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* NPR on Alabama…
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday announced she replaced her director of early childhood education over the use of a teacher training book, written by a nationally recognized education group, that the Republican governor denounced as teaching “woke concepts” because of language about inclusion and structural racism.
Barbara Cooper was forced out as as head of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education after Ivey expressed concern over the distribution of the book to state-run pre-kindergartens. Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola identified the book as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice Book, 4th edition. Maiola said she understands that the books have been removed from the state classrooms.
“The education of Alabama’s children is my top priority as governor, and there is absolutely no room to distract or take away from this mission. Let me be crystal clear: Woke concepts that have zero to do with a proper education and that are divisive at the core have no place in Alabama classrooms at any age level, let alone with our youngest learners,” Ivey said in a statement. […]
The governor’s office said Ivey first asked Cooper to “send a memo to disavow this book and to immediately discontinue its use.” Ivey’s office did not say how Cooper responded but that the governor made the decision to replace Cooper and accepted her resignation. Cooper could not immediately be reached for comment.
* From the Sunshine State via Politico…
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo personally altered a state-driven study about Covid-19 vaccines last year to suggest that some doses pose a significantly higher health risk for young men than had been established by the broader medical community, according to a newly obtained document.
Ladapo’s changes, released as part of a public records request, presented the risks of cardiac death to be more severe than previous versions of the study. He later used the final document in October to bolster disputed claims that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were dangerous to young men.
The surgeon general, a well-known Covid-19 vaccine skeptic, faced a backlash from the medical community after he made the assertions, which go against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics. But Ladapo’s statements aligned well with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stance against mandatory Covid-19 vaccination.
Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Florida, who viewed Ladapo’s edits on the study and have followed the issue closely, criticized the surgeon general for making the changes. One said it appears Ladapo altered the study out of political — not scientific — concerns.
* CBS News on Florida…
A Port St. Lucie gay pride parade has been canceled and other pride events have been restricted to people 21 years and older in anticipation of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a bill meant to keep children out of drag shows.
The Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast posted Wednesday on Facebook that the decision to change this Saturday’s Pridefest events was made after multiple conversations with Port St. Lucie officials.
“We hope that everyone understands that this is definitely not what we wanted at all and are working with the city to assure our safety as well as produce a positive event,” the post said.
The Florida House sent DeSantis a bill Wednesday that bans children from adult performances, a proposal aimed at the governor’s opposition to drag shows.
* Maybe more than a little conflict of interest here…
Yesterday the Texas House passed a bill to put armed officers at every school in the state—but @reptinderholt inserted an amendment to allow contracts with private security, instead of police.
Turns out Tinderholt is senior partner at a private security company. pic.twitter.com/FbD6E23I18
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) April 25, 2023
Public schools in Texas would have to prominently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting next school year under a bill the Texas Senate approved Thursday.
Senate Bill 1515 by Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, now heads to the House for consideration.
This is the latest attempt from Texas Republicans to inject religion into public schools. In 2021, state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican, authored a bill that became law requiring schools to display donated “In God We Trust” signs.
King said during a committee hearing earlier this month that the Ten Commandments are part of American heritage and it’s time to bring them back into the classroom. He said the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for his bill after it sided with Joe Kennedy, a high school football coach in Washington state who was fired for praying at football games. The court ruled that was praying as a private citizen, not as an employee of the district.
* Meanwhile, in Missouri…
Missouri this month became the first state in the country to severely restrict gender treatments for people of all ages, following a series of quieter moves across the country that have been chipping away at transgender adults’ access to medical care. […]
Missouri’s sweeping new policy took a different approach. Citing consumer protection laws meant to regulate fraud, the state attorney general, Andrew Bailey, issued an emergency rule prohibiting doctors from providing gender treatments to patients — of any age — unless they adhere to a slew of significant restrictions, including 18 months of psychological assessment. The rule also said that patients should not receive gender treatments until any mental health issues are “resolved.”
The onerous restrictions amount to a “de facto ban,” said Gillian Branstetter, a communications strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union, whose Missouri chapter announced its intent to file a legal challenge to the rule. […]
Missouri’s new policy goes into effect on April 27 and expires in February 2024, when the state legislature will be back in session. (Two bills that would have banned care for minors — and prohibited Medicaid from covering it for all ages — have not advanced in this year’s session.)
* Exactly the opposite of Rep. Cassidy’s HB1533. From Missouri…
The Missouri state senate recently approved a bill to block local ordinances restricting the practice of veterinary medicine, but it is specifically aimed at overturning St. Louis’s ban on cat declawing. If a House committee approves the bill, it will then be taken up by the full House.
State Sen. Justin Brown is the sponsor of the declawing bill—as well as last year’s trigger ban on most abortions. He argued that medical professionals and their patients should be able to determine what procedures are medically necessary or not, sans government interference. Unfortunately for anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good scratching post, it fully appears the irony is lost on him.
