The Recommendations Are In
OK, I'm back. Now, twenty-one hours after leaving my little academic crash-pad in Wivenhoe Village, Essex, England, after a late taxi driver and standstill London traffic jams and flying late into Charlotte and being delayed and then rushed by the storms on the East Coast, I am looking at my email and see some very nice news.
It seems the MCPS citizens advisory committee has finished its evaluation of the eighth and tenth grade sexual orientation curricula and the condom lesson, and has voted to recommend them, with revisions, to the school board.
All right, guys, good for you -- it was a tough road, and I'm sorry I missed last night's meeting. I am proud of the committee for plugging through. A subgroup was there to disrupt, and they did that, and the rest of the group was patient and let them express themselves, and considered their point of view, and sometimes agreed with their suggestions, and then votes were taken, and the community was well represented by this fine bunch of people.
I understand there are some other things, but so far none of it really makes any sense to me. A petition signed by 200 doctors? A memo from the Superintendent about some complaints to the school board? A response by the committee?
I'll report more as I figure it out over the next couple of days.
It seems the MCPS citizens advisory committee has finished its evaluation of the eighth and tenth grade sexual orientation curricula and the condom lesson, and has voted to recommend them, with revisions, to the school board.
All right, guys, good for you -- it was a tough road, and I'm sorry I missed last night's meeting. I am proud of the committee for plugging through. A subgroup was there to disrupt, and they did that, and the rest of the group was patient and let them express themselves, and considered their point of view, and sometimes agreed with their suggestions, and then votes were taken, and the community was well represented by this fine bunch of people.
I understand there are some other things, but so far none of it really makes any sense to me. A petition signed by 200 doctors? A memo from the Superintendent about some complaints to the school board? A response by the committee?
I'll report more as I figure it out over the next couple of days.
posted by JimK at 10:41 PM
24 Comments:
Welcome back Jim...
And this from today's Washington Post...
Bush Choice for Family-Planning Post Criticized
The Keroack appointment angered many family-planning advocates, who noted that A Woman's Concern supports sexual abstinence until marriage, opposes contraception and does not distribute information promoting birth control at its six centers in eastern Massachusetts.
Oh no...can't have that! LOL! Goodness, start teaching those school CHILDREN not to have sex until they get married and they may learn something in school, be successful in life and vote (GASP!) Republican!
*******************
LOL!!! Will that Bush Dude ever learn? What a rube!
My favorite line from the article though is this:
The appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation...Democrats said the moves belie Bush's post-election promises of bipartisanship.
Quotes from today's Washington Post article Orin omitted:
The Bush administration has appointed a new chief of family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services who worked at a Christian pregnancy-counseling organization that regards the distribution of contraceptives as "demeaning to women."
Eric Keroack, [is] medical director for A Woman's Concern, a nonprofit group based in Dorchester, Mass....
He will oversee $283 million in annual family-planning grants that, according to HHS, are "designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons."
..."A Woman's Concern is persuaded that the crass commercialization and distribution of birth control is demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality and adverse to human health and happiness," the group's Web site says.
Keroack was traveling and could not be reached for comment...
Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called Keroack's appointment "striking proof that the Bush administration remains dramatically out of step with the nation's priorities."
orin
again how foolish you sound. Opposes contraception? Women should have children or not have sex? I am married and have two children- thank goodness for contraception- or my husband and I would have had sex twice. Sex only for procreation is a religious concept(and a sad one at that) Married women need contraception and what about women who never marry? You may think that people who never marry should remain abstinent- but that should not be the government's position. It is a religious position- and we still do have the separation of right-wing church and state- just barely. YOU may not have noticed Orin- but this is not an education position- but A FAMILY PLANNING ONE. I used all caps since it seems you ignored this person's job.
Orin, you oppose sex without marriage and oppose marriage for gays. And somehow you're not supposed to be anti-gay when you oppose them having any sort of sex life whatsoever.
How unrealistic can you be. You claim to be religious yet you totally ignore the most important part of the bible - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.". If someone told you you should never have sex you'd think they were crazy yet that is what you ask of gays. You just need to look at the priesthood to see how bad an idea that is. Clearly when you ask people to do the unreasonable it causes severe problems like the sexual exploitation of minors - if one is an evil sinner by having consentual sex there is no additional condemnation and disincentive to having unconsentual sex.
This news is appalling. The Bush adminstration apparently has no shame about destroying the US's reputation in academic excellence particularly when it comes to science. Our former worldwide dominance in numerous fields of scientific inquiry is in jeopardy because of Bush's emphasis on ideology over fact. Nowhere is this ideology more apparent than in funding for ideologically driven abstinence-only sex education programs.
