Sumter working to fill teacher openings

[The Gazette]

The Sumter County School District is searching for solutions to an issue affecting all of Florida — adequately staffing its schools.* The student population at the district’s public schools grew from 5,427 students last school year to 5,785 this year, Assistant Superintendent Debbie Moffitt said, with increases at every school. At the same time, filling

More... (https://www.gazettenewsthevillages.com/sumter-working-to-fill-teacher-openings/)

[WharfRat]

Teacher pay in FL is among the lowest in the nation. Increased pay should improve staffing.

[Babubhat]

Pay them professional wages. Not complicated

[bp243]

Let teachers do their job which they’ve been trained to do. Stop the state control of what they teach and what students are allowed to discuss regarding the history of our country. Give teachers the respect and support to handle issues that have been compounded by our current society.

Education was originally designed to equalize opportunities for all children no matter your race, gender or economic background. That has changed and special needs within public schools have grown without the social and emotional support to address those needs. Salary increases would be a start, but allowing teachers to make educational decisions within their classroom and funding support for special needs of all kinds (academic or social and emotional) is just as important.

[gettingby]

Let teachers do their job which they’ve been trained to do. Stop the state control of what they teach and what students are allowed to discuss regarding the history of our country. Give teachers the respect and support to handle issues that have been compounded by our current society.

Education was originally designed to equalize opportunities for all children no matter your race, gender or economic background. That has changed and special needs within public schools have grown without the social and emotional support to address those needs. Salary increases would be a start, but allowing teachers to make educational decisions within their classroom and funding support for special needs of all kinds (academic or social and emotional) is just as important.



Couldn’t disagree more with you. Teachers need to follow an educational curriculum and not their social agenda. Allowing them to spew their personal beliefs to our young minds isn’t what we hire them. As for pay, we’re seeing fast food workers being lifted and even social Security has increased about 15% in the last two years. Teachers pay has not kept up. I’ve lived in Florida since 1972 and we have 3 daughters, all are teachers.

[bp243]

Couldn’t disagree more with you. Teachers need to follow an educational curriculum and not their social agenda. Allowing them to spew their personal beliefs to our young minds isn’t what we hire them. As for pay, we’re seeing fast food workers being lifted and even social Security has increased about 15% in the last two years. Teachers pay has not kept up. I’ve lived in Florida since 1972 and we have 3 daughters, all are teachers.

Of course teachers need to follow a curriculum that THEY have selected. Where was it mentioned that it’s okay to bring in one’s own social agenda? With that in mind, this is a changing world and if you want constructive discourse, you need to listen to the students. What would your daughters say about ways to improve the teacher shortage in Florida?

[airstreamingypsy]

Couldn’t disagree more with you. Teachers need to follow an educational curriculum and not their social agenda. Allowing them to spew their personal beliefs to our young minds isn’t what we hire them. As for pay, we’re seeing fast food workers being lifted and even social Security has increased about 15% in the last two years. Teachers pay has not kept up. I’ve lived in Florida since 1972 and we have 3 daughters, all are teachers.

Teachers need to teach actual history, whether it makes kids uncomfortable or not. Kids are not taught CRT until college, is spite of the rumors you've heard. Teachers do need to get raises.

[DAVES]

Couldn’t disagree more with you. Teachers need to follow an educational curriculum and not their social agenda. Allowing them to spew their personal beliefs to our young minds isn’t what we hire them. As for pay, we’re seeing fast food workers being lifted and even social Security has increased about 15% in the last two years. Teachers pay has not kept up. I’ve lived in Florida since 1972 and we have 3 daughters, all are teachers.

Three daughters all teachers. I hope they are good teachers. Being a teacher is an awesome job. I graduated high school in 1968. My buddy is a retired school principal.
It seems that quality of education has been falling since the year I graduated. A big question is WHY? I went to a good school in a good neighborhood so since most of what people pay in real estate taxes goes to the school our schools were well funded.

The US pays more per student than any of our competing nations and in terms of results we are not in the top third. Is it not fair to wonder WHY?

I remember some of my teachers in both high school and college. Interest in the subject an interesting way of presenting the information is contagious to the students.
I did have 2-3 good teachers and far too many mediocre ones. As well as some that made it clear it is a union job and their only interest was to do as little as possible till they can retire.

Charter schools like the one in The Villages have been proven to do a far better job at less cost. My view is the students come from homes where the parents care. Simple as that.

I'm not sure I support proposed school choice. Were that to come into effect the best students would exit the public school system leaving public education with the worst students and of course charter schools could report they do better.

