This letter is in support of Senate Bill 5462 and Senate Bill 5441 that was opposed by Chronicle columnist Brian Mittge.
I have read each bill, but I only have space to discuss one. SB 5462 states it “promotes inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools. School Board Responsibilities. State law identifies certain responsibilities of school district boards of directors including: establishing final curriculum standards consistent with law and OSPI rules, relevant to the particular needs or the unusual characteristics of the district, and ensuring a quality education for each student in the district; and evaluating teaching materials, including text books, teaching aids, handouts or other printed materials, in public hearing upon complaint by parents, guardians, or custodians of students who consider dissemination of such material to students objections”
The school board will establish a student curriculum, relevant to the particular needs or the unusual characteristics of the district. A public hearing can be heard if there are objections. What’s the objection? There is no lack of local control in this bill.
I am concerned about the opposition to the two bills that include cultural, racial and gender education.
Local school districts have traditionally been biased against any history except European history. It has only been in the last 10 to 15 years that history has written about people other than Europeans and their contributions to the United States development, evolution and wealth. For example, African Americans have had unsurpassed military units in every war since the Revolutionary War. But this history has been suppressed.
People have protested critical race theory at our local school boards. These people are racist and bigots and are active. If these people are elected to local school boards, they will control and include only European history and what they think are European, Christian values.
Another example: A friend’s daughter, in a Christian School, was talking about lesbianism to a friend, trying to understand what the term meant. A school mate told her parents, who told other parents. These Christians had the student kicked out of school, without any discussion. An innocent child suffered because of bigoted, Christian values.
Is this what we want in our schools or do we want all children to be treated fairly? Fortunately, the state has said you have to treat all students equally. Lewis County is a very conservative and Christian county. Florida has already implemented confederacy education in their schools; banning books by any author that isn’t white or European. If caught teaching any other well-known author, a teacher can lose their job or be fined a large amount or a student can be kicked out of school. Just like the student mentioned above in the Lewis County school.
Without some type of oversight or policies by the state, the same thing most likely would happen in Lewis County.
Judy Bell
Centralia
