Governor Youngkin invited parents to report the names of teachers who are violating the state’s vague and ill-defined law banning the teaching of “divisive concepts,” critical race theory, and anything else any parents object to.
Peter Greene describes the creative responses of respondents. Responses to an email address can come from anywhere, not just Virginia. You too can write to Youngkin’s Stasi.
Anyone can send their reports to the tip line email:
helpeducation@governor.virginia.gov
Greene writes:
But of course you know what else happened next. The tip line has apparently been hit with a variety of reports, like a complaint that Albus Dumbledor “was teaching that full blooded wizards discriminated against mudbloods.” Some of this has been goaded on Twitter by folks like human rights lawyer Qasim Rasgid. And John Legend correctly pointed out that under the guidelines of the decree, Black parents could legitimately complain about Black history being silenced (because, as sometimes escapes the notice of anti-CRT warriors, some parents are Black). Ditto for LGBTQ parents.
Greene also includes a useful list of questions to answer if you write the Governor: like, “who was your favorite teacher and what did they teach?”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If you haven’t, watch it to get a glimpse of our collective futures:
It strike me that I might be the only commentator here who is actually in the Stasi files. Lots of reports of me playing with my cousins in the woods and fields of East Germany. In triplicate.
Great film.
Hey Gov! It’s me! RT (that is what the students call me). I have to confess that I talked about something that might have made some students uncomfortable.
You see, a kid asked me if the Trail of Tears was considered genocide. I just could not help myself. I am so sorry. It will not happen again. Next time somebody asks me about the trail of tears or the holocaust in my seminar on genocide I will tell them that what happened was like this:
There were little known sunday-school picnics held throughout European History. The Trail of Tears just happened to be one that took place between the Great Appalachian Valley and Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma). On the way some kids ate some tainted potato salad and several thousand people died.
the holocaust? same story. Durn that tater salad. Be careful when you leave mayo out . Life lesson.
Have any of the prominent (and numerous!) ed reform echo chamber groups spoken out about this?
Or are they all still unwilling to go against their funding stream?
Lock. Step. They don’t break ranks for anything, do they?
Isn’t there supposed to be some ideological diversity in this “movement”? Where would that be? Any evidence at all than any of them is at all different than any other?
Do we really need tens of ed reform groups? Seems like one larger one would suffice.
Maybe Youngkin’s Secret Police would be interested in a description of schools across Europe that range from Boot Camp to Open Corridors. Beginning with a re-cycled KIPP Academy clone and finally into 2022 and beyond.
Perks of silent corridors and the sound of music.
ADVANTAGE TRUST-FUNDED Children walk silently in single file down the corridors of an old office block before turning into classrooms and settling down to grammar and trigonometry. A poster reminds them of the Star code they must follow: Sit up straight, Track the speaker, Ask and answer questions, Respect others.
This is Bedford Free School, which has a reputation for rigorous discipline and outstanding academic results. As one of 22 schools chosen to lead government behaviour hubs across England, it is also helping to raise standards.
The mantra is “warm but strict” and there are clear rules. Every morning pupils line up while teachers check that they have the correct uniform, equipment and books. There are sanctions if they forget a pen, wear the wrong shoes or arrive late. Mobile phones must be switched off at the gate. The day begins with literacy and numeracy drills in small tutor groups, ending with the mantra: “Work hard, be nice.”
The school prefers to talk about “purposeful” rather than “silent” corridors, insisting that the ban on talking was practical rather than “cultish”. Pupils move so quickly and efficiently between classes that an extra two minutes of teaching time had been added to each lesson. “This makes 12 minutes a day for all 500 pupils, that is 2,280 minutes per year or 11,400 minutes per five years which is 38 full days of learning.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/times-education-commission-how-schools-are-reinventing-education-g97s6spc8
Tyranny often justifies itself with the idea that it is efficient. The English accepted Mussolini, suggesting that “at least he made the trains run on time.”
yes
Dear Governor Youngkin: Mr. Turrentine mentioned The Trail of Tears in Class. This and the fact that he gave me a B- made me feel bad.
You should have made your subjects agree with their verbs! Or perhaps agree with their Great Leaders,
Back in my day, weren’t nuthin’ wrong with a B-. Don’t wanna get showy, after all.
Utah is attempting to do something similar. HB234 would require teachers to post a day by day syllabus BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN BEGINS with all activities, articles, books, websites, etc., have it all posted for two years after that school year on the website of the school, AND get permission five days in advance for ANY changes made to the syllabus.
https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0234.html
Tow, I saw a tweet about this law predicting that no one would teach in Utah if this law passes. It shows profound disrespect for professionals.
Yep. Most of us, me included, would quit. There is NO WAY this requirement would allow teachers to teach. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone in the state Legislature has a financial stake is some canned curriculum company, like Summit “Learning.” They would make bank.
An article on both bills: https://www.ksl.com/article/50336880/2-bills-targeting-school-curriculum-expose-rift-between-utah-educators-parents-rights-organization?fbclid=IwAR2Gyfj20KuEcVbk25GVhb6EkbuKnXoyu-2dx_5Z4V4lTZH_tO5qIJdji1c
If you think these people think teachers are professionals, you have another think coming (as my Mom used to say …)