So is this why Trump buried Ivana at his golf course?

[gounion]

I never said Obama was evil. I don’t know the man personally and I assume he’s a decent human being. I don’t agree with his politics.

To you politics is war. Good versus evil. You are either with us or against us. How do you get to bipartisanship if that’s where you start? No other organization would survive with leadership that had that mentality. Leadership at war with itself.

If you think that either party is going to give up and surrender, then you are naive. Unless they figure out how to work together then we will remain in gridlock. I guess if gridlock and fighting is what you expect and prefer, then you should be pleased. Some people prefer the issue rather than solutions.

YOU are the one that used the term “lesser of two evils”, not me. Don’t blame me.

[Libertas]

That's a list of words.

What needs to be done about them?



So you're telling me it's not happening? I'm not making it up. It's happening.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics ... epublicans



Louisiana Moves to Charge Women Who Get Abortions With Murder
“We can’t wait on the Supreme Court,” said Republican Rep. Danny McCormick, who co-authored the legislation with a Baptist reverend
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/p ... e-1347890/

No the law didn't pass. Yes, they keep trying to pass similar laws like it in other states. I'm not making this stuff up.

I have exaggerated nothing.

Oh shit


Louisiana Moves to Charge Women Who Get Abortions With Murder

I bet before I even look, even knowing this board con says politics is not that important.

[JoeMemphis]

That's a list of words.

What needs to be done about them?



So you're telling me it's not happening? I'm not making it up. It's happening.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics ... epublicans



Louisiana Moves to Charge Women Who Get Abortions With Murder
“We can’t wait on the Supreme Court,” said Republican Rep. Danny McCormick, who co-authored the legislation with a Baptist reverend
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/p ... e-1347890/

No the law didn't pass. Yes, they keep trying to pass similar laws like it in other states. I'm not making this stuff up.

I have exaggerated nothing.

I have no doubt there are some extreme views out there. I highly doubt we will be gassing women. I don’t think we’ve gassed anybody in quite a while. That is an exaggeration. Maybe not to you.

As far as I know you can get most any book you want. Is it in your school library? Maybe, maybe not. Librarians and school boards make those decisions all of the time. As you already know, I would prefer to give parents more power and choice in education. I don’t think that’s radical. You might. That’s okay. We just disagree.

As for the rest, the problems I described have to be dealt with before they reach crisis stage. There’s lots of middle ground for those willing to move towards the center. If not then, I guess we will continue to move from one crisis to the next and hope for the best.

[Libertas]

Hey, I am never gonna need an abortion, so what if they start killing Women, it will never be me!

[JoeMemphis]

YOU are the one that used the term “lesser of two evils”, not me. Don’t blame me.

Sorry. Lesser of two evils is a common phrase. I didn’t dream you would somehow interpret that to mean that Former President Barack Obama is evil.

Let me rephrase, I am tired of having to choose between two less that satisfactory alternatives.

Let me emphasize that isn’t meant to be a personal condemnation of any individual living or dead.

[ProfX]

I don’t think we’ve gassed anybody in quite a while. That is an exaggeration. Maybe not to you.

Last recorded execution by that method was 1999, I'll grant.

That said:
Arizona ‘refurbishes’ its gas chamber to prepare for executions, documents reveal -- 2021
The corrections department has spent more than $2,000 on ingredients to make cyanide gas, the same used in Auschwitz
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... -documents

Forgive me for referring to a less common execution method. However, I do believe the death penalty still exists, even if that method isn't being used anymore. Also, murderers do get the death penalty.

As far as I know you can get most any book you want. Is it in your school library? Maybe, maybe not.

A public library is NOT a school library. It serves everyone in the community of all ages. It is not just for schoolchildren.

US library defunded after refusing to censor LGBTQ authors: ‘We will not ban the books’
Residents of Jamestown, Michigan, voted this week to shut down town’s library rather than tolerate certain LGBTQ books
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/ ... tq-authors

When the library refused to remove those books, they took away its funding and shut it down. I call that censorship. Do you have a different name?

