Education thread

[billy.pilgrim]

From refusing to allow students to watch the Inauguration to allowing the Qmoron parent to opt out, school administrators are not allowing teachers to show the Inauguration.

School administrators from superintendents to principals are notoriously republicans, republicans who refuse to accept the election are in th 60 to 80% range.
They are claiming that possible violence shouldn't be shown to students. (Because no way these kids saw any of the violence from the 5th running 24/7 on the TV at home.

We all watched Kennedy's head explode and that was when nation news was 30 minutes at 5:30.

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learnin ... ar/2021/01

[Vrede too]

From refusing to allow students to watch the Inauguration to allowing the Qmoron parent to opt out, school administrators are not allowing teachers to show the Inauguration....

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learnin ... ar/2021/01

No surprise, here's the GOP reaction to DeVos' departure:

Pelosi blasts GOP leaders for putting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Education Committee

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday blasted Republican leadership for giving Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a seat on the Education Committee despite the freshman congresswoman’s apparent belief in baseless conspiracy theories about the Newtown, Conn., and Parkland, Fla., school shootings.

“What I’m concerned about is the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives who were willing to overlook, ignore those statements,” Pelosi said during her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill when asked about Greene’s rhetoric.

“Assigning her to the Education Committee when she has mocked the killing of little children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when she has mocked the killing of teenagers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — what could they be thinking? Or is ‘thinking’ too generous a word for what they might be doing? It’s absolutely appalling.”

Pelosi said the “focus” should be on GOP leaders, and that Greene’s presence on the Education Committee showed the “disregard they have for the death of those children.”

“It’s really beyond the pale,” the House speaker said....

Parkland Rep. Ted Deutch says Marjorie Taylor Greene should be expelled from Congress

...



Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, who represents Parkland in Washington, said Thursday he supports an effort to expel one of his colleagues, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who expressed support on social media for executing congressional leaders and liked posts that described the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High as a “false flag planned shooting.”

“I do believe she doesn’t belong in the House of Representatives,” Deutch said.

In recent days, Greene’s incendiary social media posts and videos from 2018 and 2019 have resurfaced, with the videos showing her harassing Parkland survivor and gun control advocate David Hogg. Greene shouted at Hogg, followed him around on Capitol Hill calling him a “coward,” said she has a concealed weapon permit and told him she carries a gun.

California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez introduced a resolution for Greene’s expulsion on Wednesday evening, the first formal effort to punish her in Congress.

“As if it weren’t enough to amplify conspiracy theories that the September 11 attacks were an inside job and the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was staged, a string of recent media reports has now confirmed that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene had previously supported social media posts calling for political violence against the Speaker of the House, members of Congress and former President Barack Obama,” Gomez said in a statement. “Such advocacy for extremism and sedition not only demands her immediate expulsion from Congress, but it also merits strong and clear condemnation from all of her Republican colleagues.”

In a statement to the Miami Herald, Greene did not apologize for her past activities, saying, “Democrats and their spokesmen in the Fake News Media will stop at nothing to defeat conservative Republicans.”

Broward Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Thursday she will introduce a resolution to remove Greene from her committee assignments if Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy won’t do it. Wasserman Schultz and Deutch were particularly alarmed that Greene was assigned to the House Education and Labor Committee, which has oversight over federal education policy, because of her past social media activity that questioned both the Parkland shooting, in which 17 people died, and the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where 20 children and six staff members died....

Expelling a member of Congress is the most serious punishment a sitting member can face from their colleagues, and expelling Greene for her behavior is without precedent. Only five U.S. House members have ever been expelled, and it requires a two-thirds vote. Three were expelled in 1861 for supporting the Confederacy, while one was expelled in 1980 after being convicted of bribery and another was expelled in 2002 after being convicted of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion....

McCarthy has previously removed members of his party from their committees. In 2019, he kicked former Iowa Rep. Steve King off two committees after King, who had a history of racist remarks, said, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?”

... As of Thursday, no House Republicans have called for Greene’s expulsion, though a small minority have publicly criticized her.

Greene has promoted the lie that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election and garnered attention after winning a Republican primary for a heavily conservative seat in northern Georgia last year. But calls for her ouster grew louder this week after a CNN report indicating her support for executing members of Congress in 2018 and 2019. After the CNN report, Parkland parent Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was one of the 17 Parkland shooting victims, shared videos of Greene harassing Hogg and other March For Our Lives activists as they tried to lobby members of Congress to support gun control legislation.

Guttenberg said in an interview with the Miami Herald that Greene needs to go.