In terms of PAY. WOW, no such issue can be discussed properly in this format. Teachers in Florida were recently given a significant raise. Among the lowest paid is no longer so. In terms of what a teacher is paid it does not include the FACT of every holiday off as well as SUMMERS where they can work a summer job and the BENEFIT PACKAGE.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

They need higher standards for teachers AND higher pay to compensate those higher standards.

They need to reduce the mandatory weekly meetings that equate with mandatory overtime, which reduces the value of their "per hour" wage significantly. Teachers don't only work during the open school hours. They are required to maintain their certifications - which means continuing education at their own expense - they're not reimbursed for that. It also means they're often attending classes during the summer. They can sometimes spend hours correcting papers while they're home after school which again - cuts into the value of that "hourly wage." The last two weeks before school starts every year is time spent gathering supplies that they know their classrooms will need, that the school board has decided not to provide. Things as simple as colored paper to write the names of students on the bulletin board, magic markers in different colors and sizes, chalk or whiteboard markers, erasers, etc. etc.

That all comes out of the teacher's pocket, again - cutting the actual value of their "hourly" wage.

When all is said and done, because of budget cuts and cuts of provisions at the classroom level, teacher pay is nothing short of abysmal.

[JMintzer]

Teachers need to teach actual history, whether it makes kids uncomfortable or not. Kids are not taught CRT until college, is spite of the rumors you've heard. Teachers do need to get raises.

Completely wrong... Except for the raises part...

[bp243]

Completely wrong... Except for the raises part...

Completely right! Would you want your family’s history altered because it might be painful for others to accept? Transparency is for the good of everyone. That’s how we are allowed to feel compassion even though it’s difficult. No one is asking you to feel guilty about the past of any one’s life (yours or others), but we should all feel that our family’s history should be shared honestly. Back to the original question…Would you want any part of your family’s history to be covered up or denied?

[dwoodley1975]

You are right about CRT. Some believe everything they hear and do not do the research at all.

[JMintzer]

Completely right! Would you want your family’s history altered because it might be painful for others to accept? Transparency is for the good of everyone. That’s how we are allowed to feel compassion even though it’s difficult. No one is asking you to feel guilty about the past of any one’s life (yours or others), but we should all feel that our family’s history should be shared honestly. Back to the original question…Would you want any part of your family’s history to be covered up or denied?

No one is "altering history"... No one is "covering up" history...

And CRT is most definitely being taught before college...

Yes, Children Are Being Taught Critical Race Theory in K–12 Schools in the US - Areo (https://areomagazine.com/2022/01/18/yes-children-are-being-taught-critical-race-theory-in-k-12-schools-in-the-us/)

For those who (wrongly) accuse FL of not allowing black history to be taught, they have enacted a LAW that states it MUST be taught...

Florida Statute 1003.42(2)(h) – Commissioner of Education's African American History Task Force (https://afroamfl.org/florida-statute-1003-422h/)

[bp243]

No one is "altering history"... No one is "covering up" history...

And CRT is most definitely being taught before college...

Yes, Children Are Being Taught Critical Race Theory in K–12 Schools in the US - Areo (https://areomagazine.com/2022/01/18/yes-children-are-being-taught-critical-race-theory-in-k-12-schools-in-the-us/)

For those who (wrongly) accuse FL of not allowing black history to be taught, they have enacted a LAW that states it MUST be taught...

Florida Statute 1003.42(2)(h) – Commissioner of Education's African American History Task Force (https://afroamfl.org/florida-statute-1003-422h/)

This seems to be the basis (covering up history) for those who are opposed to teaching the facts as are expressed in your above articles. It’s obvious in the district where I taught that CRT is considered a hot topic for those who are opposed to offering discourse on the topic. Sounds like this isn’t you or me, but there is a section of people who are definitely opposed to CRT and are very vocal about it. My point being, please let our educators be in charge of providing a curriculum that opens up conversation without judgement on anyone’s part.

[Djean1981]

This seems to be the basis (covering up history) for those who are opposed to teaching the facts as are expressed in your above articles. It’s obvious in the district where I taught that CRT is considered a hot topic for those who are opposed to offering discourse on the topic. Sounds like this isn’t you or me, but there is a section of people who are definitely opposed to CRT and are very vocal about it. My point being, please let our educators be in charge of providing a curriculum that opens up conversation without judgement on anyone’s part.
No. The educators work for parents and tax payers. They should stick to the curriculum with emphasis on reading and STEM subjects to prepare kids for college or high-tech vocational school. Reading and math abilities are IMPERATIVE to higher earnings and upward mobility later on. Rewriting history (second guessing writers that lived ages ago, and actually witnessed the events, to fit certain agendas, or applying today's values to leaders from the past and trying to "cancel" them) is not their job.

Teacher qualifications need to be raised to ensure they are highly capable and pay should go up accordingly. (Research the minimum passing score needed for Florida teacher certification tests - the percent ranges from 68 to about 72% depending on the subject.. That's a C-student grade).