Yes I have no doubt those books might be available at another library, or on the Internet, or through Amazon. It's STILL censorship.

As you already know, I would prefer to give parents more power and choice in education.

I think it's perfectly fine for parents to make decisions as to what is and is not appropriate for their children to read. Or watch, or listen to, or whatever else. I totally get that. I might not agree with a parent who does not want their 14 year old to read The Bluest Eye, but it's fine, it is their decision to make. Like you say, they are raising their kids, not me.

I don't know where along the way that gives them the right to make that decision for other parents and other children who live in their same community, or same district who don't agree with them. I find that strange. But then as you say, I guess we'll have to disagree. I don't think finding this strange makes me radical, either. .. shrug?

As for the rest, the problems I described have to be dealt with before they reach crisis stage. There’s lots of middle ground for those willing to move towards the center. If not then, I guess we will continue to move from one crisis to the next and hope for the best.

You did not mention any problems or crises. You provided a list of words. Not very different from glenn.

Don't get me wrong, Joe. I totally agree, we need solutions to crises. But here's the steps I like.
1. Tell me the crisis. Or problem. "Energy" is not a problem. "Gas is too expensive". OK. Now that sounds more like a "problem".
2. Tell me the solution.
3. BTW, just because I don't believe the problem is a crisis (I guess it's a semantic issue there), or I don't agree with your solution (like a wall), doesn't mean I don't think problems exist. Now here's the thing. We might not agree on what the problems are. For example, I thought child separation at the border was a problem. But then I saw a lot of people supporting it.

[JoeMemphis]

Last recorded execution by that method was 1999, I'll grant.

That said:
Arizona ‘refurbishes’ its gas chamber to prepare for executions, documents reveal -- 2021
The corrections department has spent more than $2,000 on ingredients to make cyanide gas, the same used in Auschwitz
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... -documents

Forgive me for referring to a less common execution method. However, I do believe the death penalty still exists, even if that method isn't being used anymore. Also, murderers do get the death penalty.



A public library is NOT a school library. It serves everyone in the community of all ages. It is not just for schoolchildren.

US library defunded after refusing to censor LGBTQ authors: ‘We will not ban the books’
Residents of Jamestown, Michigan, voted this week to shut down town’s library rather than tolerate certain LGBTQ books
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/ ... tq-authors

When the library refused to remove those books, they took away its funding and shut it down. I call that censorship. Do you have a different name?

Yes I have no doubt those books might be available at another library, or on the Internet, or through Amazon. It's STILL censorship.



I think it's perfectly fine for parents to make decisions as to what is and is not appropriate for their children to read. Or watch, or listen to, or whatever else. I totally get that. I might not agree with a parent who does not want their 14 year old to read The Bluest Eye, but it's fine, it is their decision to make. Like you say, they are raising their kids, not me.

I don't know where along the way that gives them the right to make that decision for other parents and other children who live in their same community, or same district who don't agree with them. I find that strange. But then as you say, I guess we'll have to disagree. I don't think finding this strange makes me radical, either. .. shrug?



You did not mention any problems or crises. You provided a list of words. Not very different from glenn.

Don't get me wrong, Joe. I totally agree, we need solutions to crises. But here's the steps I like.
1. Tell me the crisis. Or problem. "Energy" is not a problem. "Gas is too expensive". OK. Now that sounds more like a "problem".
2. Tell me the solution.
3. BTW, just because I don't believe the problem is a crisis (I guess it's a semantic issue there), or I don't agree with your solution (like a wall), doesn't mean I don't think problems exist. Now here's the thing. We might not agree on what the problems are. For example, I thought child separation at the border was a problem. But then I saw a lot of people supporting it.

I think parents should decide for their children. I don’t think I ever advocated anything else. Under the current model, that means school board meetings and school boards. Representative democracy. Parents need to speak up in school board meetings otherwise their concerns may not get addressed.

As for how you “like” things, this isn’t a classroom. We all post the way we post. When people mention “energy” or “crime” to me I generally know what problems they are referencing. I was referring to policy areas that are in the news everyday.