“I’ve been calling on [her expulsion] for days,” Guttenberg said. “Pretty much all my time is focused on Kevin McCarthy and the need to expel her from office.”

... Deutch said the vast majority of his constituents and Parkland families are tired of conspiracy theories about the deaths of their loved ones, and Greene doesn’t deserve the megaphone that comes with being a member of Congress.

“As really disgusting as her approach has been to the families in my district, to the survivors of Stoneman Douglas, she shouldn’t have a platform of sitting on a committee,” Deutch said. “McCarthy should take her office away.”

Repugs despise children.

[neoplacebo]

It's really a shame that we no longer have the cat fan or the peaceful partier to explain to us why the GOP hate America, education, and why they shit on the basic tenets of their religion while professing their righteousness at every turn. I sure don't understand them.

[Vrede too]

It's really a shame that we no longer have the cat fan or the peaceful partier to explain to us why the GOP hate America, education, and why they shit on the basic tenets of their religion while professing their righteousness at every turn. I sure don't understand them.

I miss you trashing them, too.

Student Tells The Bidens What She Was Really Doing During Zoom Classes

A group of elementary school students in Virginia schooled President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the secret benefits of remote learning on Monday.

The Bidens were visiting Yorktown Elementary School to promote the president’s infrastructure program and speak to a group of fifth graders about their pandemic-era educational experience....

“If you don’t know the question, you can just pretend like your mic doesn’t work,” she said....

[neoplacebo]

It's really a shame that we no longer have the cat fan or the peaceful partier to explain to us why the GOP hate America, education, and why they shit on the basic tenets of their religion while professing their righteousness at every turn. I sure don't understand them.

I miss you trashing them, too.

Student Tells The Bidens What She Was Really Doing During Zoom Classes

A group of elementary school students in Virginia schooled President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on the secret benefits of remote learning on Monday.

The Bidens were visiting Yorktown Elementary School to promote the president’s infrastructure program and speak to a group of fifth graders about their pandemic-era educational experience....

“If you don’t know the question, you can just pretend like your mic doesn’t work,” she said....

Yeah, me too. And your quoting the "if you don't know the question, you can just pretend..." reminded me of the cat fan and the pitiful partier and how neither ever had a credible explanation for anything they'd post. Sort of like being stuck in the Suez Canal with no money.

[Vrede too]

Yeah, me too. And your quoting the "if you don't know the question, you can just pretend..." reminded me of the cat fan and the pitiful partier and how neither ever had a credible explanation for anything they'd post. Sort of like being stuck in the Suez Canal with no money.

Yep, they're also irresponsible children.

[Vrede too]

Elementary school principal killed by husband in murder-suicide, Texas officials say

... The death of 35-year-old Erica Rene Allen occurred in the front yard of her home and was witnessed by neighbors, according to the League City Police Department. Allen is the principal at Heights Elementary School in Texas City.

Her husband, 40-year-old Nicholas Allen, went inside the home after shooting his wife, police say. Police secured the home and went inside about three hours later. Officers found the husband dead “with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to police.

Their 7 and 2-year-old children located inside the house were unharmed, police said....

Allen’s husband was the assistant principal at Wells Middle School in a nearby school district, KPRC reported....

Asshole. Literally hundreds of kids at 2 schools will be traumatized by this, along with his own kids and neighbors.

[neoplacebo]

Elementary school principal killed by husband in murder-suicide, Texas officials say

... The death of 35-year-old Erica Rene Allen occurred in the front yard of her home and was witnessed by neighbors, according to the League City Police Department. Allen is the principal at Heights Elementary School in Texas City.

Her husband, 40-year-old Nicholas Allen, went inside the home after shooting his wife, police say. Police secured the home and went inside about three hours later. Officers found the husband dead “with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to police.

Their 7 and 2-year-old children located inside the house were unharmed, police said....

Allen’s husband was the assistant principal at Wells Middle School in a nearby school district, KPRC reported....

Asshole. Literally hundreds of kids at 2 schools will be traumatized by this, along with his own kids and neighbors.

A lot of times these kind of love stories cause collateral damage. Love is damn near as bad as religion.

[Vrede too]

Akeelah and the Bee

A young girl from South Los Angeles tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Life imitates art:

Zaila Avant-garde Becomes First African American To Win Scripps Spelling Bee



Fourteen-year-old Zaila Avant-garde has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee — and $50,000.

