This is a June 2021 statement but it directly addresses SB 148 which was just introduced by Diaz and is being heard in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday—January 18, 2022
Please write the Senators on the committee and ask them to vote NO!
Excerpts from link:
We, the undersigned associations and organizations, state our firm opposition to a spate of legislative proposals being introduced across the country that target academic lessons, presentations, and discussions of racism and related issues in American history in schools, colleges, and universities. These efforts have taken varied shape in at least 20 states, but often the legislation aims to prohibit or impede the teaching and education of students concerning what are termed “divisive concepts.” These divisive concepts as defined in numerous bills are a litany of vague and indefinite buzzwords and phrases including, for example, “that any individual should feel or be made to feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological or emotional distress on account of that individual’s race or sex.” These legislative efforts are deeply troubling for numerous reasons.
https://pen.org/joint-statement-legislative-efforts-restrict-education-racism-american-history/
This is what I sent:
To: <broxson.doug.web@flsenate.gov>, <diaz.manny.web@flsenate.gov>, <gruters.joe.web@flsenate.gov>, <passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov>, <polsky.tina.web@flsenate.gov>, <jones.shevrin.web@flsenate.gov>, <berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov>, <bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov>, <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>
Dear members of the Senate Committee on Education,
IF the sponsor feels that SB 148 is important, then I wonder why the bill doesn’t apply to all publicly funded schools not just the district run schools. SB 148 is on your committee’s agenda for January 18th.
Taxpayers have a stake in having an educated populace; in district owned school buildings that also act as hurricane shelters; in schools that don’t spread contagious diseases; and in a populace that treats its fellow residents with courtesy. The client of the publicly funded schools is the entire community, not just the parents.
The rise of white supremacy terrorist groups is alarming.
America’s ideals do include liberty and justice for all. However, some of the bill SB 148 seems very silly and some parts are not accurate. For example, please change this statement from
The Legislature acknowledges the fundamental truth that all individuals are equal before the law and have inalienable rights
to
The Legislature acknowledges that one of the ideals of the United States is that all individuals are equal before the law and have inalienable rights
We all know that the outcome for the poor is rarely the same as the outcome for the rich for similar crimes. Equal rights before the law is an ideal not a fact.
Link to bill: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/148