[newgirl]

Amen! Sadly, most of us were taught lies, it is time for true history to be taught!

[MandoMan]

Couldn’t disagree more with you. Teachers need to follow an educational curriculum and not their social agenda. Allowing them to spew their personal beliefs to our young minds isn’t what we hire them. As for pay, we’re seeing fast food workers being lifted and even social Security has increased about 15% in the last two years. Teachers pay has not kept up. I’ve lived in Florida since 1972 and we have 3 daughters, all are teachers.

Also, my understanding is that Florida has a large number of students who are disrespectful and not committed to learning. I was fortunate to attend parochial schools in the sixties where students might or might not be smart, but we were respectful and attentive and safe. There were no bullies. Our schoolbooks were old, but that didn’t matter. We all learned what we needed to know. Our library had enough interesting books so that I could read a book a day. There were no books to which the Free State would object, but we survived somehow. Tuition was low because special education hadn’t been invented yet. Most of us came from households where education was supported instead of denigrated as unimportant. My kids went to a school like that, too. That’s how schools SHOULD be. As I understand it, a lot of Florida students make the lives of teachers very unhappy. I wouldn’t want to teach in a school like that. I think this is the best time ever to be alive, but it’s not a good time to be an elementary school or high school teacher.

[MrWilson]

Three daughters all teachers. I hope they are good teachers. Being a teacher is an awesome job. I graduated high school in 1968. My buddy is a retired school principal.
It seems that quality of education has been falling since the year I graduated. A big question is WHY? I went to a good school in a good neighborhood so since most of what people pay in real estate taxes goes to the school our schools were well funded.

The US pays more per student than any of our competing nations and in terms of results we are not in the top third. Is it not fair to wonder WHY?

I remember some of my teachers in both high school and college. Interest in the subject an interesting way of presenting the information is contagious to the students.
I did have 2-3 good teachers and far too many mediocre ones. As well as some that made it clear it is a union job and their only interest was to do as little as possible till they can retire.

Charter schools like the one in The Villages have been proven to do a far better job at less cost. My view is the students come from homes where the parents care. Simple as that.

I'm not sure I support proposed school choice. Were that to come into effect the best students would exit the public school system leaving public education with the worst students and of course charter schools could report they do better.

In terms of PAY. WOW, no such issue can be discussed properly in this format. Teachers in Florida were recently given a significant raise. Among the lowest paid is no longer so. In terms of what a teacher is paid it does not include the FACT of every holiday off as well as SUMMERS where they can work a summer job and the BENEFIT PACKAGE.

Substitute ‘ painting companies,’ for “ schools” and ‘ house painters’ for “teachers”.
Some of the comments don’t seem quite as practical or logical (to me).

[mikempp]

Let teachers do their job which they’ve been trained to do. Stop the state control of what they teach and what students are allowed to discuss regarding the history of our country. Give teachers the respect and support to handle issues that have been compounded by our current society.

Education was originally designed to equalize opportunities for all children no matter your race, gender or economic background. That has changed and special needs within public schools have grown without the social and emotional support to address those needs. Salary increases would be a start, but allowing teachers to make educational decisions within their classroom and funding support for special needs of all kinds (academic or social and emotional) is just as important.

Absolutely not, we don’t need indoctrination. Your welcome to do that to your kids not someone else’s.

[LoisH]

I am sure they are trying to recover from a big wave of teachers who quit at winter break. The Sumter County public schools are very challenging and teachers are micromanaged. I returned to Tampa after only a month. HUGE difference!

[bp243]

Absolutely not, we don’t need indoctrination. Your welcome to do that to your kids not someone else’s.

I agree! Based on your response, who’s indoctrinating whom and what was said that makes you think so?

[bp243]

Absolutely not, we don’t need indoctrination. Your welcome to do that to your kids not someone else’s.

I agree! Who’s indoctrinating whom and what was said that makes you think so?

[conman5652@aol.com]

Sorry but the state superintendent and his staff set the curriculum that all state school r to teach.
The problem is our elected officials and their staff believe that the history of Florida if touched my make the kids feel bad.
We should be ashamed of what we as so called intelligent white man have done to the Native Americans, African American and Spanish American.
So know that if history is to be selected to teach I can only think what Germany did to the Jews, and all people that they didn’t like who were send to concentration camp.

[Bogie Shooter]

Sorry but the state superintendent and his staff set the curriculum that all state school r to teach.
The problem is our elected officials and their staff believe that the history of Florida if touched my make the kids feel bad.
We should be ashamed of what we as so called intelligent white man have done to the Native Americans, African American and Spanish American.
So know that if history is to be selected to teach I can only think what Germany did to the Jews, and all people that they didn’t like who were send to concentration camp.