[ProfX]

Under the current model, that means school board meetings and school boards. Representative democracy. Parents need to speak up in school board meetings otherwise their concerns may not get addressed.

Then we at least agree philosophically, Joe.

My point is, if two Moms in a school district that belong to Moms for Liberty think The Bluest Eye doesn't belong in the school library, fine, come to the school board meeting, say so. If there are 100 other parents who don't agree with their view, they expressed their view, and the book stays. As you say "representative democracy". Just because 2 loud and noisy parents say so at a school board meeting doesn't mean their views reflect the majority of parents in the district.

So I guess we don't disagree. Philosophically.

[JoeMemphis]

Then we at least agree philosophically, Joe.

My point is, if two Moms in a school district that belong to Moms for Liberty think The Bluest Eye doesn't belong in the school library, fine, come to the school board meeting, say so. If there are 100 other parents who don't agree with their view, they expressed their view, and the book stays. As you say "representative democracy". Just because 2 loud and noisy parents say so at a school board meeting doesn't mean their views reflect the majority of parents in the district.

So I guess we don't disagree. Philosophically.

We do not disagree. But if the school board decides differently then that’s also representative democracy. That’s what elections are all about.

[ProfX]

When people mention “energy” or “crime” to me I generally know what problems they are referencing.

"Crime" is a problem. Thing is, it has always been a problem. No?

Do you mean "increasing crime"? Where is it increasing? What kinds? Do you want to talk about why? Wouldn't we start there before we get to solutions?

Isn't it mostly a local problem? What really can a national politician be doing about it?

Sorry, I think, even not in a classroom, this is how people discuss things, even on places other than discussion boards.

When you say "energy" is a problem. Well, OK. Which problem, though? I think one big problem is the way we use "energy" causes climate change to grow worse. That to me is an "energy problem". I'm sorry if you meant something else, but then, as I said, we've got to get more specific.

[gounion]

Sorry. Lesser of two evils is a common phrase. I didn’t dream you would somehow interpret that to mean that Former President Barack Obama is evil.

Let me rephrase, I am tired of having to choose between two less that satisfactory alternatives.

Let me emphasize that isn’t meant to be a personal condemnation of any individual living or dead.

First, I rarely if ever use the term “evil”. Of course you tried to blame me when I called you on your terminology.

President Obama was as fine a man that has been President in the modern era. He tried very hard to find middle ground with the GOP. You say you want politicians that will do that, yet you reject Obama. If you REALLY were a fair-minded independent who just wanted people for good government, you would have supported Obama. That proves all you talk is just that - and the truth is you’re a far-right ideologue who is in no way, shape or form an “independent.”

[JoeMemphis]

"Crime" is a problem. Thing is, it has always been a problem. No?

Do you mean "increasing crime"? Where is it increasing? What kinds? Do you want to talk about why? Wouldn't we start there before we get to solutions?

Isn't it mostly a local problem? What really can a national politician be doing about it?

Sorry, I think, even not in a classroom, this is how people discuss things, even on places other than discussion boards.

When you say "energy" is a problem. Well, OK. Which problem, though? I think one big problem is the way we use "energy" causes climate change to grow worse. That to me is an "energy problem". I'm sorry if you meant something else, but then, as I said, we've got to get more specific.

Okay Professor, obviously when I mention crime, Im obviously not talking about speeding tickets or parking violations. Do I need to spell that out. When someone mentions crime to me today, I immediately think of homicides, violent crimes, gun crimes. I mean it’s in the news pretty much everyday. It’s on every news channel.

When people mention energy, people are talking about the price of fuel, electrical costs, the price of natural gas, etc. Obviously Im not speaking about AAA and AA batteries. Energy policy.

What do you think people are talking about when they mention the border policy? Do you think Canada? Which border is in the news on a daily basis?

[ProfX]

We do not disagree. But if the school board decides differently then that’s also representative democracy. That’s what elections are all about.

