If the District was to eliminate all identity-based curricula and phrase all of its priorities in terms of lifting up kids who come from low-income households, they would be helping the same population and have a strong legal argument that they are complying with the law even if the feds target the District. I cringe when I read Trump's …
If the District was to eliminate all identity-based curricula and phrase all of its priorities in terms of lifting up kids who come from low-income households, they would be helping the same population and have a strong legal argument that they are complying with the law even if the feds target the District. I cringe when I read Trump's executive orders. But I also cringe when I read the details of Deemar's complaint. And as far as DEI training for teachers, it's a waste of resources. There is no good evidence that such interventions achieve positive results. Elementary/middle schools must focus on their core mission of teaching the kids academic skills and knowledge that they will need for high school and beyond. If parents want, they can send their kids to private Hebrew School, Sunday School, or Social Justice School on the weekends.
Yeah, the professional development is strongly lacking in evidence that it works. Evanston has been doing Courageous Conversations / Beyond Diversity since 2007 in one form or another, and have yet to see any meaningful results.
I couldn’t agree more with all that you’ve said, Svetlana. I’ll note that the added bonus of focusing on socioeconomics is that such a focus will uplift a more diverse group of vulnerable kids and families. It is a more inclusive approach which “should” resonate in this town of all places. I always found the “you’re the wrong color brown” and the “sit down and wait your turn” to be truly horrific responses (ones all too common in the D65 parents/guardians page) when common sense things like this were brought up over the past 4+ years.
If the District was to eliminate all identity-based curricula and phrase all of its priorities in terms of lifting up kids who come from low-income households, they would be helping the same population and have a strong legal argument that they are complying with the law even if the feds target the District. I cringe when I read Trump's executive orders. But I also cringe when I read the details of Deemar's complaint. And as far as DEI training for teachers, it's a waste of resources. There is no good evidence that such interventions achieve positive results. Elementary/middle schools must focus on their core mission of teaching the kids academic skills and knowledge that they will need for high school and beyond. If parents want, they can send their kids to private Hebrew School, Sunday School, or Social Justice School on the weekends.
Yeah, the professional development is strongly lacking in evidence that it works. Evanston has been doing Courageous Conversations / Beyond Diversity since 2007 in one form or another, and have yet to see any meaningful results.
I couldn’t agree more with all that you’ve said, Svetlana. I’ll note that the added bonus of focusing on socioeconomics is that such a focus will uplift a more diverse group of vulnerable kids and families. It is a more inclusive approach which “should” resonate in this town of all places. I always found the “you’re the wrong color brown” and the “sit down and wait your turn” to be truly horrific responses (ones all too common in the D65 parents/guardians page) when common sense things like this were brought up over the past 4+ years.