Will the state of Florida be coming to the school and cleaning out the libraries of banned books? Big bond fire or just send them to the landfill? Far fetched…..maybe, maybe not.

[JMintzer]

Sorry but the state superintendent and his staff set the curriculum that all state school r to teach.
The problem is our elected officials and their staff believe that the history of Florida if touched my make the kids feel bad.
We should be ashamed of what we as so called intelligent white man have done to the Native Americans, African American and Spanish American.
So know that if history is to be selected to teach I can only think what Germany did to the Jews, and all people that they didn’t like who were send to concentration camp.

No one is suggesting we don't teach history, warts and all...

No one is suggesting we only teach "selected history"...

[JMintzer]

Will the state of Florida be coming to the school and cleaning out the libraries of banned books? Big bond fire or just send them to the landfill? Far fetched…..maybe, maybe not.

So, you're happy with elementary schools having books with explicit instructions on sex acts that are available to all students?

Because THAT is what they are actually currently talking about being removed from schools...

Or are you talking about "Huck Finn" and "To Kill a Mockingbird", because "racism"? Because that is what already has been banned in many schools...

Oh, and guess what? They weren't banned by the same people...

[GPGuar]

No. The educators work for parents and tax payers. They should stick to the curriculum with emphasis on reading and STEM subjects to prepare kids for college or high-tech vocational school. Reading and math abilities are IMPERATIVE to higher earnings and upward mobility later on. Rewriting history (second guessing writers that lived ages ago, and actually witnessed the events, to fit certain agendas, or applying today's values to leaders from the past and trying to "cancel" them) is not their job.

Teacher qualifications need to be raised to ensure they are highly capable and pay should go up accordingly. (Research the minimum passing score needed for Florida teacher certification tests - the percent ranges from 68 to about 72% depending on the subject.. That's a C-student grade).
Agree completely!

[Bogie Shooter]

So, you're happy with elementary schools having books with explicit instructions on sex acts that are available to all students?

Because THAT is what they are actually currently talking about being removed from schools...

Or are you talking about "Huck Finn" and "To Kill a Mockingbird", because "racism"? Because that is what already has been banned in many schools...

Oh, and guess what? They weren't banned by the same people...
But of the same stripe........

you're happy with elementary schools having books with explicit instructions on sex acts that are available to all students?
Really, where did you hear that?

[JMintzer]

But of the same stripe........

you're happy with elementary schools having books with explicit instructions on sex acts that are available to all students?
Really, where did you hear that?

There's this new fangled thing, called "the news"... You might want to check it out...

[Boomer]

So, you're happy with elementary schools having books with explicit instructions on sex acts that are available to all students?

Because THAT is what they are actually currently talking about being removed from schools...

Or are you talking about "Huck Finn" and "To Kill a Mockingbird", because "racism"? Because that is what already has been banned in many schools...

Oh, and guess what? They weren't banned by the same people...


Hey, Mintz,

About Huck and TKAM — those two books have been targeted for decades by groups who have no idea what they are talking about — and most of whom have not even read the books — just grabbing things out of context, lighting those book burning fires, and fanning the flames.

But those book burning fires have always been kept under control — until now. From school boards in local districts to those in positions of overall high power — ignorance is winning.

I could defend Huck and Harper Lee all day, but I don’t have time to type that much and this is not the place to go into all that anyway.

I once attended a defense of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This was in front of a school board who would have the final say. Those who wanted the book banned just keep calling it “The Cuss Book” — that was all they had. Their argument was so pathetic that I actually started feeling embarrassed for them — just a little. All they could do was point to “cuss words.” (The characters in the book are ranch hands, Ranch hands don’t go around saying, “Golly, Gee Willikers.”)

The defense was done by an English teacher who used the book in her American Lit class. She did a respectful, clear defense. The school board voted to keep the book in the curriculum.

That was in the 1980s. Now? Hah! School boards across the country are being stacked with the power-crazy, ill-informed who will not be satisfied until they eviscerate the curriculum and run every last good teacher out…..

In fact, I think that might be the goal. If there are no teachers, kids eventually will be holed up in front of screens, to be instructed by some vacant-eyed puppet person, reading from an approved script. And then “they” could say how much money they had saved the taxpayers. Yep. Just call me Cassandra.

Boomer

PS: About that elementary sex act instruction thing you said, please cite your source. Seriously. I really want to know exactly where that is coming from. As critical thinkers, we must validate sources. I am respectfully asking you to please cite your source.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I just finished reading Chapter 1003 section 42 of the 2022 Florida General Statutes. I came to this little ditty, that proves to me the legislators are barely literate themselves:

3. For students in grades 6 through 12, awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.

Does anyone here know the error, boys and girls? Answer: "awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence" as (both) the expected standard AND ALSO the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Reverse that:

The expected standard, which is also the consequence of teenage pregnancy, is equal to the awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence.