“It interferes with the patient-client relationship with the practitioner,” Brown said, echoing similar arguments made by doctors and other experts regarding abortion restrictions. “I think that needs to be between the practicing veterinarian and the owner of the pet.”
In other words, “we simply don’t want politicians in our emergency departments or exam rooms.” Oh, wait … (checks notes) … that one’s from an ad signed by 300 doctors opposing abortion restrictions. The arguments sound so similar, it’s easy to get confused!
* Mississippi…
The NAACP filed a lawsuit Friday to challenge new legislation signed by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves that expands the state’s law enforcement reach in the city of Jackson and implements major changes to its judicial system.
The laws signed Friday “represent a state takeover of Jackson” and strip residents of their right to democratically elect leaders, the NAACP said in a statement.
One of the laws, SB 2343, will expand the state-controlled Capitol Police jurisdiction from its current boundaries around state buildings to a substantially larger portion of the city. The other, HB 1020, will establish a new court system within the boundaries of a state-created district. […]
Critics have strongly opposed the two bills as they went through the state legislature, saying such changes would put mostly White, conservative state officials in control over much of a Democratic city where more than 80% of residents are Black.
* Indiana’s bill on trans student name changes is heading to Gov. Holcomb…
Indiana schools would be required to notify parents if their child requests a name or pronoun change at school under a bill approved Monday by the state House despite worries that the step could out young transgender people to their families.
The Republican-dominated House voted 63-28 largely along party lines to send the bill to GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb for his consideration after it won the Senate’s endorsement two weeks ago.
The proposal would require school officials to provide written notification to a child’s parent or guardian within five business days of the child asking to be called a different “pronoun, title, or word,” according to the bill.
Supporters argued the approach would empower parents. Republican state Rep. Michelle Davis, a lead sponsor of the bill, said it would put parents in control of “introducing sensitive topics to their children.”
Opponents derided the proposal during legislative hearings as an attack on the state’s LGBTQ+ students, especially young transgender people. Like Indiana, Republican-led legislatures around the country have been seeking to curb LGBTQ+ rights, especially targeting transgender people’s everyday lives — including sports, health care, workplaces and schools.
* “Italy Strips Some Gay Couples of Parental Recognition” from the Wall Street Journal…
[Italy’s] crackdown on birth certificates [for children of married gay parents] is part of a broader campaign against same-sex parenthood led by Ms. Meloni, who has frequently spoken out against what she calls “the LGBTQ lobby” and in defense of Christian family values.
Ms. Meloni comes from a far-right background but has worked hard to burnish her credentials as a mainstream conservative, pursuing establishment-friendly policies on economics and foreign affairs.
At the same time, her government has sought to keep its right-wing voters happy with hard-line stances on immigration, gay rights and national identity.
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:10 am
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These people have gone insane.
Comment by The Truth Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:11 am
“Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic understanding of how the world works.” - Carl Sagan
Comment by Moved East Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:19 am
It seems the party of small government has some pretty big ideas for how people should live their lives, and how the government should enforce those ideas.
They have always been like this, but are much more emboldened today.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:21 am
=the Ten Commandments are part of American heritage and it’s time to bring them back into the classroom.=
This would be funny if it wasn’t so stupid.
= and in defense of Christian family values.=
Given the history of the catholic church she may want to rethink her use of “christian family values”.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:22 am
The most important thing here in Illinois is to look at the cultists who want Illinois to be… Alabama, Missouri, Texas, Florida… and the reason why they want that is that they want it labeled as “freedom” and “all should be heard”… but each and every instance is the reduction of rights for those non-cultists that majority voters agree with on some of these policies… and a fear of “replacement”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:23 am
“… would have to prominently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom … .”
Which version? This isn’t an academic question, either (Exodus 20:2-17 vs. Deuteronomy 5:6-21, ignoring the other versions). What happens when a child comes home from school and tells the family the school said (s)he was wrong about the 10 Commandments?
Ian Paisley ranting & raving about this very question help jump-start 30+ years of terrorism in Northern Ireland.
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:27 am
“Maybe more than a little conflict of interest here…”
You don’t need to look so far for police trying to run this scam. Gerry McCarthy was trying to run it on D64 last summer. Feel free to pull up his public comment to the Board to hear him offer his unspecified plan to make school shootings impossible, a plan that he’s apparently unwilling to share for free, but only if you hire him as a consultant. Even had one of his fellow CPD pensioners there to tell all the sheltered suburbanites that we don’t know what it’s like out there on the mean streets so we better put cops in our middle schools.
This was all right after the country watched hundreds of cops let children get slaughtered in a classroom at Uvalde, so the timing was really perfect.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:29 am
That is legit all I have strength for after reading this post.