We may not agree, or at least do not appear to agree, that local school boards handle this stuff, and it is not the business of the state governor. Either to pass laws that put a thumb on the scale of local decisions, or to get involved in local elections for school board. These are things governors should stay out of, Floridians named Ron, included.

[JoeMemphis]

First, I rarely if ever use the term “evil”. Of course you tried to blame me when I called you on your terminology.

President Obama was as fine a man that has been President in the modern era. He tried very hard to find middle ground with the GOP. You say you want politicians that will do that, yet you reject Obama. If you REALLY were a fair-minded independent who just wanted people for good government, you would have supported Obama. That proves all you talk is just that - and the truth is you’re a far-right ideologue who is in no way, shape or form an “independent.”

You mention Obama and how he gave the Republicans everything they asked for. Except that wasn’t how it worked. Bob Woodward has a reputation for pissing both parties off. He wrote a book on that process. He interviewed everyone in the process. All the players. Checked, double checked, cross referenced. It doesn’t agree with your assessment. Offering to let you vote on their bill while not allowing amendments isn’t meeting in the middle. It isn’t compromise. The President had enough difficulty rounding up enough support in his own party. The opposition to the bill was bipartisan. The support was highly partisan. Lastly, ACA was passed in a lane duck session of Congress after a wave election. Even in the lane duck session, the vote was rushed before Scott Brown was able be sworn into office to replace Ted Kennedy. So much for listening to the will of the people and not making big decisions so close to an election.

[JoeMemphis]

We may not agree, or at least do not appear to agree, that local school boards handle this stuff, and it is not the business of the state governor. Either to pass laws that put a thumb on the scale of local decisions, or to get involved in local elections for school board. These are things governors should stay out of, Floridians named Ron, included.

People are going to weigh in on these things no matter what you or I think. I have no problem with school boards handling this kind of thing. I don’t know that I have a particular problem with the state handling matters either. Depends I guess on state constitutions. I do think that in either case it should be done in the daylight.

The more this debate over education goes on the more I think that school choice is the solution. I think at some point in time, we will leverage technology in education and get away from the current brick and mortar public school. The pandemic exposed the weaknesses in remote learning but I think that eventually a derivation of the current model and the remote model will be developed that will work.

Who knows.

[ProfX]

Okay Professor, obviously when I mention crime, Im obviously not talking about speeding tickets or parking violations. Do I need to spell that out. When someone mentions crime to me today, I immediately think of homicides, violent crimes, gun crimes. I mean it’s in the news pretty much everyday. It’s on every news channel.

Indeed. So, Joe, now here come some questions. My favorite kind. Epistemological. HOW do you know violent crime is increasing. "Well, the media says so." Well ...

1. Do you think the media honestly and correctly portrays the level of violent crime, either locally in your area, or nationally?
2. What if it is in their financial interest to exaggerate the level of crime people are experiencing. "If it bleeds, it leads." Could that give people a distorted view of the extent of the problem?
3. Maybe it isn't the case just because the media say so?

The Exaggeration of Violent and Sexual Crimes in the Media
https://revisesociology.com/2021/08/02/ ... the-media/

Now, the fact that the media distorts and over-exaggerates the actual level of violent crime in society, that looks to me like a problem.

Got a graph for you. National trends.

Reported violent crime rate in the United States from 1990 to 2020 (per 100,000 of the population)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/191 ... ince-1990/

It's way lower than it was in 1990, and despite a slight upward tick, STILL way lower.

Do you mind if I ask you where the problem is?

When people mention energy, people are talking about the price of fuel, electrical costs, the price of natural gas, etc. Obviously Im not speaking about AAA and AA batteries. Energy policy.

OK. Energy policy. A very big topic. That one probably should go in its own thread. I think the key problem is we may not agree on what the goals of an energy policy should be, mine are that first and foremost we need to address climate change.

What do you think people are talking about when they mention the border policy? Do you think Canada? Which border is in the news on a daily basis?

I of course KNOW you meant the Mexican border. That was a given.

