had mandated that teachers “accept and believe that microaggressions are actual”
Following a complaint brought by the conservative Thomas More Society, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has overturned the requirements for teaching” social competency.”
The DOE’s 2022″ Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education” instructions had included nine” talents” teacher professional development and training sessions “were required to incorporate”, The Philadelphia Inquirer information.
These mandated teachers to “reflect on their ‘ unique cultural lens ‘” and to create lessons which “enable students’ to identify and question economic, social, and cultural power structures.'”
Teachers also had to make a school setting which” challenges ‘ stereotypes and prejudices about the intelligence, academic capacity, and habits of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ( BIPOC ) and various historically disadvantaged educators.'”
Last month, backed by the Thomas More Society, a group of teachers, parents, and school districts in the northern part of the state sued the DOE alleging these requirements did not follow the “required rule-making method”.
According to Thomas King III, the criteria violated teachers ‘ First Amendment rights. For example, they required faculty to “believe and recognize that microaggressions are real”, King said.
Less: School district: Base instructor layoffs never on seniority but ‘ cultural competency’
From the account:
A new” Popular Earth” model will be issued to K-12 schools nationwide along with “examples of considerations for professional enhancement,” according to the settlement agreement, which was made public by the plaintiffs on Wednesday. The examples list different factors that could affect students ‘ school experiences, including poverty, military families, farming families, homelessness, trauma, and disabilities. The document does n’t mention race, bias, or discrimination, among other differences with the prior guidelines.
The agreement includes three areas of competencies: cultural awareness, trauma-aware, mental health, and wellness, and technological and virtual engagement. But those sections are blank, with each reading” competencies will be inserted/linked here on website”.
According to King, the agreement allows for school districts to abide by the original rules at their discretion.
Donna-Marie Cole-Malott, co-director of the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium ( which helped develop the original cultural competencies ) said her group” stands ready” to assist in the creation of new guidelines. According to her faculty page, Cole Malott’s research at East Stroudsburg University involves” the lived experiences and literate lives of Black girls and their social and academic identity development.”
The Thomas More Society challenged similar standards in Illinois in 2020, one of which stated teachers would “embrace and encourage progressive viewpoints and perspectives that leverage asset thinking toward traditionally marginalized populations.”
MORE: Virginia legislation will require’ cultural competency’ for teacher licenses
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