Idahoans for Local Education

Every time I see an article like this I just shake my head. 12+ years ago there were groups of parents all over the country warning that this would be the outcome of adopting Common Core.

Utah students' reading skills are declining; math skills stable – Deseret News

Alarmed: Utah educators seeking answers to why many students' struggle with reading "Nation's Report Card" reveals the Beehive State is not immune to declining reading performances seen across the nation.

This is the list of schools in Idaho that will keep parents in the dark if your child decides to transition. The list isn't as long as California or New York's, but the fact that there's a list at all is disturbing.

https://defendinged.org/investigations/list-of-school-district-transgender-gender-nonconforming-student-policies/

This Private Equity Firm Is Amassing Companies That Collect Data on America’s Children – The Markup Vista Equity Partners has been buying up software used in schools. Parents want to know what the companies do with kids’ data

Viewpoint: Preserving privately funded education in Oklahoma is vital to education freedom Curiosity, ingenuity, creativity, open dialogue, tolerance and truth in education flourish where government is absent, and whither away where government controls.

https://idahoansforlocaleducation.com/2021/10/crt-expert-dr-duke-pesta-coming-to-idaho/

Come see Dr. Pesta!

CRT Expert, Dr Duke Pesta, Coming to Idaho | Idahoans For Local Education Pursuing the Love of Learning Dr. Duke Pesta, Star, Idaho – October 21st Thursday LifeSpring Church, 174 N Star Road, Star, Idaho from, 6:00-8:00 PM, Dr. Duke Pesta, Anna Miller, Idaho Freedom Foundation Education Policy Director & Rep. Dorothy Moon Caldwell, Idaho – October 22nd Friday Caldwell...

A CALL TO ACTION:

I would like as many concerned citizens as possible to email the Boise Library Board ([email protected]) asking for two things in regards to the Boise Library Ultimate Book Nerd (UBN) Challenge.

1. Note the ability to substitute or skip categories participants do not agree with in all materials explaining the UBN Challenge.
2. Change the 2 categories noting LGBTQIA+ in the UBN list for children to be age-appropriate (now and in future years). For example, change "a book with an LGBTQIA+ main character" to "a story about a family that is different from yours" or "a story about a character who feels misunderstood".

Your email must be received BY Monday, May 3, to be included in the Board agenda for May, and you must request that your comment be included in the agenda for the upcoming board meeting. Please include why you are concerned with the current UBN list for children (under 12) and close with your name and address to show you live in Boise and are a member of our community.

We pay for the Library. We should make our voices heard.

BACKGROUND:

Boise Library has an Ultimate Book Nerd (UBN) challenge in which they list 50 categories for books to read during the year. If you complete the task, you can be eligible for prizes. There is a separate list for children (12 and under) and teens/adults. Please see the attached pdf highlighting the differing categories. The lines where the categories differ are often to give a more age-appropriate category (i.e. instead of reading a romance, a child is asked to read a book about friendship, or instead of reading a micro-history, a child is asked to read a book about dinosaurs). Two of the categories NOT changed are reading a book from an LGBTQIA+ author and reading a book with an LGBTQIA+ main character. I believe the LGBTQIA+ term is not age-appropriate for children. When I wrote an email to the library about the matter, the librarian said I could substitute or skip these categories, but the Library wants to offer diverse material.

This is from the email I received: "As a Library we strive to provide materials from as many viewpoints as possible in the hopes that all of our community has the opportunity to see themselves as well as explore in our collections. We know not everyone wants to explore every viewpoint, and we respect that choice. This is why I encourage you to customize your children’s participation in the UBN Challenge. As we respect your choice not to engage with LGBTQIA materials, we also respect the many community members who have asked for more materials with diverse representation written for both adults and young readers."

I am not advocating for the removal of books from the library, but would like to advocate that only age-appropriate categories/books be included in challenges for children from the library. I know that if I were to present the list to my 1st grader, she would wonder why we are changing these 2 categories and ask what LGBTQIA+ means and open a lot of conversation that is not currently age-appropriate. My young daughters (ages 7, 4, 2, 0) should not be asked to care about the sexuality of the authors of their favorite books or be asked to read books about sexuality.

"I Am Jazz" is currently on their website as recommended reading for this category. This is the summary for this picture book:
"From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way."

Asking the library to change these two categories would not be different from what they have already done, given they have deemed it necessary to change a "religious book" for adults to a "book about mythology" for children, or a "book with a BIPOC main character" for adults to a "book with a main character who doesn't look like you" for children.

If concerned citizens will make a stand now, perhaps we can keep sexuality from being pushed on our young children, at least in this one small way. The Board does not entertain public comment at their meetings, but will look at written comments and questions before their meeting to potentially discuss.

Please submit a written comment to the Board ([email protected]) and request that it be included in the agenda for the upcoming Board meeting. All comments must be received BY Monday, May 3, to be included in the Board agenda for May. Comments will be reviewed and may be included under the “Communications” section of a Board agenda, will become a part of the public record, and will be reviewed by Board members at the meeting, giving the Board the opportunity to review comments in advance and be prepared to discuss requests or questions during the Board meeting.

Please read and sign the petition.

Sign the Petition Tell Sen. Thayn to follow the state directive to replace Common Core and remove the SBAC

https://www.idahoednews.org/voices/if-we-are-not-careful-we-will-miss-the-chance-to-rid-idaho-of-common-core/

If we are not careful, we will miss the chance to rid Idaho of Common Core Without citizen input, education standards are in jeopardy of remaining the same. Join the fight.