some circles. Shutting down the teaching of a realistic view of American history. Teachers forcing kids to say the Christian pledge to a flag. Mandating the display of the 10 commandments and “in god we trust”.
So yeah, eliminate bias.
Your attempt at Deflection didn’t work and doesn’t work with me young human. Critical race theory has NO place in math class or any other hard subject. Teach the history of slavery but make sure that the truth of the slave trade is accurately taught. Teachers are hired to provide instruction by the school boards acting on behalf of the parents. WE are their employers. If they can’t handle the job descriptions or requirements they can seek another line of work.
No deflection. When you call for the elimination of bias you need to recognize all bias.
There is no we in this country anymore.
Try once more. We hire teachers to teach the subject and NOT to color the subject with personal bias of any kind. Not sure why you don’t understand that. CRT, socialism, woke hatred of being white, normalization of perversion (LGBTQ) whatever, has no place in our classrooms.
You can say;
here we are 8 years of Virginia Democrats volunteering for the task of leading the education of our children.
I bet not a single Democrat with factual data can articulate to the parents in Virginia the gains in math & science.
Democrats for two consecutive Administrations have not been concerned with education but with elections, Campaign lies, social issues, the legalization of POT and continuing blame for their own shortcomings and complete lack of direction in education.
Now everyone of you Virginia Parents are the problem and frankly Virginia Democrats patience is wearing thin with you.
Some don’t need an education because they are destined to be Government dependent, we cannot help them. We must educate our children with the confidence to become achievers with the willingness to set obtainable goals of self sufficiency through a lucrative and successful career.
The United States Constitution affords us the “pursuit of happiness”
Today’s Virginia Education system leaves students with many shortcomings needed to have a prosperous future, happiness.
It is time to make a change this November and it must start at every ballot.
In the USSA the peasantry have no rights to property or their children!