Translation for those watching at home:

The wording of this statute implies that a child who is taught to be aware of the benefits of sexual abstinence, will experience both the expected standard and teenage pregnancy, which is a consequence of that awareness.

I have zero faith in the educational system of Florida, to teach children anything meaningful. By 8th grade most of them are only as literate as 6th graders in more advanced states, but are pushed through with lower standards. By graduation, most of them aren't fit for much more than community college.

The ones who do end up going to college, go out of state, and don't come back.

[Caymus]

I just finished reading Chapter 1003 section 42 of the 2022 Florida General Statutes. I came to this little ditty, that proves to me the legislators are barely literate themselves:



Does anyone here know the error, boys and girls?

That it is 100% effective?

[rjm1cc]

Let teachers do their job which they’ve been trained to do. Stop the state control of what they teach and what students are allowed to discuss regarding the history of our country. Give teachers the respect and support to handle issues that have been compounded by our current society.

Education was originally designed to equalize opportunities for all children no matter your race, gender or economic background. That has changed and special needs within public schools have grown without the social and emotional support to address those needs. Salary increases would be a start, but allowing teachers to make educational decisions within their classroom and funding support for special needs of all kinds (academic or social and emotional) is just as important.

A relative taught at a New York State Public University. Expertise in terrorism. Some of the students questioned if the Pentagon had a plan crash into it because a tenured professor in another class taught that a plane did not hit the Pentagon. Not good if you have to pay for schooling which is what ever the teacher believes.

[Bill14564]

I just finished reading Chapter 1003 section 42 of the 2022 Florida General Statutes. I came to this little ditty, that proves to me the legislators are barely literate themselves:



Does anyone here know the error, boys and girls? Answer: "awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence" as (both) the expected standard AND ALSO the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Reverse that:

The expected standard, which is also the consequence of teenage pregnancy, is equal to the awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence.

Translation for those watching at home:

The wording of this statute implies that a child who is taught to be aware of the benefits of sexual abstinence, will experience both the expected standard and teenage pregnancy, which is a consequence of that awareness.

I have zero faith in the educational system of Florida, to teach children anything meaningful. By 8th grade most of them are only as literate as 6th graders in more advanced states, but are pushed through with lower standards. By graduation, most of them aren't fit for much more than community college.

The ones who do end up going to college, go out of state, and don't come back.

The statute reads fine to me.
For students in grades 6 through 12, awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.

Adding a few word to make it more clear...
For students in grades 6 through 12, (provide) awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard (of behavior) and (also explain) the consequences of teenage pregnancy.

To be honest, your rewrite makes absolutely no sense to me.

[Bogie Shooter]

Hey, Mintz,

About Huck and TKAM — those two books have been targeted for decades by groups who have no idea what they are talking about — and most of whom have not even read the books — just grabbing things out of context, lighting those book burning fires, and fanning the flames.

But those book burning fires have always been kept under control — until now. From school boards in local districts to those in positions of overall high power — ignorance is winning.

I could defend Huck and Harper Lee all day, but I don’t have time to type that much and this is not the place to go into all that anyway.

I once attended a defense of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This was in front of a school board who would have the final say. Those who wanted the book banned just keep calling it “The Cuss Book” — that was all they had. Their argument was so pathetic that I actually started feeling embarrassed for them — just a little. All they could do was point to “cuss words.” (The characters in the book are ranch hands, Ranch hands don’t go around saying, “Golly, Gee Willikers.”)

The defense was done by an English teacher who used the book in her American Lit class. She did a respectful, clear defense. The school board voted to keep the book in the curriculum.

That was in the 1980s. Now? Hah! School boards across the country are being stacked with the power-crazy, ill-informed who will not be satisfied until they eviscerate the curriculum and run every last good teacher out…..

In fact, I think that might be the goal. If there are no teachers, kids eventually will be holed up in front of screens, to be instructed by some vacant-eyed puppet person, reading from an approved script. And then “they” could say how much money they had saved the taxpayers. Yep. Just call me Cassandra.

Boomer

PS: About that elementary sex act instruction thing you said, please cite your source. Seriously. I really want to know exactly where that is coming from. As critical thinkers, we must validate sources. I am respectfully asking you to please cite your source.

Agree with most of your comments.
As to the sex act issue, I too questioned his statement. Do a search, it has happened at a number of school districts. I am not a fan of banning books, but some common sense
needs to take place regarding what is being offered for reading.
Additionally, the rewriting or erasing our history (by state education boards) should be of equal concern.