She crushed the competition with the winning word, "murraya," a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees and celebrated with a twirl onstage under the confetti. But not before she got the judges to crack smiles by sneaking in a Bill Murray joke. (We won't explain the joke for you — watch the champ execute it herself)

... National spelling champ isn't the only title to her name. Avant-garde holds three Guinness World Records for her basketball talents: the most bounce juggles in 1 minute with four basketballs, the most basketball bounces in 30 seconds with four basketballs, and ties the record for most basketballs dribbled at once — 6 — by one person....

First lady Jill Biden, an educator herself, was there to witness the drama.



...

Perhaps too nitpicky, but when did FLOTUS become a "United States government official"?

Different article:

Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old eighth grader from Harvey, Louisiana, smiled and twirled her way to the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship Thursday, becoming the first African-American winner in the spelling competition's 96-year history, and the second Black champion ever following Jamaican-based Jody Anne-Maxwell's win in 1998.

According to Zaila, even though she practiced for the competition seven hours a day, spelling is just her side hobby. The new spelling bee champ is also a basketball prodigy, who holds three basketball-related Guinness World Records, hopes to attend Harvard, play in the WNBA and maybe even become an NBA coach one day. That is if she doesn't end up becoming a NASA scientist.

Zaila's winning word was "murraya," which is a type of tree, and, before her big win, she made a Bill Murray joke, which stole the hearts of many viewers across the country, who took to Twitter calling her "a boss."

"Murraya. Does this word contain, like, the English name 'Murray,' which could be the name of a comedian," asked Zaila. The moderator laughed before saying, "Bill Murray made the spelling bee." ...

[billy.pilgrim]

But, but, but black people can't. It must be fake news.

Way to go girl, keep it up.

[Vrede too]

But, but, but black people can't. It must be fake news.

Way to go girl, keep it up.

I'm more impressed that she's from Louisiana.

I saw some clips of her basketball, both in games and her dribbling records. Worth looking up on YT. The girl's got game!

[Vrede too]

It's really a shame that we no longer have the cat fan or the peaceful partier to explain to us why the GOP hate America, education, and why they shit on the basic tenets of their religion while professing their righteousness at every turn. I sure don't understand them.

Yeah, their explanations would be interesting. It's STILL August:

Over 20,000 Mississippi students under quarantine after 1st week of school

... Mississippi, which has the lowest vaccination rate among all states — about 34%, according to state data — is reeling from rising COVID-19 cases and the highly transmissible delta variant. Last week, a 13-year-old eighth grader died after testing positive — the fifth Mississippi child to die during the pandemic.

Some schools reopened last week, and so far 4,521 students have tested positive for COVID-19 and 20,334 have been quarantined due to exposure — about 5% of the state's public school students, according to data compiled by the state Aug. 9 to Aug. 13 from over 800 schools.

Additionally, 948 teachers or staffers tested positive last week and 1,463 were quarantined due to exposure, according to state data....

Additionally, 948 teachers or staffers tested positive last week and 1,463 were quarantined due to exposure, according to state data....

Mississippi govt and school leaders need remedial biology, health, and if-then statements.

Washington State announces strictest school vaccine mandate in the U.S.

All Washington state teachers and school staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under a new employment condition announced by Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The requirement that includes school bus drivers and volunteers in the public and private sectors marks the strictest vaccine mandate for schools in the U.S. Staff have to be vaccinated by Oct. 18 or face the threat of being fired....

* Inslee also announced Wednesday that he's expanding a statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces to include everyone, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

* The Democratic governor this month imposed a vaccine mandate for most state employees and health care workers....

Next up, vaccine mandates for public school students once there's full FDA approval for all ages.

[O Really]

What's more, the state wasn't having it from WaSU football coach Nick Rolovich when he declined the vax. He's now decided to comply - apparently they told him if he didn't, there were probably other people who would like his job and 3.5mil salary.

[Vrede too]

What's more, the state wasn't having it from WaSU football coach Nick Rolovich when he declined the vax. He's now decided to comply - apparently they told him if he didn't, there were probably other people who would like his job and 3.5mil salary.

A head coach with a 29-30 record, 1-3 last year at WSU, ain't got much space to throw tantrums in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Rolo ... ing_record

[Vrede too]

Interesting analysis:

How Educational Differences Are Widening America's Political Rift

[Vrede too]

What's more, the state wasn't having it from WaSU football coach Nick Rolovich when he declined the vax. He's now decided to comply - apparently they told him if he didn't, there were probably other people who would like his job and 3.5mil salary.

