Why are book banners showing up at FCPS SB meetings
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Anonymous
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More on astroturfing in education...
https://www.cbs19news.com/story/44644661/tea-party-20-conservatives-get-organized-in-school-battles ”A loose network of conservative groups with ties to major Republican donors and party-aligned think tanks is quietly lending firepower to local activists engaged in culture war fights in schools across the country. While they are drawn by the anger of parents opposed to school policies on racial history or COVID-19 protocols like mask mandates, the groups are often run by political operatives and lawyers standing ready to amplify local disputes.” “The political tracking website Ballotpedia counts about 30 active school board recall efforts nationwide. Some are focused chiefly on disputes over anti-racism training and education in schools, often labeled critical race theory. Others were prompted by debates over school policies on transgender students and pandemic public health measures. Local parent activists are quick to claim credit for that work, and the outside groups offering legal help, research, organizing tools and media training are often reluctant to discuss their role.” “Among those is Parents Defending Education, an Arlington, Virginia-based group formed in January and dedicated to “fighting indoctrination in the classroom.” It provides templates for requesting public records, a guide to parent rights, organizing strategies and talking points. Neily declined to name Parents Defending Education’s funding sources. As a tax-exempt organization, the group is not required to make its donors public. Neily has worked in senior positions for conservative groups including the Independent Women’s Forum and Cato Institute, according to the group's website.” |
Anonymous
+1. If we didn’t have a Governor’s election soon, this wouldn’t be happening. And I hate that our SB meeting are becoming as nasty as London’s. The SB meeting should not be the Jerry Singer show. And the doxxingof board members needs to stop. Disagree with them, vent on DCUM, organize to oppose their policies, like OpenFCPS last spring. But bring Trumpian antics and threatening them personally is not okay. I’ve been listening to BTS meetings with my tweens (when the time works) because I think it’s good for them to see how the decisions that effect them are made— or not. It’s a good discussion to have with future voters. Now I can’t do that because R rated content could appear with no notice? Seriously? Everyone— SB, Brabrand, parents needs to quit playing games and focus on helping kids stay in school next recover academically and socially from Covid. I hate these BS distractions. Renaming schools, Tj, banned books— all wedge issues that don’t effect most kids. If we didn’t have such huge issues right now in FCPS, I’d roll my eyes and move on. But this Board multitasks poorly. They are like my ADHD kid, who can only focus on on thing at a time and is very prone to head down rabbit holes for hours. I wish we didn’t have off year elections that create these distractions. There was a time when the GOP was better on schools, and 6-12 months ago, I would have voted for Youngkin based on that. But if GOP control means CRT and banned books, rather than school renaming and TJ, they aren’t any better than the current nut jobs. At least McAuliffe (who I don’t really like) won’t refuse to sign abortion protections if Roe disappears. I hate that the fringe makes all the noise about wedge issues, when most parents really want test stay, no more “pauses”, decent contact tracing, a livestream for quarantined kids, a more robust virtual option, etc., etc. Why is no one focusing on the substantive things most parents care about? |
Anonymous
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Democrats had a coordinated attack on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine until Trump's Orange behind was out of office, THEN the vaccine developed with the help of his Warp Speed initiative was safe and effective.
GOP and assorted affiliated/sympathetic groups couldn't attack Democrat officials' support for stocking graphic sex novels in school libraries if Democrats weren't jumping up supporting them. (Thanks Karl Frisch and Stella Pekarsky). Stop giving evidence for the view that there is some leftist Demcrat effort to corrupt children, that'd be great. |
Anonymous
No. There are a lot of us who have strongly criticized h TJ changes and school renaming and the surveys and all equity all the time. I’ve posted strongly against them. I’m also against the CRT and book banning hysteria. We have real problem. We need to stop fixing things that aren’t broken while ignoring all the broken kids. |
Anonymous
I follow the SB very closely. I have not seen a substantial pro SB rally or protest. There was asibstainal teacher protest summer of 2020, but that was against the initial hybrid plan. The SB has a very low approval rating. Please point to all the pro-SB rallies. I |
Anonymous
I agree Omeish is awful. The 9/11 thing and the anti-Israel tweets. But, nobody went along with her and there a substantial backlash. And both times she had to backtrack and apologize. I don’t support crazy book banning lady, and I’ve signed Omeish’s recall petition. Her stunts aren’t any better. |
Anonymous
Agreed. Folks claiming astroturfing, "tantrums", and inserting politics are deflecting and distracting, as they know it's a losing battle. I presume that most other folks are like me, a concerned parent who believes that this content is not appropriate for school libraries. FWIW, and as stated repeatedly by others, most parents would be equally upset if the same content was hetero. But, again, if you can't defend, attack and distract... |
Anonymous
Why are you "concerned" about this particular content vs. all of the rest of mature content in FCPS libraries? I don't see any of these parents here actually upset about the similarly-mature hetero content. Where are all of the other tweets and complaints to librarians/principals? You choose ignorance about mature content until someone honks the GOP concern horn. It's 100% faux concern. |
Anonymous
DP, but the Republicans should be sending you flowers, because you make the local Democrats look so arrogant and pretentious. There are a whole host of concerns with FCPS these days that completely transcend party lines, and in every instance you malign those raising the concerns and assume they are politically driven. At some point people are going to align with the party whose values they are constantly told they must be espousing. - Independent who quit the local Dems within the past year |
Anonymous
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Isn't it upsetting when the opposite political party scores a point.
