The below article is by Natalie Cline, a sitting member of the Utah State School Board. She is not writing on behalf of the board.
I also invite you to watch 4 presentations from a recent Eagle Forum conference which go into some depth about what’s happening in Utah right now:
https://www.utahnsagainstcommoncore.com/4-critical-presentations-this-is-in-utah/
******** FROM NATALIE CLINE
Dear Parent,
Please read in full! Important information!
Thank you for having the courage to advocate for your child! Gone are the days you can just sit back and hope your child will be safe at school. The following are some important steps to help you proactively advocate for your child. Please share with other concerned parents.
1) Get Educated on the Harmful Programs in Schools:
Social Emotional Learning programs groom your children to accept Critical Race Theory, Comprehensive Sexuality Education, Gender Ideology, BLM Curriculum, and intersectionality. Learn more here:
CSE: https://www.comprehensivesexualityeducation.org/
https://protectchildhealth.org/webinars/
Gender Ideology:
A perfect example of how they are trying to indoctrinate our teachers and students: Keynote from the Utah Pride Center’s conference for Utah Educators, held 1/23/2021 “Gender Creative Education: Building an Inclusive and Equitable Learning Community”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nkv_SOyqvM
Critical Race Theory:
https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/BG3567.pdf
Here is just a handful sources for factual information of the issue which will provide the children valuable education rather than indoctrination:
FACTS by Walter E. Williams, distinguished prof. of economics at George Mason
University (originally from Philadelphia):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzNYCPZXvlw
FACTS by Carol Swain, Prof of political science & Law at Vanderbilt University:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_a7dQXilCo
The Plight of the Black People and the myth of Systemic Racism:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/TQEbUMX1uug
FACTS: Larry Elder on systemic racism in America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlGE9dg7fyM
FACTS: Ben Shapiro debunking viral systemic racism explained video:
FACTS by Walter E. Williams, distinguished prof. of economics at George Mason
University (originally from Philadelphia):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzNYCPZXvlw
Read the first lawsuit of many to come due to subversive indoctrination programs in schools:
https://www.schoolhouserights.org
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs:
https://www.agencybasededucation.org/battleground-religious-freedom-k-12-assessments/
Deep dive into SEL:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1202298819962552&id=100005473355853
SEL’s Massive Data Collection testimony:
SEL & Transgender Ideology:
BLM Curriculum:
https://www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com
Action Civics/Civics Engagement programs: https://www.texaspolicy.com/action-civicsnew-civics-civic-engagement-and-project-based-civics-advances-in-civic-education/
2) Opt-out Forms:
1) CSE-gender-ideology-non-consent_form
2) Opt_out_of_subversive_content form
The school will not always tell you when something controversial is going to be taught unless you make your wishes known in unmistakable terms. These opt out forms will help you do just that!
Feel free to edit the forms to include anything not already mentioned that you do not consent to having your child taught or exposed to. For example:
“I do not consent to my child being read stories that include the topic of intersectionality, gender identity/orientation, or homosexuality ideology”
“I do not consent to my child participating in the Second Step program and I request that my child be allowed to go to the library to do an alternative assignment whenever the class is participating in these program materials.”
“I do not consent to my child participating in any discussions, activities, programs, or presentations on the topics of Cultural Proficiency/Competency/Revelance, Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Privilege, White Fragility, Intersectionality, Anti-Racism, Systemic Racism, bias/sensitivity training, Critical/Crucial Conversations (i.e. Critical Race Theory), Social Justice, Racial Justice, etc.”
I would recommend that you add signature lines at the bottom of each form for the principal and teachers to sign showing they read and understand your desires. Have them sign two copies of each opt-out form, one for your records and one to be kept in your child’s official file.
3) Know the Laws – and how they pertain to your parental rights and child’s learning environment. Cite these laws whenever asserting your parental authority over your child’s education:
Be sure remind your school that yours and your child’s first amendment rights are guaranteed even at school – freedom of speech, religious freedoms, and rights of conscience – and that Utah code 53G-10-402(6) states that political, atheistic, sectarian, religious, or denominational doctrine may not be taught in the public schools (except as provided in Section 53G-10-202).
Constitutional free speech laws also protect against compelled speech of any kind (i.e. having to choose an identity group, having to state whether they are an oppressor or oppressed, having to state their own preferred pronouns, having to use someone else’s “preferred” pronouns, having to state their sexual orientation, having to admit guilt for something they didn’t do, having to say they are “racist”, have “privilege” or “power” etc.).
