Thread by @APDillon_

NC Board of Education meeting about to kick off.
Listen/watch here:

Agenda:
simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/Vi…

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The lives stream for the NC Ed Board meeting is a mess - audio not coming through for all participants.
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The controversial social studies standards are on today's agenda. Mult. members, including a vocal Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. have pushed back on the standards, which have social justice and Critical Race Theory themes.
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Read more here:
nsjonline.com/article/2021/0…

This piece includes the full statement from Lt. Governor Robinson on his opposition to the changes to the social studies standards.
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nsjonline.com/article/2021/0…

The Lt. Governor's petition for the public to object to the passage of these standards has 26,313 signatures as of 10 AM this morning.

markrobinsonfornc.com/state_board_of…

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NCSBE monthly meetings span 2 days.
Voting on any items discussed today will happen during the second day (tomorrow's meeting).
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Supt. Truitt talking about literacy issues.
She is working on a statewide literacy initiative.

simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/Vi…
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Literacy updates -- each one is expanded on within the presentation. #ncpol #nced

The Goals of the Literacy Campaign:
Goal I - Eliminate opportunity gaps by 2025
Goal II - Improve school and district performance by 2025
Goal III - Increase educator preparedness to meet the needs of every student by 2025

NC has joined the "Multi-State Collaboration: A Path Forward in Teacher Preparation for Early Literacy."
Other states involved: AZ, CO, MA, MO, OH
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The presentation also shows actions to procure a reading diagnostics program.

This topic was a point of contention between the former Supt. Mark Johnson and the board.
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Meeting has moved on to the Social Studies Standards discussion.
simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/Vi…
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Board has heard from "thousands more" on the standards.

Draft revisions here
sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/soc…
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Reviewing now - glossary items & definitions for terms that were objected to and refined such as "gender identity" and "systemic racism."

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Here is an example of the unpacking document for American history.
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Supt. Truitt is reading a parent email who is an East Asian immigrant that moved to NC from CA. Ltr says when she moved here "my family did not move me to a racist country."

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Ltr goes on to say she could have been bitter but wasn't. The letter also calls out the founding of the US not as through slavery but as trying to "get out from under the boot" of Britain. #nced #ncpol

Ltr also says US is the greatest country in the world; God and patriotism made it so. Cites defeating the greatest evil - socialism and communist Russia.
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Ltr: Children cannot love and defend a nation if they are taught to hate it.

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Truitt adds her own thoughts: The sentiments in ltr are dependent on kids receiving a sound, basic education.
I ran because we are not doing that right now.
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Davis comments on the letter using the word "hopeful."
He's now apparently reading a prepared statement and stresses "systemic equality" in education.
Says SS standards are good opportunities for critical questioning.
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Davis says encouraging nuanced perspectives doesn't diminish a view of our country. Says he and Supt talked about the tone of the standards /feedback.
Says they created a preamble for the standards.
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Supt. Truitt says she wrote the preamble and is now reading it outloud.

Read it here
simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attac…
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Davis: I stand with the Supt. in support of this preamble.
Says it shows we can teach successes and failures.
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Dr. Camnitz says they will consider the preamble when the vote takes place. Discussion on the SS standards is going to take place next.
Camnitz: I believe we need to talk about racism including systemic racism, and identity including Gender Identity.
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Dr. Bristow Smith says the five principal advisors believe the draft four SS standards should be adopted/implemented.
Has faith in educators to deliver "unbiased" instruction/curriculum.
Thinks objection to the language has been "a distraction."
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Student advisor talking says it is "irresponsible" to teach a "perfect American history." Says he thinks the SS revisions should be adopted.

Dr. Donna Tipton Rogers: Appreciates work on Ss revisions, that it is feedback and research-informed.
Lists reasons she thinks we study history.
"Our children deserve nothing more than a true honest and best education we can provide"
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Chair Davis talks about his family history. 'I carry the name of the Confederate president.' Says if he asked a probing question about ancestors his dad told him not to ask, he might not like what he finds.
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Davis: denying the truth now and discovering later on one's own is bad. We can handle our own truth. I won't deny anyone the opportunity to learn them.

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Davis says he supports Draft 5.

Moriah Morris says we have to "respect the teachers voice" in the writing of these standards.
Reiterates 85% favorability rate.

