At its June 7 meeting, the Mat-Su School Board is looking to make substantial changes its board policies in order to boost parental rights while restricting the ability of educators to use schools and classroom time to push divisive social activism, controversial library books or leftist gender ideology and sex education. Below are some of the notable changes the board is considering.
UNION CODES
A revision of the code of ethics policy removes language that “encourages district employees to accept as guiding principles the codes of ethics published by professional associations to which they may belong.”
Since nearly all teachers belong to the Mat-Su Education Association, a branch of the hard left National Education Association, this proposed change would effectively remove the school board’s broad endorsement of directives teachers may receive from their union leaders.
ACTIVIST TEACHERS
In an attempt to keep school employees from pushing controversial causes on students, the board is looking amend a policy which would prevent educators and others from improperly using school time, materials or facilities to promote “activist” causes. The board already prohibits employees from “engaging in any activity in the presence of students during performance of the employee’s duties, where the activity is designed or intended to promote, further, or assert a position on any voting issue, board issue, or collective bargaining issue.”
PERSONAL PRONOUNS/ GENDER IDENTITY
A proposed revision to the board’s parental engagement policy explicitly states, “written permission” must be obtained from a parent “before the name or pronoun that does not conform to the child’s biological sex [is] used by a public school to address or refer to the parent’s child in person, on school identification, or in school records is changed.”
SEX-ED CLASSES
In order to empower parents who may object to certain sex-ed materials, the board is looking to amend its family life and human sexuality policy to require schools to give parents a two-week notification before “any class, or program that includes content involving gender identity, human reproduction, or sexual matter is provided to a child.” In addition, schools must obtain “written” parental permission before a child participates in the “activity, class or program.”
SCHOOL COUNSELING
Proposed changes to the school counseling services policy would clarify that counselors are primarily “academic” advisors who must consult “primarily with the parents” when unsure how to respond to a student’s issues. It also removes any suggestions that counselors have authority to advise students about gender issues or personal problems without parental involvement.
LIBRARIES
A proposed policy for school libraries is also being introduced, which no longer describes libraries as “safe spaces” that provide “equitable” and “inclusive” materials. It also strongly emphases that libraries are to be primarily “academic” resources, rather than places that facilitate ill-defined “ethics and values.”
The proposed library changes emphasize that, “All materials depicting human sexuality will require parental consent before students may access the materials.” Additionally, it removes wording that gives school librarians authority to purchase books and materials without prior committee recommendations or school board approval. The library policy changes are being introduced for the first time, so they will not be up for a vote or public hearing until the meeting in late June.
TAKING ACTION
— The June 7 Mat-Su School Board meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Mat-Su Borough School District Central Office building located at 501 N. Gulkana Street in Palmer. Click here for more information about the meeting, including how to participate via Zoom.
— Click here to view the school board agenda.
21 Comments
This is good news. Thank you for this information Mr. Davidson! Looking forward to listening in on the June 7th school board meeting!
I greatly appreciate the efforts of the MSB school board. They have a lot of courage and desire to protect actual education from indoctrination. This protects students, families, the community, as well as teachers.
Maybe it is just me and my age but I am having difficulty navigating the agenda on the MSBSD website and can only find the library policy issue. Will keep at it but in the meantime the general school board email is: MSD_ALL_SCHOOL_BOARD_MEMBERS@matsuk12.us
If all these changes happens then we’re on the right track to taking our schools back.
From these woke groups trying to groom our children.
I hope these changes happen. This is the right track to take back the schools and encourage teacher-parent dialogue to better educate the students in the core curriculum that is needed to survive in the world as it is.
This world is being changed – we don’t want our kids to “survive” in this world. We are working to remove the evil. This is why we need Dunleavy to be pushing for this state’s sovereignty and for our individual sovereignty. Again, since you seem to know Dunleavy so well, please ask him for a copy of his Oath of Office to share with the public. We need to know if our governor has a legitimate, legal Oath of Office.
I support all the changes being brought for in this meeting. Time to get back to the basics of education – the academics. Parents step up and declare what is needed in the dictation of the children. Protect the children.
Going back in history, 1000 years or more, those that wanted to subdue a nation always had a two step agenda: division within the citizenry and education of the young. It seems we are following right along with this centuries old plan. Am glad to see the citizens of the Mat Su Taking a stand to protect the children. But, beware, the evil one does not give up easily. When he loses in one area, he will just circle around and hit from a slightly different direction. We must constantly be on the alert for the next attack from the far left.
Teachers bad, Christian extremists good.
You are sooo missing the point.
Help me out Elizabeth. What point am I missing?
Ok groomer
Pitchforks are 25% off at Teelands and tiki torches are two for 7$. AR 15 weapons of war : no price reduction.
Christians are the ones being discriminated against, and yes persecuted. You have it very backward, adding also to your confusion about the policy changes. So classic left though – deflection, and psychological projection.
What are you trying to say Lucinda? Letting your buddies know of these sales? Quit trying to frame the stuff you are doing on Conservative, Christian, humanity-loving people.
As a veteran of 24 years of military service I have never nor has anyone else ever carried an AR15 to war. Get your facts straight troll.
Troutman:
The AR-15 is designed to cause a very damaging shock wave that creates an extraordinarily large amount of tissue damage. Because of the projectile’s extraordinarily high velocity and relatively heavy weight, it severely injures or kills virtually any person in its path. It can also easily penetrate walls, furniture and even humans and still injure or kill someone behind.
These characteristics make the AR-15 far too dangerous and destructive for home or business defense. Because of the extraordinary tissue damage created, an AR-15 is wholly unsuitable for hunting. It is a weapon of war suitable only for warfare at least a mile away from any civilians.
But so what. Its the weapon of choice for radicals.
Lucinda broke down and used an AI-generated answer. Unbelievable. Better listen to the actual military and veterans Lucinda – they are trying to tell you truth.
Palmer and Wasilla families still need to understand God’s Word in order that your children and grandchildren are growing up with an accurate interpretation. Boomers and gen x recieved an inaccurate understanding of God’s Word. By their attacks of it being used by their parents, their complaints sounds like it was used like a weapon. While millennials was between no church activity or the same instruction their gen x older siblings recieved. This way you protect Palmer-Wasilla for future generations. Cause all that millennial and gen x activists have to do is sit and wait until this region’s boomers get older, tired, and retired.
I watched the entire meeting. I was shocked at how unprofessional the “teachers” group is becoming. I was shocked at many of their statements with an undertone that sounded like threats that they were delivering to the board members. Conservatives, Christians, and humanity-loving people of the community, I also noticed that the “teachers” group was taking up many seats in the room and their were spread out from corner to corner. This made it look like there were even more of them. Conservatives, Christians, and humanity-loving people of the community need to show up in larger forces and show the school board members that we support their decisions to protect our children and provide our children with a quality education in the basic subjects. Thank you to those Conservatives, Christians, and humanity-loving people who do show up to every board meeting. Your work to protect the children is appreciated!
The board policies changes did pass with a 6 to 1 vote. One step closer in ensuring the children’s emotional and physical well-being!
You know Friend, you have stumbled onto a dangerous truth of the future. Advocates for any position on any side will be able to insult the opposition by claiming a comment was generated by AI. So in effect: fake news. Who knows? You say (in so many words) that you love your lord and your secular prophet Trump. How do I know that you do? You could be a product of computer wizardly, right? And maybe I am too. Have your ever met me in person? No. How do you know Lucinda is my real name? You don’t.
Hey let’s meet for coffee at Black Birch Books. Wanna?