Utah laws protecting parental rights are cited in the attached opt-out form for “subversive content”.
You may want to edit the “sexual content” non-consent form to include the following Utah laws and Board Rules that require parental consent to be given before anything related to sexuality or gender orientation are discussed in class:
https://rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r277/r277-474.htm
https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53E/Chapter9/53E-9-S203.html?v=C53E-9-S203_2018012420180124
Take this teacher’s advice:
4) If your child is taught or exposed to inappropriate materials in their classroom or library:
1) Find out if your local school board approved the book, curriculum, or program. If they did not, have them remove the inappropriate materials from the classroom, and send out a formal apology to all parents in the school informing them of what happened and what actions they are taking to remedy the situation and ensure it does not happen again. If they did approve it have them remove it from the approved list.
2) Ask teacher/administrator what content on the opt-out forms have already been taught to your child so you can discuss the content with your child, share your family’s values and why these are important to you.
3) Report incident to the Utah Education Hotline: 801-538-7813, include the offending teacher or administrator’s name(s) if you suspect your complaint may require disciplinary action. Also, mail the State School Board with your concerns at board@schools.utah.gov.
5) Right to Know:
Parents have a right to know everything their children are taught. Assert your parental rights by visiting the school and insisting they let you see all books, curricula, resource materials, and computer programs being used. Ask to be logged in through the student portal so you can see what is only available through the student portals. Write down the names of any programs or curricula being used and research them at home. See attachments below for more helpful tips.
6) School Community Counsels:
Find out about your local school community councils on your school’s website and in the attachment below. This is where you as a parent can have a voice in what happens at your child’s school. Attend their meetings and work to get informed parents on the counsel or get on it yourself.
School Community Council Basics Document
7) Teach Your Child:
Teach them what is ok and not okay for them to be taught in school so they know when to call you. Not sure what to tell them to watch out for? Study the links in the “Get Educated” section at the beginning of this letter and then you will know.
Teach your child to trust their instincts. If something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t. If your child is “sick” about what is being taught or presented in class or online, have them tell the teacher they “do not feel well” so they can go to the office and call you. Come up with a code word they can use when they call you so that you understand they need rescuing from the uncomfortable situation such as a fake name for a relative that if they mention it on the phone you know they are in distress (ex. “Did Uncle Charlie arrive safely?”). Be sure to follow up with the school about whatever it was that caused your child discomfort.
8) Utah Parents United:
Last, but not least, go to http://www.utahparentsunited.org/get-involved.html and join with other concerned parents and learn powerful ways you can advocate for your child! We must stand together to protect our children.
Thank you again for caring about your child enough to get involved!
(image by Mykhailo Ridkous @ 123rf.com)
When suggesting that parents state the following, you are suggesting that parents make such a broad demand as to make a teacher, whether in a journalism class, social studies, history or geography class or any setting, afraid to foster or even ALLOW engagement of their students in critical thinking. In essence, you are asking schools to help you raise children who may have excellent reading, writing, arithmetic and physical skills, but who are unable to look at various viewpoints on a topic, to analyze statements based on how rational they are, whether they are factual and objective, etc. It is a good way to force the molding of children into adults who are unable to use these important thinking skills in making choices related to politics, community engagement, etc.
You suggest making the following statement (demand) to school teachers and administrators:
“I do not consent to my child participating in any discussions, activities, programs, or presentations on the topics of Cultural Proficiency/Competency/Revelance, Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Privilege, White Fragility, Intersectionality, Anti-Racism, Systemic Racism, bias/sensitivity training, Critical/Crucial Conversations (i.e. Critical Race Theory), Social Justice, Racial Justice, etc.”
Hmmm. What did you leave out?
As for social emotional learning, that is what schools and parents have always engaged in. There are important social/emotional skills that nearly everyone would agree should be taught to our children. Now someone calls it social emotional learning and suddenly you are up in arms. I refer to skills such as learning to manage your emotions, being respectful of others, being honest (e.g. do not cheat), etc.
I implore you: be fair and objective; and if you are that afraid of the public schools in Utah corrupting your children, you have alternatives for managing their education, besides alienating yourselves from the public school administrators and staff by jumping to conclusions hastily, then making angry responses.
Sincerely,
George Haws