Your interview with Douglas Murray one or two days ago was OUTSTANDING. I have so much respect for him. I am astounded with the transparent disdain our current administration has for Israel. I am fearful about the rise in antisemitism in the world and especially in this country. Israel has every right to defend itself against pure evil with our total support. I believe the lack of support is to gain the votes of antisemites in this country which is absurd and dangerous. Also hoping for the votes from Anti Israel Jewish Americans in this country which I find unconscionable. I pray for the future of our country, especially for our children and grandchildren.
I'm about 15 minutes in and I'm not sure I will be able to finish. The school board member from Flagler County (which is just north of where I grew up) is absolutely insufferable and describes, for me at least, the adjective "knee jerk" in that near the very beginning she raised Democrats' very favorite talking point: Not enough funding for education and that the Republicans have ruined everything. I remember not terribly long ago a study published that illustrated the vast funding differences between U.S. schools and European schools, which clearly illustrated that Americans shovel a ton of $$ at school systems for rather lackluster results. And they keep asking for more! In the woulda/shoulda/coulda department, I neglected to save the source for that study - so my bad, I don't have a statistical leg to stand on. But then shortly thereafter, the much maligned Tiffany Justice made an absolutely commonsense observation that resonated with me: She noted that "increase school funding" rarely trickles down to the classroom and instead is gobbled up by administrative bloat - which I can tell you from personal knowledge is absolutely true! How do I know this? My sis is an administrative assistant in one of those large Florida districts. People don't know this but because school systems in Florida are administered on the county level, they tend to be massive bureaucracies. The schools themselves tend to be enormous: My own Florida high school class had almost 1,000 people. But I digress because my point was about my sister's job - she supports a boatload of highly paid specialists, who have risen up through the ranks to the point where they don't spend time in actual classrooms anymore. There's a few people like my sister, and a whole bunch of "them," people who (it seemed to me) spent their entire work lives attending meetings and giving PowerPoints. Many of those meetings were in other parts of the state, so there was a lot of travel expense involved in their "sharing expertise." The PowerPoints that my sister was in charge of assembling and disseminating were enormous. This particular district has had multiple rounds of layoffs in recent decades, and it always seems to me (yes, I am a distant observer!) that the poor teachers... where "the rubber meets the road" ... always took it on the chin in those cuts. Nobody at this bloated administrative level ever lost his/her job, which was also my experience in corporate America where upper management types always had each other's backs. Consider that this is just one school system in one state, then multiply this syndrome across America and you have a prescription for failure led by babbling, over-credentialed bureaucrats.
Kids in elementary school don’t know what a pronoun is unless they are told.
Why give bullies the ammunition they need to name-call?
When girls were “tomboys” they learned they could do a lot of things they wouldn’t be encouraged to do later as a young woman. The only way to change that is to encourage them to pursue what they are good at. That’s what Title IX was for.
All kids gain confidence from mastering grade level math and English.
When a substantial percentage of children can't read, why should the schools spend any time on gender ideology? The principle that the government should have a monopoly on education is simply wrong when so many students aren't getting basic language and math skills and little in the way of history and civics. Parents need school choice to opt out of schools that aren't educating their children and/or are indoctrinating them.
This is so important to get real people from both sides of a subject to sit down and talk. I am so worried that it is only going to get harder and harder to do. Great work Free Press as always!
Lots of interest here, but logged off midway. The cross-talk and interruptions makes it conversation incomprehensible and triggers migraine. Please chose a more effective moderator next time.
I don't know where Ben Kawaller was raised or where he comes from, but only older people forgetting their youth think children are being taught..., I never knew a kid who didn't learn only whatever he/she want to know of American History, sexual identity, gender and race. Y'all just like to talk shit....
That was an interesting watch. As always, Ben is a good moderator to discuss issues that people have strong feelings on. Perhaps it's not fair to judge someone over a 54 minute discussion, but I would like the moms for liberty person to not be involved in any major decision making. She would absolutely be the worst person to have to work with. . .on anything. . .ever.