[JMintzer]

Agree with most of your comments.
As to the sex act issue, I too questioned his statement. Do a search, it has happened at a number of school districts. I am not a fan of banning books, but some common sense
needs to take place regarding what is being offered for reading.
Additionally, the rewriting or erasing our history (by state education boards) should be of equal concern.

What school boards are "rewriting or erasing history"? Certainly not FL...

Please cite your sources...

[JMintzer]

Hey, Mintz,

PS: About that elementary sex act instruction thing you said, please cite your source. Seriously. I really want to know exactly where that is coming from. As critical thinkers, we must validate sources. I am respectfully asking you to please cite your source.

From the Google Machine:

"The school district told the station a sixth grade class accidentally left the books out where a fourth grade class found and read them.

School officials said it was an honest mistake.

But parents of some of those 4th graders who spoke to Fox 12 accused the school librarian of showing them to their children, even encouraging them to take the book home."

Explicit sex ed book causes controversy at Oregon elementary school | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/us/explicit-sex-ed-book-causes-controversy-at-oregon-elementary-school)

Middle School kids...

"Virginia Fairfax County school system pulled two books from their library shelves after a mother questioned the school board about why sexually explicit books were available at the school library. As reported in U.S. News, the book Lawn Boy, ”...an illustrated memoir, contains explicit illustrations of oral sex and masturbation.” Gender Queer “...contains graphic descriptions of sex between men and children.” As the mother read excerpts to the school board to prove her point, the school board members interrupted her when she read the graphic passages aloud because it was inappropriate for a school board meeting. They immediately removed the books. Then, as they do with all challenges, the school board created a committee to review the books. Unfortunately, the committee made the decision to reinstate these two books to school library shelves–available to kids in grades 7-12."

Shocking Sexual Content in School Books??? A Step-by-Step Plan for Speaking Up | Defend Young Minds™️ (https://www.defendyoungminds.com/post/shocking-sexual-content-school-books-plan-for-speaking-up)

Elementary and Middle Schools...

Sexualizing Schoolchildren: Classroom and Library Books - Daily Citizen (https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/sexualizing-schoolchildren-classroom-and-library-books/)

Books available in elementary schools:

Graphic Sex Depicted in Book at Fairport Elementary Schools (https://fairporteducationalalliance.org/news/f/graphic-sex-depicted-in-books-in-fairport-schools)

[Boomer]

Agree with most of your comments.
As to the sex act issue, I too questioned his statement. Do a search, it has happened at a number of school districts. I am not a fan of banning books, but some common sense
needs to take place regarding what is being offered for reading.
Additionally, the rewriting or erasing our history (by state education boards) should be of equal concern.


Thank you, Bogie,

That was too awful for me to believe. I am sad to hear it is really happening somewhere. You are right. There is no common sense in that one.

I am from Ohio. In recent Ohio news, it has been reported that there are parents who are home schooling their kids and teaching them to believe like Nazis. The state is looking into this and trying to figure out where to draw the line. I guess some of those in power in Ohio think that kind of home school teaching is just fine.

If this country does not find its middle, we are doomed.

Boomer

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

In 6th grade the girls in our class all had to watch a movie about "Becoming a Woman." It was about menstruation. It explained what menstruation is, why women get periods, what pads are, what tampons are and how they're used, what a hymen is (since using a tampon if your hymen is intact can be painful and it's important to know WHY it hurts, if that happens, and that it's nothing to panic about). Why women get periods was a brief introduction to human sexuality. Not "sensuality" - this wasn't about emotions and love and passion and boyfriends. It was about the reproductive system and the basic mechanics (a man blah blah into the woman's blah blah and the sperm travels up to fertilize the egg).

Using blah blah so as to not trigger the porn filters.

Mostly we - as sixth-grade girls - said "ewwwwwww" because most of us had just recently discovered boys as something more than "those smelly creatures who put worms in your gym shoes." We weren't quite sure what yet - but we got the idea that there was something there.

Most parents were grateful for this movie, because most parents didn't want to have "the talk" with their kids. Most parents weren't even convinced it'd be a good idea to let on to their adult children that they were the result of mommy and daddy having sex, at all. I couldn't even bring myself to admit that my parents were capable of having sex with each other until I was around 20. The very notion was just way too sordid. It's a shame, that there are still parents who loathe the idea of teaching their kids about something that is natural, healthy, and part of the cycle of life.

But that's another reason why it's so important to learn it in school. Otherwise - if not for school, they'll discover it on their own, as soon as their hormones start instructing them to.

[Boomer]

From the Google Machine:

"The school district told the station a sixth grade class accidentally left the books out where a fourth grade class found and read them.

School officials said it was an honest mistake.