Again, WHAT is the problem at the border. "Undocumented immigrants are crossing it." OK. I know that. Why is that a problem, who is it a problem for, again haven't they ALWAYS been doing that, and the really key issue, what can politicians do about it that they aren't doing already that would change the level of influx?

You ain't gonna sell me on a wall. That was, is, will remain a load of bullshit. Got anything else?

[ProfX]

The more this debate over education goes on the more I think that school choice is the solution.

We've had enough of these discussions for me to know it's a conclusion you already arrived at long ago.

As for remote learning, yeah, it's going to increase regardless of what you, I, or anyone else thinks, but yes, there were some lessons from the pandemic we should be paying attention to. In particular, in K-12, school provides more than just an educational space for students, it also provides them with a lot of peer and group interactions, which can't easily be replaced online, and then of course there's the issue of how school also provides nutritional and medical resources for disadvantaged students they can't get through TikTok or anything else online.

... my short version: still not a panacea, and where done, has gotta be done right.

[JoeMemphis]

Indeed. So, Joe, now here come some questions. My favorite kind. Epistemological. HOW do you know violent crime is increasing. "Well, the media says so." Well ...

1. Do you think the media honestly and correctly portrays the level of violent crime, either locally in your area, or nationally?
2. What if it is in their financial interest to exaggerate the level of crime people are experiencing. "If it bleeds, it leads." Could that give people a distorted view of the extent of the problem?
3. Maybe it isn't the case just because the media say so?

The Exaggeration of Violent and Sexual Crimes in the Media
https://revisesociology.com/2021/08/02/ ... the-media/

Now, the fact that the media distorts and over-exaggerates the actual level of violent crime in society, that looks to me like a problem.

Got a graph for you. National trends.

Reported violent crime rate in the United States from 1990 to 2020 (per 100,000 of the population)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/191 ... ince-1990/

It's way lower than it was in 1990, and despite a slight upward tick, STILL way lower.

Do you mind if I ask you where the problem is?



OK. Energy policy. A very big topic. That one probably should go in its own thread. I think the key problem is we may not agree on what the goals of an energy policy should be, mine are that first and foremost we need to address climate change.



I of course KNOW you meant the Mexican border. That was a given.

Again, WHAT is the problem at the border. "Undocumented immigrants are crossing it." OK. I know that. Why is that a problem, who is it a problem for, again haven't they ALWAYS been doing that, and the really key issue, what can politicians do about it that they aren't doing already that would change the level of influx?

You ain't gonna sell me on a wall. That was, is, will remain a load of bullshit. Got anything else?

Sure. Nothing we are going to solve today.

My point was and is that there are things we need to work on. This dysfunction in government and inability of either party to work with the other solves nothing.

[JoeMemphis]

We've had enough of these discussions for me to know it's a conclusion you already arrived at long ago.

As for remote learning, yeah, it's going to increase regardless of what you, I, or anyone else thinks, but yes, there were some lessons from the pandemic we should be paying attention to. In particular, in K-12, school provides more than just an educational space for students, it also provides them with a lot of peer and group interactions, which can't easily be replaced online, and then of course there's the issue of how school also provides nutritional and medical resources for disadvantaged students they can't get through TikTok or anything else online.

... my short version: still not a panacea, and where done, has gotta be done right.

If you know where things are headed then we should be working to solve the shortcomings. Socialization and nutrition are certainly solvable problems. I think shaping curriculum to meet the needs and concerns of the student and parents thru technology is an opportunity. Probably cheaper as well.

[ProfX]

It's a really complex problem, and I can agree with you there are no easy answers, certainly not ones you and I can reach on a MB.

Test scores dropped for students across the nation during COVID. MHO; it was inevitable, we suddenly imposed remote teaching on people who through no fault of their own didn't really know yet how to do it, remote learning on in some cases very young kids who were not ready for it, and let's face it, there was the general alienation & isolation created by the pandemic itself. Students often turn to peers for help on their schoolwork, but when ... So not terribly unexpected.

This is a nice Brookings paper on the subject.

