I get it. You’re still uncomfortable that racism exists today.
I thought it would be gone in my lifetime, too.
1/7
You hate the thought that racism exists. That some people are racists - or worse, someone might think YOU are racist ... because racism is abhorrent ... so those who AREN'T targeted just don’t want to talk about it.
Because deep down inside they know THEIR lives today would be far different if the historical tables had been turned and we were studying THEIR family stories in US History.
3/7
So how do we have conversations about racism, its root causes, and how to change things ... when we create gag rules to prevent uncomfortable conversations?
How do we teach about racism and its devastating effects on the US?
4/7
How do we teach about owning people, Jim Crow, redlining, sundown districts, lynching, Chinese Exclusion, and why we had Japanese-American Internment Camps ... but no corresponding German-American camps?
5/7
How can I get you to understand that in the America where I was born, it was against the law for my parents to marry? I was 3 years old when Oklahoma finally changed the law to allow interracial marriage.
6/7
Giving teachers a gag order won’t reduce racism in Oklahoma. It just tells them we don’t trust them ... and makes them a target for #Karen.
The numbers show the percentage of those testing positive who were under 25 and under 15.
There appears to be a correlation between incidence and kids being out of school.
The WSJ just published an article on Europe's experiences and their move away from in-person learning, especially with the rise of the more contagious UK COVID variant.
It's worth noting the main study in this article has not been peer reviewed.
Austria is working to return to in-person instruction. Their plan includes high volume testing of students and faculty.
This seems like a solid strategy, especially in combination with the hybrid A/B scheduling and mandatory school masking used in the North Carolina study.
Oklahomans deserve a Governor they can trust. Not one who attacks our tribal nations. Not one who hides WH reports. Not one who misrepresents studies and headlines.
He has one tool, the bully pulpit. To make that work, he needs the trust of the people.
It's gone.
1/4
He fails to consult with others and makes unilateral decisions. It's clear he didn't speak to teachers, hospital administrators, or pediatricians before he announced his most recent demands.
All have come out against his plan.
2/4
He even mislead my own House colleagues. 50 members of our Governor's own party now have egg on their face because they trusted him to be honest about his plan.
The recommendations also include:
▶️ Daily screenings of students and staff
▶️ Mask adherence
▶️ Efficient contact tracing
▶️ 3 Ws, including 6' social distancing
We have none of these.
It's worth mentioning the study didn't find any instances of child-to-adult transmission.