Recently Walz gave the finger to someone who plans to vote for Donald Trump (as does half of America once again). I have never done that to anyone. And, I don't plan to do so, However, it did get me thinking that a "finger" might be used to press the electric chair button if the death penalty were to be brought back. We need Nuremberg trials regarding the "Gender" Education-Pharma-Medical' Government-Crony Capitalism Industrial Complex. If we auctioned off that button pressing money to mothers and fathers - it could raise a lot of money which might be donated to the medical needs of "Trans" detransitioners. Do check out the physicians who advertise for ""Affirmation" including Nullification" https://www.transhealthcare.org/usa/ Maybe DEI/DIE allows too many mentally troubled people into government and pharma (Admiral Richard Levine , Sam Brinton - cough cough) ? Perhaps we might develop a psych test for dark personality traits before we allow people to doctor? And, not enter into 1930s Germany territory?
Walz says he is "friends" with school shooters? I think he got flustered because he's backing vapid garbage.
I found it interesting that none of the participants on the left seemed to understand that critical pedagogy/crt/queer theory/social emotional learning, etc. is a dangerous ideology designed to tear apart the structure of our society.
Is it possible that they are implementing this ideology in schools but don’t even know what it is, where it comes from and what it’s designed to do?
This was fabulous. I was so intrigued by all the personalities and ideas about education. I am now retired, but taught for 26 years grades K-8. One thing about students: they all want to learn, and they are impressionable no matter what age they are. A teacher needs to be comforting, inspiring, knowledgeable , and treat each student as a person with individual needs and wants. Most of them do not even have an idea of sexual orientation at the elementary and middle school age.
Absolutely. Nor should they. Early exposure to sexual issues is harmful to children. "It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families" by R. Harris is a trilogy of books for ages 7-15 which conveys age appropriate information in a carefully balanced age groupings.
I really like the idea of this, but a thought came to mind: this is exactly what I did with friends at my liberal arts college in 1987! We talked and debated, but still got pizza and beer together when we were done. My kids went to my Alma mater 30 years later and this was absolutely NOT the norm. It’s discouraging that debate isn’t happening organically among young, curious students. But maybe we can be the role model and provide forums like this.
Nine years ago in Portland, OR, my then-third-grade daughter came home from school and announced to my husband that sex is what you're born with and gender is how you feel about yourself. It turns out upon questioning that the school counselor had come in and read I am Jazz to all of the third grade classes, because a student in that grade level was transitioning. Apparently, because of this transitioning student, the school district had recommended that this book be read to the whole grade. It was not under the area of sex education, so there was no prior notification to families.
I live in Tualatin. They still read this garbage. It’s now labeled “sexuality education” versus sex Ed. In third grade they read a book called “jack not Jackie”, which is about a girl transitioning to become a boy. In second grade they read “Sparkle Boy”, about a boy who likes to wear “girlie” stuff. Thankfully parents are notified of all this and can opt out. However, I think most scan the page that gets sent home and don’t think much of it and let their kids hear this stuff. What is abhorrent though is that none of this is based in anything factual. It’s literally “sexuality” education which is about identity.
My grandson’s school also gives a heads up about these books/presentations and the option for you to have your child to opt out. What happens then, is your child (whose parent opted out) sits in the hallway outside the principal’s office and does seat work for the period. It’s very similar to punishment back in my day.
IMO parents should need to opt in and their kids can go to a special presentation like they do with special Ed. With “banned” books parents with child that they believe would benefit from those books should buy the book for their child and read it at home!
Applaud the idea, but agree EUR the sentiment around the moderation. Also, would really have been better off using participants that more accurately reflected the typical voters. These people all clearly had an agenda to push... this wasn't exactly a conversation between neighbors with different views, which I think would have been more useful an exercise.
Your interview with Douglas Murray one or two days ago was OUTSTANDING. I have so much respect for him. I am astounded with the transparent disdain our current administration has for Israel. I am fearful about the rise in antisemitism in the world and especially in this country. Israel has every right to defend itself against pure evil with our total support. I believe the lack of support is to gain the votes of antisemites in this country which is absurd and dangerous. Also hoping for the votes from Anti Israel Jewish Americans in this country which I find unconscionable. I pray for the future of our country, especially for our children and grandchildren.