Comment by Loyal Virus Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:33 am
The best rule of thumb when it comes to the phony Christians…
Remember… when these phonies talk about “Christian” values but want “Old Testament” things… they are not invoking anything in “Christian” values, they want the anger in ways the New Testament warns about… the hypocrites and Pharisees
It’s also adorable that those likely concerned about “value signaling” don’t see the value signaling they want … shrouded as “Christian”
They should read Matthew a bit closer.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:34 am
I’m betting that the mental giants in Texas wouldn’t be so happy about some of the commandments from the Koran being posted in schools. These “we need God in our schools” nut jobs don’t seem to understand that the 1st Amendment protects all religions and that they should be careful what they wish for when they want to stick God into the public sphere.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:46 am
==The education of Alabama’s children is my top priority as governor==
No, it’s not. Not when you and your ilk want to pretend that part of our history simply didn’t happen
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:47 am
Who needs facts to run institutions and make laws when you have feelings and beliefs?
Emma Lazarus’s poem should be amended to “Give me your tired and poor…so long as they look, think, and act like me.”
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:48 am
My cats would like a word with Justin Brown.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 11:57 am
–phony Christians–
There’s no reason to include the word phony.
It’s ALL made up. Not adhering to certain made up nonsense, doesn’t make them ‘phony’ anymore than those who do adhere to certain made up nonsense. One group of christians picks and chooses what they want to follow or ignore, to allow them to persecute or control a certain group. The other group of christians chooses different things to follow or ignore, for the same reasons.
Neither is more or less phony than the other.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:05 pm
This is just beginning. Illinois and other forward-thinking states stand to benefit from red states going back to the dark ages and should work to attract residents and businesses. The red states stand to be backwaters. This is what the spelunkers want for Illinois: bigotry and poverty, a body politic more than willing to hurt itself for the benefit of GOP mega donors and steeped in hatred and fear of the historically disadvantaged.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:07 pm
=== There’s no reason to include the word phony.
It’s ALL made up. Not adhering to certain made up nonsense, doesn’t make them ‘phony’ anymore than those who do adhere to certain made up nonsense.===
A discussion to atheists or those who believe in a God, if you want that discussion, have at it.
My own point is the premise that a phony Christian looking at the Old Testament and is also what Matthew warns in hypocrites and Pharisees.
This country was founded too on the idea of freedom to worship while not making any worship required of the citizenry, while now we have phony Christians that say the founding need not look at freedom of worship.
Your thoughts are not my point.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:11 pm
== ==The education of Alabama’s children is my top priority as governor==
That’s why she’s raiding the state’s education trust fund and using $100M on prison construction. (and a water park, among other “educational” projects).
tinyurl.com/yc2a6n2y
At least she isn’t giving any of the money to Brett Favre.
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:12 pm
–The governor’s office said Ivey first asked Cooper to “send a memo to disavow this book and to immediately discontinue its use.” **Ivey’s office did not say how Cooper responded** –
This is one of those times when saying nothing, says everything.
The response to the gov was probably a 3-word imperative clause.
“verb-imperative form verb-reflexive pronoun”
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:12 pm
–while now we have phony Christians–
“Your thoughts are not my point.”
Correct. Your thoughts are the point.
“is also what Matthew warns in hypocrites and Pharisees.”
That’s a bold citation, from a book with hundreds of internal contradictions.
They aren’t phony anymore than you are. You are free to be that and ignore the corruption and contradictions within your beliefs - and even quote them to try to prove your point, just as they are.
If you don’t like the word phony, then don’t bring your same beliefs into the discussion and then complain when it too is called phony in the same manner you are doing to others by your own words.
Leave religion out of it. Completely. That means not using your religion to try to prove the religion of someone else ‘wrong’.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:24 pm
=== Leave religion out of it. Completely. That means not using your religion to try to prove the religion of someone else ‘wrong’.===
Friend,
Pointing out that “cherry picked” religion was the point.
I’m sorry my comment triggered you.
Considering I stated that I agreed with the founding of the country that religion is not part of our national existence, and that the phony Christians are phony due in large part that Christianity isn’t in any part of the Old Testament, I feel comfortable pointing out the hypocrisy to that, no matter my own beliefs, while also citing Matthew as part of a tweak at those that feel the Ten Commandments should be posted and “read”
=== If you don’t like the word phony, then don’t bring your same beliefs into the discussion and then complain when it too is called phony in the same manner you are doing to others by your own words.===
LOL
Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
In reality, any religion based on any type of gathering is against these teachings.
My point, and why I’m laughing… the idea of pushing this narrative that government need to be pushing any religion, that too is counter to any teaching… even if you feel I’m pushing my beliefs.
I mean…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:33 pm
The totality of attacks against the LGBTQ community has been intense, calculated, and horrifying. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I just wanted to say a quick thank you, Isabel and Rich, for your continued coverage of those attacks. Visibility is so critical.