He might be fired in 9 days, the only hardcore Power 5 anti-vaxxer.
https://sports.yahoo.com/ex-hawaii-coac ... 33671.html

[O Really]

What's more, the state wasn't having it from WaSU football coach Nick Rolovich when he declined the vax. He's now decided to comply - apparently they told him if he didn't, there were probably other people who would like his job and 3.5mil salary.

He might be fired in 9 days, the only hardcore Power 5 anti-vaxxer.
https://sports.yahoo.com/ex-hawaii-coac ... 33671.html

If he had been a bit more vocal in his "religious" objection, stated up front that he would seek an exemption, and been a bit less of an asshole, they might have let him get by with it. And it would have helped if he was 6-0 instead of 3-3. But as far as was ever reported, this is the first time he's mentioned a religious exemption, so I'd think they'd look at it pretty hard. He's probably just setting up a reason for a lawsuit since he wouldn't get his buy-out if he won't get vaxxed.

[Vrede too]

If he had been a bit more vocal in his "religious" objection, stated up front that he would seek an exemption, and been a bit less of an asshole, they might have let him get by with it. And it would have helped if he was 6-0 instead of 3-3. But as far as was ever reported, this is the first time he's mentioned a religious exemption, so I'd think they'd look at it pretty hard. He's probably just setting up a reason for a lawsuit since he wouldn't get his buy-out if he won't get vaxxed.

Which religions are anti-vax, anyhow? Are authorities granting these BS exemptions?

More CV-19 impact on education:

Profanity, screaming, threats: Hampton Roads school boards become battleground

... What before the pandemic was an often overlooked part of civic life is back at the forefront of the culture wars: Fights over reopening turned into fights over masks and vaccines, all of that happening simultaneously to districts and boards’ embrace of efforts to make schools more equitable places after George Floyd’s murder.

The vitriol reached a fever pitch this summer across the country and in Hampton Roads, where police have investigated threats to shoot Virginia Beach School Board members before ultimately determining it to be “posturing.” People have screamed at board members that they were going to hell, and several meetings have been gaveled into recess after speakers either screamed profanities or made profane gestures.

Some local board members say they take increased security precautions after their houses have been egged, their cars scratched and firecrackers set off in their yards in the middle of the night. Once the resulting fire was out, the chairwoman of Suffolk’s board said she found a note telling her she better vote to reopen schools....

The article mentions that we've seen this before with desegregation and busing. Sex Ed and LGBTQ tolerance also come to mind. Perhaps one difference is the whiny GQP's overt support for terrorism:

As FBI investigates school board threats, NC political leaders split along party lines

... U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced this month that he would have the FBI investigate the “disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.”

Democrats say the probe will help protect school board members who are worried about their safety during a time of heightened tension. But Republicans are charging that the investigation is meant to intimidate parents who are opposed to requiring face masks and the use of what they call Critical Race Theory in schools.

“We are concerned about the appearance of the Department of Justice policing the speech of citizens and concerned parents, North Carolina U.S. Senator Thom Tillis and the other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote in a letter Thursday to Garland.

“We urge you to make very clear to the American public that the Department of Justice will not interfere with the rights of parents to come before school boards and speak with educators about their concerns, whether regarding coronavirus-related measures, the teaching of critical race theory in schools, sexually explicit books in schools, or any other topic.” ...

[O Really]

If he had been a bit more vocal in his "religious" objection, stated up front that he would seek an exemption, and been a bit less of an asshole, they might have let him get by with it. And it would have helped if he was 6-0 instead of 3-3. But as far as was ever reported, this is the first time he's mentioned a religious exemption, so I'd think they'd look at it pretty hard. He's probably just setting up a reason for a lawsuit since he wouldn't get his buy-out if he won't get vaxxed.

Which religions are anti-vax, anyhow? Are authorities granting these BS exemptions?

Well, none of the ones you've ever heard of. But if you look at the form used for exemptions that existed before covid, there are differences in claiming exemption for your kid and for yourself. If you're claiming it for your kid, then it has to be tied to some church, or reasonable facsimile thereof. If you're claiming for yourself, it doesn't. But if you're just making it up as you go along, your request would be subject to greater scrutiny. As far as I know, these BS religious exemptions are few (and IMNVHO should be non-existent). Believe what you want, but if you're mingling with the public, you're getting the effin' shot.

[Vrede too]

17 Florida school district workers have died from COVID since August

... Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has banned universal mask mandates in Florida schools. In September, he signed an emergency rule that schools can require masks, but that parents and guardians can opt out of the requirement under their "sole discretion." In that same rule, students who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic are allowed to continue going to school, a decision that goes against guidance from the CDC....

Mass murderer DeSantis should be sued and criminally charged.