Politicians gonna politick. Do better Dems and stop defending this. Right now you are scoring own goals left and right. But I guess you are true believers in this kind of content being available in school libraries. It's the only explanation for all this passionate defense. |
Anonymous
“Concerns” based on facts — or misinformation. Funny how some people are only “concerned” when they are told to be concerned. Someone who was sincerely concerned would be identifying and addressing all the mature content. Not just that selected by anti-LQBTQ+ groups… |
Anonymous
I think the books are fine, but it’s up to the review committee to decide. I don’t think the GOP hurting our schools and kids with these games is fine. |
Anonymous
Don’t you have updated talking points yet? These retreads are getting old. Check and see what you re supposed to post today, so we can move the conversation forward. |
Anonymous
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I literally DGAF about the school board. I do GAF when GOP astroturfers try to hurt our schools and our kids. You *legit* don’t like the books? Submit a request for review. Tell your kids not to read them. Don’t spread misinformation (it’s not pedophilia FFS) or throw a tantrum at the school board to get a spot on the RWNJ channels. It’s intellectually dishonest to play dumb on the GOP’s role here. [/quote] So many cliches. Can you go away for a spell while people try to clean up this mess? [/quote] Truth hurts. I'll be here calling out the astroturfers each and every time. [/quote] Repeating an earlier comment: This can't be an issue about parenting and what is appropriate for the school library. Try to engage, and you'll be attacked. For the left, EVERY issue is about politics. Politics IS their religion, sadly. This is you.[/quote] If it were an issue about parenting, then parents would have brought it up with the librarian or principal. No, it had to be a big public spectacle. A political stunt. And enough with the intellectual dishonesty. We all know WHY this is being discussed NOW and WHO is pushing it. I do NOT want politics in school. And I certainly don't want politicians and their lackeys (hello, PDE) hurting our schools for their own personal benefit. [/quote] It's all about politics to you. In reality, though, it's very simple. A parent uncovered this mess and made it public. Why? [b]Because sunlight is the best disinfectant.[/b] And now concerned parents like me are aware. You'd rather that such material fly below the radar. If you're proud of this material and believe it's appropriate, then why do you care if it's existence is made public?[/quote] You know why people are objecting to the manner in which she chose to do this. Even people who disagree with the content. I’ll b so happy we the election is over and the BS gets toned down.. There was time when I was considering voting for Youngkin based on schools. But I can’t if it means education turns into a Trumpy shock and awe mess. [/quote] Exactly. There are plenty of ways to ways to address sincere concerns about FCPS books/materials that don’t involve political stunts. Or don’t involve astroturfers like Asra pushing hysterics. [/quote] I assume that you are equally opposed to political stunts by those whose viewpoints you support? Or it is a one-way street.? Agree or disagree, school board meetings are a public forum. There is broad First Amendment protection. People can and should bring up any issue that it is important to them.[/quote] Of course, I'm equally opposed. I have zero tolerance for people who F with our schools or kids. People can speak - within boundaries - and they can also get reamed for their political stunts. And, if they go beyond the boundaries of what is appropriate for a televised school board meeting, they may be fined by the FCC. [/quote] A speaker at a public forum cannot be fined by the FCC. |
Anonymous
The PP's complaint was about political stunts in a public forum. It doesn't matter if it's at a school board meeting, or a zoning meeting, or in a public park. There are plenty of examples of people on both sides acting like fools in public fora. |