NOTE: Not a single member has produced/discussed the documentation of the 15% unfavorable opinions.
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Lt. Gov. Robinson says he hears a lot about inclusion here; points out Durham schools has BLM in schools on its website. Cites rhetoric blm uses 'pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon'.
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Robinson says Durham has kept him from speaking to students there; where's the inclusion?
Brings up a petition opposing the standards - over 26k signatures. Says they should pause on passing SS standards.
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Robinson brings up the racist cartoon WRAL put out about the members opposing passage of SS standards -
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Member James Ford: Debate of SS standards is a paradox of inclusion and division. Claims he has gotten numerous emails that fall in two buckets:
-Students should be taught to love USA, greatest nation.
-Just teach the facts without any bias
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Ford says we need to teach stories that contradict U.S. as a good place. We have to tell other people's stories.

There is a new America emerging, it is browner, younger and more diverse. We need standards that support that.

Ford sent board members MLK's "The Other America" speech. He also made mention of 'nonbinary' teaching re: race and gender.

I'll try to go back and get that full quote later.

Member Olivia Oxendine: What I hope does not happen in NC classrooms. Brings up Cupertino CA elementary classroom polling little kids about white privilege.
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Oxendine doesn't want to see the SS standards pitting kids against each other.
She's referencing the WRAL cartoon now which paints her and Robinson as KKK. Robinson is Black, Oxendine is Native American. She says cartoon says "shut up" to anyone who has a dissenting opinion.

Oxendine brings up Hayes Pond event, where Lumbee Indians chased out the KKK. She remembers listening to the radio about it.
Goes back to cartoon, says she hopes that it never makes its way into the classroom.
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Member Amy White brings up it wasapprop. words being refined that come from radical theory (critical race theory).
Words are powerful. Images are powerful. Brings up WRAL offensive cartoon. Says "libel comes to mind."
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White agrees with Oxendine that this was meant to make them shut up. Says not one adult reached out to her to call that cartoon bullying.
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"What happened yesterday was offensive, nothing short of bullying and should not be tolerated." - Amy White on WRAL's racist cartoon

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This is a good point White made:

https://twitter.com/nckhui/status/1357010137517555716

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Chair Davis talks about how the board is an example for the children in the state for discussion of impt. issues.
Says however vote on SS standards comes out we need to move forward with "unified purpose."

Davis did not/has not yet condemned the WRAL cartoon.
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Todd Chasteen brings up the fact the SS standards don't cover in-depth the destructive behaviors in forms of govt like communism, socialism etc.

Chasteen: dominant thread of SS revisions is on variations of identity but we should teach reality, flaws and all.
If he had a draft title for standards: 50 reasons why America was not exceptional

Chasteen talked a lot about the SS draft standards emphasis on marginalized groups; highlighted practical points such as govt's was not extensive enough.

https://twitter.com/nckhui/status/1357014280382644229

The board is moving on to the next action item.

Chair Davis did not address or even mention the WRAL cartoon attacking members of the board, though it was brought up multiple times during the social studies discussion by multiple members.
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I'll be picking up tweeting on the Social Studies standards votes tomorrow during the voting portion of the meeting.
simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/Vi…
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J. Hall defended Oxendine re: WRAL cartoon.
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https://twitter.com/nckhui/status/1357016326208954368

Day Two of the NC State Board of Ed meeting for Feb.
Voting won't happen until near the end of the meeting and that includes the controversial Social Studies standards revisions. (2:25pm per agenda)
Watch: youtube.com/channel/UCfM5r…
Agenda:
simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/Vi…
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The NC State Board of Ed meeting is getting closer to the voting items now.
Here is the statement Board Chair Davis gave on the racist WRAL cartoon yesterday:
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Jill Camnitz made a motion to vote on draft 5 of NC social studies standards revisions.
Board member James Ford made a substitute motion to use draft 4 instead - that includes the controversial "systemic racism" and "gender identity."

Treasurer Folwell is engaged in this vote today.
Appreciates all the comments yesterday.

Lt. Gov. Robinson reiterates all statements from yesterday.
Many people were not aware of these standards; 7k in agreement but in 4 days we were in contact with over 40k people opposed

Robinson's petition opposing the standards now has 29,413 signatures.
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Chasteen, White, Oxendine, Folwell, Robinson all vote no.
The rest of the board voted yes.
The motion carries, 7-5.
The controversial social studies revision draft 5 passes.
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