The pandemic has had devastating impacts on learning. What will it take to help students catch up?
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-ce ... -catch-up/

This much I know - as usual, the problems that occurred can't be ignored, if you're going to try and replicate the praxis. It's inevitable remote learning will increase, I take that as a given. As for doing it across the nation, I don't think we'll be doing it till the next pandemic. Fingers crossed.

BTW, we didn't even get into all the issues of people, particularly in small homes with very limited tech resources, where parents are trying to work from home and kids are trying to learn from home, all in the same limited space, at the same time.

[JoeMemphis]

It's a really complex problem, and I can agree with you there are no easy answers, certainly not ones you and I can reach on a MB.

Test scores dropped for students across the nation during COVID. MHO; it was inevitable, we suddenly imposed remote teaching on people who through no fault of their own didn't really know yet how to do it, remote learning on in some cases very young kids who were not ready for it, and let's face it, there was the general alienation & isolation created by the pandemic itself. Students often turn to peers for help on their schoolwork, but when ... So not terribly unexpected.

This is a nice Brookings paper on the subject.

The pandemic has had devastating impacts on learning. What will it take to help students catch up?
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-ce ... -catch-up/

This much I know - as usual, the problems that occurred can't be ignored, if you're going to try and replicate the praxis. It's inevitable remote learning will increase, I take that as a given. As for doing it across the nation, I don't think we'll be doing it till the next pandemic. Fingers crossed.

BTW, we didn't even get into all the issues of people, particularly in small homes with very limited tech resources, where parents are trying to work from home and kids are trying to learn from home, all in the same limited space, at the same time.

I hoping there won’t be another pandemic for a while. As far as education, remote learning, choice? I think that ball has started rolling. How far and how fast is yet to be determined. We spend a ton of money on education and yet we lag in some pretty important disciplines. That and parents are starting to question the process. I think that will drive the process. That and technology.

[carmenjonze]

I have no doubt there are some extreme views out there.

it's less about "views" than actual laws.

You vote for "extreme" laws and the politicians who make them.

This is another one of these laws you forced-birth psychos are forcing on the women of Louisiana, you idiot.

Mother claims she was denied an abortion despite baby’s condition - WAFB

A BR mother has to decide to carry her baby to term even though she says doctors tell her it will not survive or find a state where she can have an abortion.

Davis says her baby was diagnosed with acrania. A rare and fatal condition, where the baby’s skull fails to form in the womb. According to health experts, babies with this condition only survive minutes to hours after birth. But because Davis’s life was not in danger and the baby’s condition does not fall under Louisiana Department of Health’s list of qualifying conditions, she was denied an abortion. Unsure about what to do, Davis is faced with a tough decision. Either carry the baby to term, or cross state lines to get an abortion.

Maybe, maybe not. Librarians and school boards make those decisions all of the time. As you already know, I would prefer to give parents more power and choice in education. I don’t think that’s radical. You might. That’s okay. We just disagree.

it's not a matter of mere disagreement. You forced-childbirth cons willingly use the power of government to impose this kind of authoritarianism and conservative barbarity.

#prolife
#smallerlimitedgovernment

[carmenjonze]

I hoping there won’t be another pandemic for a while.

How about simply no more pandemics?

You can start with you stupid antivaxx/anti-mask cons not spreading preventable disease all over creation. :problem:

As far as education, remote learning, choice? I think that ball has started rolling. How far and how fast is yet to be determined. We spend a ton of money on education and yet we lag in some pretty important disciplines. That and parents are starting to question the process. I think that will drive the process. That and technology.

Huh. So legendary white-conservative backlash is being referred to as “the process,” now.

Here’s how you conservative sociopaths utilize the government to crack down on the intellect, oh I mean here’s “the process.” :problem: This is what actual “defunding” looks like.

You guys don’t even have the integrity to admit that these stupid euphemisms of “choice” and “parent’s rights” have nothing at all to do with education, or choice, or any other “parents” than dumb conservative white parents and their raggedy, punitive, self-loathing egoes.