I'm about 15 minutes in and I'm not sure I will be able to finish. The school board member from Flagler County (which is just north of where I grew up) is absolutely insufferable and describes, for me at least, the adjective "knee jerk" in that near the very beginning she raised Democrats' very favorite talking point: Not enough funding for education and that the Republicans have ruined everything. I remember not terribly long ago a study published that illustrated the vast funding differences between U.S. schools and European schools, which clearly illustrated that Americans shovel a ton of $$ at school systems for rather lackluster results. And they keep asking for more! In the woulda/shoulda/coulda department, I neglected to save the source for that study - so my bad, I don't have a statistical leg to stand on. But then shortly thereafter, the much maligned Tiffany Justice made an absolutely commonsense observation that resonated with me: She noted that "increase school funding" rarely trickles down to the classroom and instead is gobbled up by administrative bloat - which I can tell you from personal knowledge is absolutely true! How do I know this? My sis is an administrative assistant in one of those large Florida districts. People don't know this but because school systems in Florida are administered on the county level, they tend to be massive bureaucracies. The schools themselves tend to be enormous: My own Florida high school class had almost 1,000 people. But I digress because my point was about my sister's job - she supports a boatload of highly paid specialists, who have risen up through the ranks to the point where they don't spend time in actual classrooms anymore. There's a few people like my sister, and a whole bunch of "them," people who (it seemed to me) spent their entire work lives attending meetings and giving PowerPoints. Many of those meetings were in other parts of the state, so there was a lot of travel expense involved in their "sharing expertise." The PowerPoints that my sister was in charge of assembling and disseminating were enormous. This particular district has had multiple rounds of layoffs in recent decades, and it always seems to me (yes, I am a distant observer!) that the poor teachers... where "the rubber meets the road" ... always took it on the chin in those cuts. Nobody at this bloated administrative level ever lost his/her job, which was also my experience in corporate America where upper management types always had each other's backs. Consider that this is just one school system in one state, then multiply this syndrome across America and you have a prescription for failure led by babbling, over-credentialed bureaucrats.
Kids in elementary school don’t know what a pronoun is unless they are told.
Why give bullies the ammunition they need to name-call?
When girls were “tomboys” they learned they could do a lot of things they wouldn’t be encouraged to do later as a young woman. The only way to change that is to encourage them to pursue what they are good at. That’s what Title IX was for.
All kids gain confidence from mastering grade level math and English.
Without these they can’t learn anything else - except what they learn from watching porn online, https://www.wlbt.com/2023/01/10/most-children-exposed-porn-by-age-12-study-says/
I suspect after the 10 minutes I made it through this topic before shutting it off, I shall pass.
When a substantial percentage of children can't read, why should the schools spend any time on gender ideology? The principle that the government should have a monopoly on education is simply wrong when so many students aren't getting basic language and math skills and little in the way of history and civics. Parents need school choice to opt out of schools that aren't educating their children and/or are indoctrinating them.
This is so important to get real people from both sides of a subject to sit down and talk. I am so worried that it is only going to get harder and harder to do. Great work Free Press as always!
Lots of interest here, but logged off midway. The cross-talk and interruptions makes it conversation incomprehensible and triggers migraine. Please chose a more effective moderator next time.
^typos a result of said trigger, apologies.
This was engaging, but mostly because I was angry the whole time. At both sides. There were two reasonable people on the panel... and one was Ben.
I don't know where Ben Kawaller was raised or where he comes from, but only older people forgetting their youth think children are being taught..., I never knew a kid who didn't learn only whatever he/she want to know of American History, sexual identity, gender and race. Y'all just like to talk shit....
That was an interesting watch. As always, Ben is a good moderator to discuss issues that people have strong feelings on. Perhaps it's not fair to judge someone over a 54 minute discussion, but I would like the moms for liberty person to not be involved in any major decision making. She would absolutely be the worst person to have to work with. . .on anything. . .ever.