Abstinence Education Assessment Lacking
Nov 16th - 4:53pm
By ANDREW BRIDGES
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Most no-sex-before-marriage programs escape the type of scientific scrutiny required to show if they work, a government watchdog said Thursday in a report on the federally funded abstinence education efforts.
Also, the materials used by the programs face limited review for scientific accuracy, the Government Accountability Office said. The abstinence programs receive about $158 million a year in public money from the Health and Human Services Department.
Last month a separate GAO report reminded the Bush administration that literature distributed by federally backed abstinence programs must contain medically accurate information about how well condoms prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
The Administration for Families and Children, part of Health and Human Services, does not review for scientific accuracy the materials used in the abstinence programs it funds, the GAO found. It awards grants to two programs that account for the largest portion of abstinence funding.
A different division at HHS, the Office of Population Affairs, that gives out abstinence money does carry out such reviews, the GAO said.
"It is increasingly clear that the Administration for Children and Families' strategy is to bury their heads in the sand and simply throw money at organizations that favor the social issue agenda of the Bush administration," said William Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, which promotes sexuality education.
Auditors also contacted 10 states that receive Administration for Families and Children money for abstinence programs, and found that just five review materials for scientific accuracy, according to the report.
In comments submitted to the GAO, health officials questioned the meaning of "scientific accuracy" as used in the report. But they said they would consider requiring grant applicants to provide written assurances that the materials they use are accurate. They already must say all data in their applications are "true and correct," which by extension should apply to all curricular materials as well, the department said.
The watchdog also found that most state and federal efforts to gauge the effectiveness of abstinence-until-marriage education do not meet the minimum scientific standards that experts believe are needed to make them scientifically valid. Two HHS studies may be up to scientific snuff, but have yet to be completed, according to the report.
HHS said it is undertaking efforts to determine the effectiveness of the abstinence programs it funds and now requires that those programs spend more on evaluation. The department pointed out that there is a lack of valid and conclusive studies on the effectiveness of sex education efforts."
http://federalnewsradio.com/?nid=78&sid=948912
Thanks to the Waxman Report (http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf), we know that medically inaccurate information is present in many abstinence only programs. Now, because he's had 6 long years to replace genuine scientists with his idealogues and cronies, HHS has to ask the GAO to what they mean by "scientific accuracy."
How bush-league is this going to get?
Aunt Bea
Yes, how horrible. Someone in government who actually believes sex outside of marriage is wrong.
What's next? Some nut who thinks the free world needs to stand up to murderous dictators?
Anyway, remember how the Democrats make a big splash a week ago promising to clean up corruption in Congress? Didn't last long. Yesterday, Nancy Pelosi and 88 other Democrats voted to elect an unindicted co-conspirator in the Abscam scandal as majority leader.
Concerning this scam on the American voter by the Democratic party, to paraphrase Pete Seeger:
"when we will they ever learn
when
will
they ever
learn."
"A subgroup was there to disrupt, and they did that, and the rest of the group was patient and let them express themselves,"
definitions:
"DISRUPT"
disagree publicly with a TTF view
"WAS PATIENT"
tolerated free speech by others
++++++++++++++++++++
Let's try the substitute truth game:
"A subgroup was there to disagree publicy with a TTF view, and they did that, and the rest of the group tolerated free speech for others and let them express themselves"
that was big of them!!!
"It seems the MCPS citizens advisory committee has finished its evaluation of the eighth and tenth grade sexual orientation curricula and the condom lesson, and has voted to recommend them, with revisions, to the school board."
And right after the elections too. Imagine that. Just like last time. Who'd of thought lightning could strike twice? You'd almost think it was by intelligent design.
And the GOP elected Boehner to lead them even though he knew for months about Mark Foley's shenanigans but only reported what he knew to Hastert. Or did he?
It seems the new GOP MINORITY leader can't keep his story straight:
"John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate "contact" between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574.html
And right after the elections too. Imagine that. Just like last time. Who'd of thought lightning could strike twice? You'd almost think it was by intelligent design.
No it's not "just like last time." In November 2004 it was the BOARD OF EDUCATION that voted to approve the curriculum that the CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE had approved months prior.
This week, right "after the election" it was the CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE that approved their recommendations to Dr. Weast, who will make his recommendations to the BOE in January.
Get your facts straight before you make more of a moron out of yourself.
"And the GOP elected Boehner to lead them even though he knew for months about Mark Foley's shenanigans but only reported what he knew to Hastert. Or did he? "
The Democrats knew too. Everyone on Capitol Hill did- it was a well-known secret. The Dems were saving public disclosure for the right time.
