3/24/23 - Newsletter

Mar 24, 2023

House Republicans passed the Parents Bill of Rights today. Looking at the bill's name or seeing that it would grant parents "the right to information about violent activity in their child's school," one might assume it's not so heinous. That's until you get to the part of forcing school officials to out students for being LGBTQ to parents. It also compels "school employees" and "contractors" to misgender transgender youth.

Parents have always had a say in their children's education: PTO (parent-teacher organizations), PTA, parent-teacher conferences, and school board committees.

Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) successfully added amendments to the bill requiring “schools to disclose to parents if the school allows biological male athletes to compete in sports programs designated for women and girls if the athlete identifies as a woman.”

The bill also is facing criticism among some Republicans, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), saying it's "inconsistent to want the Department of Education to have less power and for Washington to have less of a role in curriculum — it's contrary to that perspective to support this legislation." Republican Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) suggested it’s “anathema to conservatism.” Zero Democrats voted in favor.

Five House Republicans voted against the bill:

Matt Gaetz (FL)
Mike Lawler (NY)
Matt Rosendale (MT)
Ken Buck (CO)
Andy Biggs (AZ)

House GOP aides also say members of the caucus are concerned because they believe in federalism and "the government is intervening more frequently in Americans' lives."

The Parents Bill of Rights will allow parents to review school material and deem books or lessons unfit or inappropriate for schools. A school principal in Florida was given two ultimatums: to resign or be fired. Hope Carrasquilla of Tallahassee Classical School was forced to resign after showing images of Michelangelo’s “David” statue during a Renaissance art class.

Sherrilyn Ifill @SIfill_

Well I think that everyone who cares about education and about the future of this country really must read this. You will pause more than once - just to get your bearings. But please read it all the way through. And no, it is not funny.

slate.comAn Interview With the School Board Chair Who Forced Out a Principal After Michelangelo’s David Was Shown in Class“Well, we’re Florida, OK?”

Recently, Dr. Samuel Joecke, who taught English at Palm Beach Atlantic University for 20 years, was fired for teaching a racial justice lesson during his class. A student's parent called the university's president, claiming Samuel "was indoctrinating students.”

Don Moynihan @donmoyn

Well, it happened. Schools in Florida under Ron DeSantis are run by the type of parental mobs The Simpson's satirized more than 30 years ago. Principal fired after parents complain about lesson on Michaelangelo's David. dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

*Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the bill is at a “dead end” and won’t pass in the upper chamber.*

The attacks on marginalized communities are happening nationwide. “You are not important enough,” says Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson:

Heartland Signal @HeartlandSignal

Minnesota State Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville) goes on an anti-trans tirade, threatens to misgender one of his colleagues and is gaveled out of order: “I’m not respecting your preferences because you don’t own reality. You don’t own grammar.”

Senator Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), who switched her party affiliation from Democrat to independent last December, enjoys privately trashing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats with Senate GOPs and a "small group of Republican lobbyists," according to POLITICO's Jonathan Martin. Sinema also "quite literally” gave “the middle finger to President Joe Biden's White House." House Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) will primary Sinema next year for her seat.

Jonathan Martin @jmart

NEW: Inside Sinema’s sniping spree As she stockpiles cash, she’s letting loose on what she really thinks of her Dem colleagues, @SenSchumer @RonaldKlain + jello It’s delighting her GOP audiences & giving some hope they can convert her yet My column:

politico.comSinema Trashes Dems: ‘Old Dudes Eating Jell-O’The Arizona senator courts GOP donors by ridiculing her former Democratic colleagues.

District Court Judge Beryl Howell rejected Trump's legal team's claims of executive privilege and has ordered former Trump officials: Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, Robert O'Brien, Stephen Miller, Ken Cuccinelli, and John Ratcliffe to testify before a grand jury about the former president's relentless attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have reached a northern border deal that would turn away asylum seekers who cross the border illegally. Biden also successfully convinced Canada to open 15,000 slots for migrants from the Western Hemisphere. Learn about the unofficial border crossing road Roxham Road here.

Roll Call @rollcall

The U.S. and Canadian governments have moved to expand their bilateral asylum-sharing agreements to include migrants who crossed the countries’ shared border in between ports of entry.

ow.lyUS moves to expand agreement with Canada on asylum-seekersThe U.S. and Canadian governments moved to expand bilateral asylum-sharing agreements to include migrants who cross between ports of entry.

From frequently texting Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to his recent meeting with Steve Daines (R-MT), chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, you can expect Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia (R) to make his pitch for Senator Joe Manchin's (D-WV) seat in 2024.

The centrist Democrat has not yet announced if he's running for reelection but already has received the endorsements from Republican Senators Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK). Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) believes "Manchin might not run again if he had to run against the governor."

POLITICO: “Justice for Manchin: Senate Republicans closing in on 2024 recruit”