I just watched the VP Debate on The Daily Wire.
It was awesome!
Recently Walz gave the finger to someone who plans to vote for Donald Trump (as does half of America once again). I have never done that to anyone. And, I don't plan to do so, However, it did get me thinking that a "finger" might be used to press the electric chair button if the death penalty were to be brought back. We need Nuremberg trials regarding the "Gender" Education-Pharma-Medical' Government-Crony Capitalism Industrial Complex. If we auctioned off that button pressing money to mothers and fathers - it could raise a lot of money which might be donated to the medical needs of "Trans" detransitioners. Do check out the physicians who advertise for ""Affirmation" including Nullification" https://www.transhealthcare.org/usa/ Maybe DEI/DIE allows too many mentally troubled people into government and pharma (Admiral Richard Levine , Sam Brinton - cough cough) ? Perhaps we might develop a psych test for dark personality traits before we allow people to doctor? And, not enter into 1930s Germany territory?
Walz says he is "friends" with school shooters? I think he got flustered because he's backing vapid garbage.
MAHA = good
Free Speech = good
The Constitution = good
I found it interesting that none of the participants on the left seemed to understand that critical pedagogy/crt/queer theory/social emotional learning, etc. is a dangerous ideology designed to tear apart the structure of our society.
Is it possible that they are implementing this ideology in schools but don’t even know what it is, where it comes from and what it’s designed to do?
Well put, KathyD.
To "queer" means to destroy.
This was fabulous. I was so intrigued by all the personalities and ideas about education. I am now retired, but taught for 26 years grades K-8. One thing about students: they all want to learn, and they are impressionable no matter what age they are. A teacher needs to be comforting, inspiring, knowledgeable , and treat each student as a person with individual needs and wants. Most of them do not even have an idea of sexual orientation at the elementary and middle school age.
Absolutely. Nor should they. Early exposure to sexual issues is harmful to children. "It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families" by R. Harris is a trilogy of books for ages 7-15 which conveys age appropriate information in a carefully balanced age groupings.
I really like the idea of this, but a thought came to mind: this is exactly what I did with friends at my liberal arts college in 1987! We talked and debated, but still got pizza and beer together when we were done. My kids went to my Alma mater 30 years later and this was absolutely NOT the norm. It’s discouraging that debate isn’t happening organically among young, curious students. But maybe we can be the role model and provide forums like this.
Nine years ago in Portland, OR, my then-third-grade daughter came home from school and announced to my husband that sex is what you're born with and gender is how you feel about yourself. It turns out upon questioning that the school counselor had come in and read I am Jazz to all of the third grade classes, because a student in that grade level was transitioning. Apparently, because of this transitioning student, the school district had recommended that this book be read to the whole grade. It was not under the area of sex education, so there was no prior notification to families.
I live in Tualatin. They still read this garbage. It’s now labeled “sexuality education” versus sex Ed. In third grade they read a book called “jack not Jackie”, which is about a girl transitioning to become a boy. In second grade they read “Sparkle Boy”, about a boy who likes to wear “girlie” stuff. Thankfully parents are notified of all this and can opt out. However, I think most scan the page that gets sent home and don’t think much of it and let their kids hear this stuff. What is abhorrent though is that none of this is based in anything factual. It’s literally “sexuality” education which is about identity.
My grandson’s school also gives a heads up about these books/presentations and the option for you to have your child to opt out. What happens then, is your child (whose parent opted out) sits in the hallway outside the principal’s office and does seat work for the period. It’s very similar to punishment back in my day.
IMO parents should need to opt in and their kids can go to a special presentation like they do with special Ed. With “banned” books parents with child that they believe would benefit from those books should buy the book for their child and read it at home!
Applaud the idea, but agree EUR the sentiment around the moderation. Also, would really have been better off using participants that more accurately reflected the typical voters. These people all clearly had an agenda to push... this wasn't exactly a conversation between neighbors with different views, which I think would have been more useful an exercise.