"Get your facts straight before you make more of a moron out of yourself."
If you actually believe that bureacratic malarkey, you're the real moron. The board timed it so when the controversy hits it will have plenty of time to blow over before the next election. Despite the fact that TTF thinks the county is stuffed full of its supporters, the board doesn't seem so convinced. None of them ran on their sexual variation education record.
"The Democrats knew too. Everyone on Capitol Hill did- it was a well-known secret. The Dems were saving public disclosure for the right time."
Got proof? If the GOP did, it'd be all over FOXNEWS. But nope. Nothing, nada.
And how many CRC supported BOE candidates ran on a literal interpretation of Leviticus?
"The board timed it..."
Timed what? The 7 months it took CRC to nominate an eligible candidate for the CAC?
"Let's try the substitute truth game:
You mean the lying game?
No thanks, I already know you'll win that one. BIG TIME!
"Got proof? If the GOP did, it'd be all over FOXNEWS. But nope. Nothing, nada."
All the pages interviewed said Foley's actions were well known among pages. I've got news for you, if the pages all knew it, so did their bosses.
The Democrats all knew about Gerry Studds and Barnet Frank too.
Despite all this, it really takes a lot of gall for Dems to run against corruption and then, so fast it'll make your head spin, they try to elect a guy found to be conducive to bribery by the FBI to their leadership.
If they are going to be a bunch of freakin' hypocrites, they could, at least, wait a couple of months before blindsiding us- out of respect.
"You mean the lying game?
No thanks, I already know you'll win that one. BIG TIME!"
Oh really. Let's hear Jim describe how they disrupted the meeting.
"Despite all this, it really takes a lot of gall for Dems to run against corruption and then, so fast it'll make your head spin, they try to elect a guy found to be conducive to bribery by the FBI to their leadership."
It was a MINORITY of the Democrats who voted for Murtha of questionable ethics but the MAJORITY of GOPers who voted for Boehner of questionable ethics. Who's got the most gall?
If you are of the opinion that "everybody" on Capitol Hill knew about Foley but the Dems waited until a month before the election to go public with it, then what, pray tell, are the GOPers STILL waiting for?
"Who's got the most gall?"
Democrats. Thanks for asking.
"If you are of the opinion that "everybody" on Capitol Hill knew about Foley but the Dems waited until a month before the election to go public with it, then what, pray tell, are the GOPers STILL waiting for?"
Everyone knew. The only reason Hastert is on the hot seat is that, being the one responsible, there is a paper trail about his knowledge.
What will really be interesting is when we find out the big mystery- What did Murtha have on Pelosi to force her to commit an act so detrimental to her own interests? It'll come out eventually.
"Timed what? The 7 months it took CRC to nominate an eligible candidate for the CAC?"
The CRC gave them a name in time. The board, showing its contempt for the law, rejected it.
The CRC gave an ineligible name, Retta "Precious" Brown, who sat on the CAC that approved the now rescinded curriculum revisions in 2004.
What does Murtha have on Pelosi? Nothing. Murtha is a decorated war veteran who spoke out against the misguided war in Iraq which led to the sweepin' thumpin' the GOP took last week, elevating Pelosi as the first female SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. She knew the Dems wouldn't vote Murtha into a leadership position, but now he's been honored. Murtha will continue to be an excellent foil for the neocons who never wore a uniform yet NEEDLESSLY send our kids into harm's way.
In case you missed it, "Republicans didn't take any governorships or House or Senate seats from Democrats last week. While several House races remain undecided, the seats at risk in those races didn't belong to Democrats in the first place."
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/11/16/dems/index.html?source=newsletter
his concession email from a Republican in Minnesota sums it all up, including the attitudes of the wingers on this blog (from Andrew Sullivan today (http://time.blogs.com/daily_dish/):
"This really is one for the books. It's an email sent by Republican candidate, Rae Hart Anderson, who lost his race for a seat in the Minnesota Senate to a Democratic Hindu. Money quote:
The race of your life is more important than this one--and it is my sincere wish that you'll get to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He died for the sins of the world, yours and mine--and especially for those who accept His forgiveness. His kingdom will come and His will be done--on earth as it is in heaven. There's more....I love belonging to the family of God. Jesus is the way, the truth and offers His life to you and each human being. Pay attention...this is very important, Satveer. Have you noticed Jesus for yourself...at some moment in time, yet??? ...
Jesus Christ lives in His earth family by His Spirit. He said He'd be back, and He said it first. You could invite Him to make the race of your life 'eternal'. God waits to be gracious to each person that knows they need to be forgiven. Do you? I think you do.
And some Republicans are still asking why they lost. The denial continues."
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