Don't be fooled by the spin: Republicans are banning courses and harassing teachers out of their job

[marmar]

Don't be fooled by the spin: Republicans are banning courses and harassing teachers out of their job
The confusion is the point: Educators can't figure out what's allowed, and are forced to give up teaching entirely

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED AUGUST 10, 2023 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) Another week, another lesson in a truth that will not be heeded by the mainstream media: Republicans are liars, and you should never take what they say at face value. This time it was over yet another education scandal in Florida under the leadership of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. It started when the College Board, a non-profit that manages educational standards for those seeking higher education, announced that Florida had banned an Advanced Placement (AP) psychology course that over 30,000 Florida high school students had enrolled in for the fall.

Long story short: The DeSantis-signed bill barring schools from offering "instruction" in gender or sexual orientation, dubbed the "don't say gay law" by critics, made it impossible for teachers to address very basic ideas like "sexuality is a part of the life experience." Rather than offer a substandard program, the College Board was forced to pull the AP classes, which many students could use for college credit, from the schools.

In response to the bad press, the GOP-controlled Florida government went into heavy spin mode, releasing a letter claiming the AP Psychology course can be "taught in its entirety," but only "in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate." This was widely — and falsely — reported in the press as a "reversal," with even LGBTQ-oriented sites getting caught up in the hype. Thankfully, the team at Popular Information was on hand to debunk the lie, pointing out that the "developmentally appropriate" language is a poison pill that amounts to a de facto ban on the AP Psychology course.

....(snip)....

All this confusion is very much by design. The mixed messages coming from Republican leaders on what is and isn't allowed in schools serves a larger purpose: making it so impossible for teachers to do their jobs that they give up even trying. ..........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2023/08/10/dont-be-fooled-by-the-spin-are-banning-courses-and-harassing-teachers-out-of-their-job/

[2naSalit]

1. That's their MO...

Make everything suck so that reasonable people leave. Rmoney's theory of self deportation in practice.

[thomski64]

2. ..because poorly educated are their demographic

[dutch777]

3. Am I missing it or are the teachers' unions just rolling over on this?

I feel bad for teachers on so many fronts -- wages, this political meddling, poor school district/board leadership, unsupportive/belligerent parents, distracted/unfocused kids. Amazed anyone wants to go into or stay in teaching. Does not bode well for the country.

[Timeflyer]

4. The GOP focus on creating educational chaos is intentional, to takeover and privatize ed. for $$$.

This year every FL student is entitled to $8,600 a year to spend on private school, homeschooling, or anything that can be vaguely justified as for educational purposes. There are no, repeat NO, minimum family income requirements--billionaires' kids get that money if parents want it.

Florida public education may be essentially bankrupted, and what kind of education kids in religious private schools receive can only be imagined. Some biblically based curriculum is Bob Jones University-based, earth is about 5000 years old and people coexisted with dinosaurs. Florida...

[republianmushroom]

5. Idaho loses its 'Teacher of the Year' after right-wing parents chase her out of state

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/idaho-loses-its-teacher-of-the-year-after-right-wing-parents-chase-her-out-of-state/ar-AA1f6gfx?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=04c517a1f1534d52b741be0f7b79eef5&ei=160

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218169503