Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe’s big mouth has gotten him into trouble with voters who have school-age kids, what with him suggesting that parents shouldn’t have a say in their school’s curriculum. That’s stuck with him, and now he’s trying to shake it off by accusing his opponent of wanting to ban award-winning books (when he really wants to give parents the option of having their kids opt-out of certain readings).
In a piece for Slate, Ben Mathis-Lilley frames his argument with an email from his kids’ schools that after-school care was canceled due to flooding. He’s going to do what parents who don’t have too much time on their hands do: take care of his kids, which “already takes up approximately 99.9 percent of my waking brain energy.” It’s those busybody parents who do have too much time on their hands who think they can get involved in helping shape a school curriculum.
Hell is other parents. https://t.co/r3MVC6OHf2
— Slate (@Slate) October 26, 2021
This is the poll that inspired him to write:
"Should parents or school boards have more of an influence on a school's curriculum?"
(Rep) (Dem) (Ind)
Parents: 79% 16% 57%
School Board: 12% 70% 32%
Undecided: 9% 14% 10%— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) October 26, 2021
Mathis-Lilley writes:
Can you imagine even having to review one entire year’s worth of curriculum to approve it, much less providing detailed input on it? And doing this, probably, on a Zoom meeting with hundreds of other people? Do these angry parents know how much planning it takes to fill six hours each day with material that’s interesting enough to keep children from breaking everything in the classroom by hitting each other with it (elementary school) or texting each other TikToks about recreational drug use and open-minded sexual promiscuity (contemporary high school, I assume)?
Recommended
Ah, the root of the problem: angry parents. What do they have to be angry about? Just hand your kids over and trust the school to know best.
But don’t good parents review with their kids what they learned in school? Help them with their homework? They’re already involved.
If you fake your own death, that probably means we don’t have to read you anymore. Sounds like a good plan. pic.twitter.com/9UuWYdd6Tq
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) October 27, 2021
What kind of lunatic would write a sentence like that?
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) October 27, 2021
Sounds like someone needs a new therapist.
— Dave (@slownewsdave) October 27, 2021
How do these people become journalists?
I mean words are their sole career point!
Couldn’t they have just read this headline aloud to themselves?
— BhawaniSingh❤️🤍💙 🇺🇸 (@RudraBhawani) October 27, 2021
For Ben. Congrats. pic.twitter.com/4llcdGTxAU
— Big Boomer Daddy (@BigBoomerDaddy1) October 27, 2021
I completely agree with this article. I, too, am strongly opposed to Mr. Mathis-Lilley's involvement in any curricular planning whatsoever.
— Jonathan 🇺🇸 (@DrPippy) October 27, 2021
It’s amazing what Slate is willing to publish these days.
— DigDugPacMan ⚔️ (@DigDugPacMan) October 27, 2021
Aside from the performative hysteria, what’s amazing is that there are literally centuries worth of published curricula in every subject that could be easily adapted by anyone, including the author.
— Robert Herring (@bobherringiii) October 27, 2021
Where does he think those crazy homeschooling parents get their curricula? They shop around and settle on the best fit for their kids.
It's pretty funny that as recently as my own country-school childhood, "planning the curriculum" was the job of a couple dozen parents who pooled their resources to hire one or two teachers to teach 4 basic subjects to the kids, and it worked really really well.
— Tim Sheehan (@NotTodayJoe) October 27, 2021
I'll do it in a heartbeat.
It'll be heavy science, technology and some coding, math, economics, actual history, adding some literature and art-music. No ___________ studies period. Go to your local library for that. Done.
— 🅹🅰🆉🆉𝔹𝕒𝕤𝕤❹𝙵𝚞𝚗 (@JazzBass4Fun) October 27, 2021
Stupid argument. I don't want to take over curriculum planning from teachers & school boards either, because it's not my area of expertise.
Neither is the roofing job I'm having done.
That said, if the roofers were using marshmallows instead of shingles, I'd have an opinion.
— GT (@GT_Blue18) October 27, 2021
Giving up and shirking parental responsibility is what got us to this point. If you don't want to make an 18 year commitment of time…don't have kids.
— Richard Warner (@warner_rd) October 27, 2021
That’s an odd flex. “I know these people are monstrous ideologues, but I don’t wanna have to do something about it.”
— Big Tim Slade (@ItsPoorTim) October 27, 2021
What kind of terrible parent is so unconcerned about his own children that he doesn't care what's being taught to them?
— JHam (@jhamATL) October 27, 2021
It is really that controversial to tell teachers not to bring politics or their personal lives into the classroom? It seems like you could easily fill a day up with math, English, science, etc., without bringing in Steve and Bob blowing each other.
— DavidTNutz (@david_nutz) October 27, 2021
Clearly the battle for our national soul is going to be waged at our local school boards. We must recruit and fund candidates now.
— Rodolfo (Rudy) Pagés (@rudypages) October 27, 2021
What are these activist parents upset about anyway? Barack Obama just assured us the stories we’ve heard are phony, trumped-up, fake outrage.
Related:
'Disgusting': Kentucky's Hazard High School being investigated over shocking and highly sexually inappropriate school-sanctioned events https://t.co/A8179nApQH
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 27, 2021
Join the conversation as a VIP Member