District Policies: Using your feedback, a subcommittee of AHEM members met last week to put together a position statement about the proposed Controversial Topics Curriculum Policy. Their work was approved by our Representative Assembly on Monday. Here is a summary of our position as stated to the School Board that Monday evening:
- Rescind the Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy as it caused more confusion and conflicts than provided effective guidance.
- Replacing the policy is unnecessary as the key ideas in the proposed Controversial Topics Curriculum Policy are already covered in other district policies, our Minnesota statutes in the Teachers’ Code of Ethics, and basic professional understandings.
- If a new policy is inevitable, the Controversial Topics Curriculum Policy can be amended to better reflect sound educational practices.
For our full position statement and our statement to the Board, visit ahemweekly.blogspot.com. The board is considering all the input they’ve received and may vote as soon as January 23rd.
Right to Work: Some state legislators are considering adding yet another constitutional amendment to next year’s state ballot. The mislabeled “Right to Work” amendment is an attack on unions. It aims to defund unions to the point of nonexistence. Not surprisingly, in states with these laws the average worker makes $5,500 less each year than Minnesota workers. For more information about these kinds of amendments, Sunday’s New York Times editorial “The Continuing Assault on Unions” lays it out well: http://tinyurl.com/88epmnx .
Good Question: Where can I find video of school board meetings? A-H School Board agendas, minutes, and video is posted at http://tinyurl.com/7t62olb . If you pull the video from the last board meeting for instance, you can see me presenting our policy position at 00:44:45. As a bonus, at 00:24:15 Vice President LeMoyne Corgard explains to the board the importance of licensed specialists providing Art, Music, and Phy Ed to kindergarteners.