But parents of some of those 4th graders who spoke to Fox 12 accused the school librarian of showing them to their children, even encouraging them to take the book home."

Explicit sex ed book causes controversy at Oregon elementary school | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/us/explicit-sex-ed-book-causes-controversy-at-oregon-elementary-school)

Middle School kids...

"Virginia Fairfax County school system pulled two books from their library shelves after a mother questioned the school board about why sexually explicit books were available at the school library. As reported in U.S. News, the book Lawn Boy, ”...an illustrated memoir, contains explicit illustrations of oral sex and masturbation.” Gender Queer “...contains graphic descriptions of sex between men and children.” As the mother read excerpts to the school board to prove her point, the school board members interrupted her when she read the graphic passages aloud because it was inappropriate for a school board meeting. They immediately removed the books. Then, as they do with all challenges, the school board created a committee to review the books. Unfortunately, the committee made the decision to reinstate these two books to school library shelves–available to kids in grades 7-12."

Shocking Sexual Content in School Books??? A Step-by-Step Plan for Speaking Up | Defend Young Minds™️ (https://www.defendyoungminds.com/post/shocking-sexual-content-school-books-plan-for-speaking-up)

Elementary and Middle Schools...

Sexualizing Schoolchildren: Classroom and Library Books - Daily Citizen (https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/sexualizing-schoolchildren-classroom-and-library-books/)

Books available in elementary schools:

Graphic Sex Depicted in Book at Fairport Elementary Schools (https://fairporteducationalalliance.org/news/f/graphic-sex-depicted-in-books-in-fairport-schools)

Mintz, Bogie just told me it was out there.

I was busy thanking Bogie in my above post and had not seen yours yet.

Whatinthehell is the matter with that school’s librarian. If that happened in the school where I taught, I know darned good and well that I would have formed a posse with my fellow seasoned teachers and we would have done everything we could to put a stop to that before it got that far.

When another educator does something like that, it hits all of us.

I am horrified and infuriated.

But they better leave Huck and Harper Lee alone. It’s not the same thing as some flipped out, over-thinking, over-reaching librarian making a stupid decision and bringing down the wrath of the book burners taking it as license to go after everything.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Boomer (Now, I think I better calm down and get back to watching Gunsmoke where things are so simple.)


PS: Btw, Mintz, you left my context behind when you quoted me. I was waxing on about the teaching of literature as it relates to teaching critical thinking skills. That is my frame of reference.

Now, back to Mr. Dillon……..

[JMintzer]

In 6th grade the girls in our class all had to watch a movie about "Becoming a Woman." It was about menstruation. It explained what menstruation is, why women get periods, what pads are, what tampons are and how they're used, what a hymen is (since using a tampon if your hymen is intact can be painful and it's important to know WHY it hurts, if that happens, and that it's nothing to panic about). Why women get periods was a brief introduction to human sexuality. Not "sensuality" - this wasn't about emotions and love and passion and boyfriends. It was about the reproductive system and the basic mechanics (a man blah blah into the woman's blah blah and the sperm travels up to fertilize the egg).

Using blah blah so as to not trigger the porn filters.

Mostly we - as sixth-grade girls - said "ewwwwwww" because most of us had just recently discovered boys as something more than "those smelly creatures who put worms in your gym shoes." We weren't quite sure what yet - but we got the idea that there was something there.

Most parents were grateful for this movie, because most parents didn't want to have "the talk" with their kids. Most parents weren't even convinced it'd be a good idea to let on to their adult children that they were the result of mommy and daddy having sex, at all. I couldn't even bring myself to admit that my parents were capable of having sex with each other until I was around 20. The very notion was just way too sordid. It's a shame, that there are still parents who loathe the idea of teaching their kids about something that is natural, healthy, and part of the cycle of life.

But that's another reason why it's so important to learn it in school. Otherwise - if not for school, they'll discover it on their own, as soon as their hormones start instructing them to.

And that is completely different than what I'm talking about...

[Bogie Shooter]

What school boards are "rewriting or erasing history"? Certainly not FL...

Please cite your sources...

Correction, I meant to say state governments….here are a few.

In South Dakota, the governor recently introduced legislation prohibiting K-12 and colleges from teaching a litany of lessons on racial horrors, including the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre of Lakota people by the U.S. Army.

State politicians in Alabama are expected to discuss a bill to stop colleges from teaching critical race theory. Thus, it would not allow teachers to take about why John Lewis was beaten during a voting rights march in 1965 or why knowing this part of Black history is important.

In Mississippi and Florida, legislators are considering bills that would ban history lessons if they will cause students discomfort, especially about their race.

The New Hampshire bill signed by its Republican governor in June 2021 prohibits “any doctrine or theory promoting a negative account or representation of the founding and history of the United States of America.”