‘We are in this alone:’ Sarasota teachers say classrooms are political battlegrounds - WFLA

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A new survey of Sarasota County teachers reveals some of them believe “culture wars” in Florida are turning classrooms and school board meetings into battlegrounds over history, politics, and ideology.

According to a survey brief provided by political action committee “We The Parents,” questions for the county’s teachers were focused on how they feel about new state legislation, the Parents’ Rights movement, qualification and trust of School Board members, and when to leave their jobs or stay.

You conservative dumbshits are manufacturing a teacher shortage and filling in the gaps with just anyone.

That’s how much you guys despise public schools, the children who attend them, and those who work at them.

Survey of Sarasota teachers on morale

Most of the respondents in the survey have taught for at least 10 years. More than half of those surveyed said they had “considered leaving the teaching profession or moving to a different state as a result of the culture wars or recent legislation.”

Close to 80% of the respondents said recent legislation and state intervention have had a negative impact on student outcomes and performance metrics.

Florida test scores ‘far exceeded’ state expectations, FDOE says, but data shows more students receiving ‘F’ averages

In response to lowered achievement outcomes, Florida chose to pass legislation that switches education to progress monitoring from standardized testing and assessments, with the aim of more communication and involvement of parents to help students learn.

Where’s my barf bag. What “parents” are they talking about?

Harassment of teachers and banning books has nothing to do with helping students learn, and is designed to have the opposite effect.

Roughly 85% of the survey respondents said the legislature and state government‘s actions have made their jobs harder. A slightly smaller portion (77%) said the Parents’ Rights movement has led to negative developments for teachers.

Divisions across the various questions show Sarasota teachers are not a bloc. However, 88% said that they believed public education was under attack and 72% said Florida’s current education policies were not “pro public school.”

An overwhelming 92% of teachers who took the survey said it was important for school board candidates to “have actual education experience to guide them” when making decisions for the school district. 79% said that current school board members in the county do not respect or understand the job the teachers are doing.

The biggest gauge of teacher morale was the open-ended question: “What do you most want the public to know about the impact of the culture wars on your ability to do your job?”

It seems like I am not trusted as a professional,” one said in response. “Rather than dealing with issues in a cooperative manner, it seems combative and aggressive. Educators are not enemies.”

More directly, the current climate was described in one line by another teacher.

“Teachers are NOT the enemy!” said a survey respondent.

Oh but you’re mistaken, teacher-friend. An educated populace is definitely an enemy to white conservatism, Christian nationalism, Jim Crowism, and other forms of far-right authoritarianism passing itself off as “choice” and “parent’s rights.”

JoeMemphis is sufficiently propagandized to call this aggressively anti-intellect, fascist environment “live and let live.” What a good little foot soldier for DeFascist.

[carmenjonze]

I think shaping curriculum to meet the needs and concerns of the student and parents thru technology is an opportunity.

WHICH “student” (as if there’s only one), and WHICH “parents”?

You and the rest of these conservative whites are still not honest enough with yourselves to answer.

These anti-CRT/anti-SEL/antiwoke/don’t-say-gay “curricula” have nothing to do with the needs of “the student,” and are concerned only with cultivating the flimsy white-conservative ego.

You only care about one narrow subset of “parents” in a very diverse state, with an incredibly violent history of slavery, segregation, mass-murder of Natives, Indian Removal, and immigration of far-righters from Spanish-speaking countries.

No wonder you want Florida history buried and censored by the government.

Probably cheaper as well.

Munny munny munny munny ..

Congratulations. Conservative whites and their blinkered aspirants in Florida are making it look more and more like totalitarian Cuba by the day.

Thanks for being a slow, dull, lumbering cog in the wheel of fascism-creep, and showing us how Jim Crow Education 3.0 operates.

[carmenjonze]

These dumb conservative whites would rather have random individuals from off the street indoctrinating students with Hillsdale propaganda than actual teachers doing the jobs of educators.

Jesus God I can’t wait for Val Demmings to mop the floor with Marco Rubio.