‘ Where do you walk on settler-colonialism? And what will you complete in response?
The National Education Association, evidently also reeling from Donald Trump’s win in November, just held a pair of digital sessions on battling the Trump plan and defending LGBTQ+ right in schools.
Both sessions began with African American area acknowledgements from Aspiring Educators Program people, according to Parents Defending Education.
Both speakers accused the United States of” colonialism”, with trans Student Washington Education Association Board Director Caitlin Ehlers, donned in a keffiyeh, claiming , Trump was” threatening to seize Kalaallit Nunaat, AKA, Greenland”, and that “his partnership is directly responsible for land grabs and eco-savage from the Great Plains to the Amazon”.
Ehlers continued,” With area are you on?” Where do you have on settler-colonialism? And what will you would in response”?
The second ( LGBTQ+-themed ) workshop’s Matthew Yuro, vice president of New Jersey Aspiring Educators, noted colonialism is” a process that continues to contribute to injustices within American society and the broader world”.
What dangers are there for LGBTQ+ students and teachers right now, Ehlers asked teachers in this webcast.
According to the PDE statement, responses included “flags in schools”,” transgirls in sports”, “bathrooms”,” no being allowed to recognize students ‘ chosen pronouns”, and “in Kentucky, teachers are required to have permission slips signed two weeks prior to teaching a training related to gender identity and/or physical orientation”.
Others complained about the group Moms for Liberty, book “bans”, and “parents ‘ bill of rights”.
MORE: Free speech groups defend professor,’ parody’ land acknowledgement
NEA Senior Program/Policy Analyst Anthony Brisson, the “main speaker” for the LGBTQ+ workshop, began his talk by emphasizing his white privilege:” I come to you presenting as a white male that has privilege and to be able to have this conversation. I have brown hair, light skin, blue eyes, facial hair for those that may be visually impaired”.
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Brisson, who is gay, referred to Moms for Liberty as” the a-holes with casseroles”, and said the way to fight for LGBTQ+ issues in schools is through “legislation, litigation, and community organizing”.
He noted that using school boards to hang gay pride flags in classrooms” the power of storytelling can really help change hearts and minds when we’re doing this work.”
Brisson added that school staff, including custodians and cafeteria workers, can “provide representation” by wearing LGBTQ+ pins, bus drivers can put up LGBTQ+ magnets on their buses, and schools can alter language such as “family dance” instead of “father-daughter dance”.
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Middle school teacher and ACLU equity officer Chelsie Acosta said,” I’m here to tell you the pride flag’s going to be in my classroom. I don’t care what anyone says. The pride flag’s going to be there. So is the trans flag. The Black Lives Matter flag is also present. They’re going to be in my room”.
Erika Sanzi, a spokesperson for Parents Defending Education, stated in a press release that the NEA emphasizes the importance of LGBTQ educators more than the importance of reading instruction for children. It’s not just hyper-political—they are so far left, they don’t even represent their members anymore.
Does teaching and learning support mocking parents, obsessing over PRIDE flags, and organizing to oppose the incoming administration? I’d prefer they just admit that they don’t care at all about educating children.”
MORE: LGBTQ+ librarians weary of’ attacks’ on queer-themed books, claim physical assaults
IMAGE: National Education Association/X
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