So why are school systems relying on their guidance for developing curriculum and educational resources?
I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle, for the evolution from a democracy to a theocracy seems to be accelerating at an alarming pace.
My county decided to give the school board unilateral authority over the “deselection” (read: banning) of books from our public school libraries.
In the August school board meeting, the board decided to force a group of librarians to review book titles recommended for “deselection” by Moms for Liberty, using a resource that this same organization authored called BookLooks.
Ugh. This school board. Of course, I had some things to say about this:
Dear School Board:
Why are you taking direction from Moms for Liberty in determining curriculum and available literature for HCPS students?
This group is a religious organization and an extremist group, not a beacon of educational leadership.
You already have educators with advanced degrees employed by HCPS. They are your librarians. To ask them to “review” books based on a book review service penned by Moms for Liberty is an egregious turn of events and goes against the very policy about book reviewing you put in place in June.
Eliminating every book on the list that Moms for Liberty has provided on their website will gravely affect programs like Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Dual Enrollment, all from which my now young adults benefitted.
Religion has no role in educating our children in a public school system.
I always feared that theocracy would trickle down from the top layers of government, and to some extent it has. But the bigger danger is that it’s percolating up from the bottom, with religious groups infiltrating our local governments like sewage from a bad septic tank. As a recovering Christian and survivor of religious trauma, I know firsthand that Christianity does not always equate with morality.
Our Founding Fathers intended for there to be a separation of Church and State, and allowing groups like Alliance Defending Freedom and Moms for Liberty to influence your decisions goes against their beliefs. We are not a Christian nation. Christianity has no business in our schools.
“Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”
- Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Please remember Thomas Jefferson’s words when considering the voices that influence your decisions moving forward. And stop listening without your ears to the educated voices in your midst, many of whom you have hired.
Of course, I will get a generic response back from the board member from my district, insisting that their way is right.
For reference, Alliance Defending Freedom is another extremist organization that advised our school board in writing their dreadful transgender bathroom policy.
I did not speak at the August school board meeting. I was a little burned out. But I will keep writing emails and keep showing up.
I was a part of the effort to get a referendum on the ballot in November to allow our citizens to vote about having an elected school board. I don’t know if it will be any better than the system we have of appointing them as we do now, but I have hope that choosing will improve the makeup of our board.
Again, I’m forever grateful that my kids are now out of this system and both in college. But I have to keep fighting with my friends who are still dealing with this system.
___________
Is this same script being dealt to your school district? Are you doing anything to fight back? I’d love to hear about it!
Lead photo is my original art.
As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Anne the Vegan 