Teaching Black History Month is especially fraught this year : NPR (https://www.npr.org/2022/02/19/1081987384/teaching-black-history-month-schools-bans-lawmakers-politics)

[JMintzer]

Correction, I meant to say state governments….here are a few.

In South Dakota, the governor recently introduced legislation prohibiting K-12 and colleges from teaching a litany of lessons on racial horrors, including the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre of Lakota people by the U.S. Army.

State politicians in Alabama are expected to discuss a bill to stop colleges from teaching critical race theory. Thus, it would not allow teachers to take about why John Lewis was beaten during a voting rights march in 1965 or why knowing this part of Black history is important.

In Mississippi and Florida, legislators are considering bills that would ban history lessons if they will cause students discomfort, especially about their race.

The New Hampshire bill signed by its Republican governor in June 2021 prohibits “any doctrine or theory promoting a negative account or representation of the founding and history of the United States of America.”

Teaching Black History Month is especially fraught this year : NPR (https://www.npr.org/2022/02/19/1081987384/teaching-black-history-month-schools-bans-lawmakers-politics)

Not teaching "Critical Race Theory" should have nothing to do with teaching about John Lewis... Completely separate issues...

And I'd like to see links to those other claims, as the synopsis given could be complete BS...


P.S. I just checked on the SD claim. Just as I thought... BS...

"As Noem pitched the bill in the Legislature, she insisted it would not water down historical facts like the Wounded Knee Massacre...."

[Bogie Shooter]

Not teaching "Critical Race Theory" should have nothing to do with teaching about John Lewis... Completely separate issues...

And I'd like to see links to those other claims, as the synopsis given could be complete BS...


P.S. I just checked on the SD claim. Just as I thought... BS...

"As Noem pitched the bill in the Legislature, she insisted it would not water down historical facts like the Wounded Knee Massacre...."
Seems everything is BS….. unless it’s posted by you.

As an aside, are you feeling well? You only had 20 posts yesterday……….

[JMintzer]

Seems everything is BS….. unless it’s posted by you.

As an aside, are you feeling well? You only had 20 posts yesterday……….

Said the guy with over 17K posts...

At least I back up what I say...

[JMintzer]

Seems everything is BS….. unless it’s posted by you.

As an aside, are you feeling well? You only had 20 posts yesterday……….

I noticed you didn't refute what I say... You just posted a lame attempt to insult me...

Oh, dear.. that's 2 more posts...

[Pairadocs]

Pay them professional wages. Not complicated

It's a start but, as a retired public school administrator (in 3 different and diverse states, one district with especially high salary schedule) I can tell you, money does NOT buy you the most dedicated, GENUINE, or talented teachers.

[Caymus]

I just finished reading Chapter 1003 section 42 of the 2022 Florida General Statutes. I came to this little ditty, that proves to me the legislators are barely literate themselves:



Does anyone here know the error, boys and girls? Answer: "awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence" as (both) the expected standard AND ALSO the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Reverse that:

The expected standard, which is also the consequence of teenage pregnancy, is equal to the awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence.

Translation for those watching at home:

The wording of this statute implies that a child who is taught to be aware of the benefits of sexual abstinence, will experience both the expected standard and teenage pregnancy, which is a consequence of that awareness.

I have zero faith in the educational system of Florida, to teach children anything meaningful. By 8th grade most of them are only as literate as 6th graders in more advanced states, but are pushed through with lower standards. By graduation, most of them aren't fit for much more than community college.

The ones who do end up going to college, go out of state, and don't come back.

Looks like Baltimore is doing well. I assume Maryland is an "advanced" state.

23 Baltimore schools have zero students proficient in math, per state test results | WBFF (https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/state-test-results-23-baltimore-schools-have-zero-students-proficient-in-math-jovani-patterson-maryland-comprehensive-assessment-program-maryland-governor-wes-moore)

[jimbomaybe]

Absolutely not, we don’t need indoctrination. Your welcome to do that to your kids not someone else’s.
You are so right!

"Originally Posted by bp243 View Post
Let teachers do their job which they’ve been trained to do. Stop the state control of what they teach and what students are allowed to discuss regarding the history of our country."
So parents should not interfere with independent, quasi governmental groups, independent of the government, instructing your children as to what is not only factual but relevant. There are large bodies of debatable facts on just about any subject. I pick and choose what facts are relevant to teach and discuss and moderate that discussion, you use different facts as relevant and it is obvious (to me) wrong headed, misguided and by such use of facts deceitful, perhaps hate speech. I don't know how to characterize the idea that parents should be out of the loop of what their children are taught. It has been my experience that public education is more apt to teach what to think rather than how to think, critical thinking not encouraged