Comment by Panther Pride Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:49 pm
Republicans have become the ultimate snowflakes. And if you get your Ten Commandments in your school, it better be the Catholic version.
So inane (bp)
Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:55 pm
Crying about “woke concepts” when your state is closing some agencies tomorrow in observance of Confederate Memorial Day is something.
Comment by MrX Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:55 pm
I wish it was 1990. You, know…when we had 1 country and not 2.
Comment by A Guy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 12:58 pm
Few of us can read Aramaic anyways.
Comment by Peters Piece Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:01 pm
It’s the desantis model of state government. As you keep trying to one up on whatever the culture war grievance of the week is you have to keep pushing further and more extreme in your legislative agenda to try to stay ahead of the curve and what other states are doing.
Comment by Left of what Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:01 pm
=== I wish it was 1990===
Yeah, after 9/11 the hatred and vile, the conspiracy theories, so much was exposed after the terrorist attack.
Once those who found a home to openly hate and divide “because ‘Merica”, and our first president of color that folks still wonder about a birth certificate…
There was always two Americas, the oppression of one side with the suppression of the others’ thoughts… all that was true before 9/11
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:04 pm
Indoctrination is not acceptable, even Christian indoctrination. Our country was founded with the principle of freedom of religion and that the government will not create a national religion.
Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:05 pm
=Which version? =
I think I read somewhere it’s the KJV, so they’re throwing in with the evangelicals.
Not sure how all of the other groups with their own version (other denominations but also Jews and Muslims!) are gonna feel about that, but I don’t think they care all that much
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:21 pm
I was old enough to remember the hysteria by the radical right about the possibility of sharia law being imposed on people. That was baloney, but these same radicals are seeking, and in opposite land actually imposing their own variant of sharia law.
Our country’s value of freedom to worship doesn’t mean the freedom to require people to only worship what christians believe.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 1:57 pm
==Indoctrination is not acceptable==
The same people who are complaining about “woke” indoctrination and turning around and engaging in indoctrination.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 2:08 pm
“… but I don’t think they care all that much.”
Their are a LOT of Catholics in Texas. They don’t use the KJV version. In fact, 130ish years ago public school compulsory readings from the KJV help boost enrollment in parochial schools.
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 2:13 pm
=Their are a LOT of Catholics in Texas. They don’t use the KJV version.=
Agreed and yes, I’m well aware. My point was that I don’t think the Texas General Assembly cares…
=compulsory readings from the KJV help boost enrollment in parochial schools.=
And now you understand why they are using KJV
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 2:23 pm
I thought the Main Jesus said to treat others in the same manner you’d like to be treated.
Comment by Jeery Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 2:36 pm
If Republican-led states wanted to do something religious, how about ACA expansion? How about treating desperate migrants better instead of demonizing and busing them to Democratic-led states, to spite them? That’s according to the words of Jesus himself, to care for the sick and needy, and not worship or hoard wealth and material things. “For my family and I fled from violence and you sneered at and rejected me. You used me to score political points.”
Completely agree with OW. As many do, which has helped wipe out the GOP in Illinois.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 2:39 pm
The Missouri article is one example of what happens across the river having a direct impact on Illinois residents. St. Louis is obviously a major provider of healthcare for Illinois residents and that includes gender treatments. Now I’m wondering if they shouldn’t just build clinics on the Illinois side and move all the gender treatments to Illinois.
Comment by MyTwoCents Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 3:46 pm
“I thought the Main Jesus said to treat others in the same manner you’d like to be treated.”
He pretty much did. But some people see an asterisk after that saying ” * unless they disagree with you or maybe look and speak differently.”
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 4:03 pm
– treat others in the same manner you’d like to be treated.–
That predates Jesus. By a long, long time.
But it sure is interesting how it’s somehow been attached to only be a religious thing now.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 4:19 pm
=== That predates Jesus. By a long, long time.===
The Old Testament?
Another source?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 4:27 pm
The Golden Rule
=== According to recent studies, it was mentioned as early as 3,000 BC in the vedic Indian tradition: “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done unto you; wish for others what you wish for yourself”
Among the oldest golden rule quotes we can find those from the philosopher Confucius, who lived in China between the sixth and fifth century BC.===
http://livingpeaceinternational.org/en/the-project/regola-d-oro-2.html
Fun lil bit.
Doesn’t change the fact that the phony Christians that use the Golden Rule as cover to first not be outcasted for bigotry, but also as a way to justify harsh treatment they feel was put on others by a group that they find in disagreement.
Still, this country should stick with the idea that there’s no national religious bend, and all religions should be welcomed.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 4:35 pm
Looks like the Pastafarians will be making another stand, but this time in Texas.
Need those “8 I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts” up there as well.
Comment by Person 8 Tuesday, Apr 25, 23 @ 7:34 pm