In January, a television news crew with CBS Baltimore showed up at the home of a high school principal named Eric Eiswert, looking for an interview. 
Once the crew arrived, they didn&#8217;t record any newsworthy footage whatsoever. Eric Eiswert wasn&#8217;t even home. Nevertheless, CBS went ahead and aired very clear images of the man’s house on their evening broadcast.
They did that for one reason, which is that a mob demanded it. At the time, Eiswert was accused of making anti-black comments, on tape, in front of several administrators. Through a <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/pikesville-high-principal-eric-eiswert-NT7K7N4K6RDEJNL5Z7ULTEG7VY/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representative</a>, Eiswert had already denied making the comments, but the media didn&#8217;t care. It was the kind of story the media loves to report — a white principal at a struggling, mostly black school had supposedly validated all of their paranoia about white supremacy. So without verifying the recording in any way, the media immediately went to his home to harass him. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="005 Principal Racist Rant" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BYTNbehOCh4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Whatever possible justification those reporters thought they had for going to this principal&#8217;s home, it was over when they got there and he didn&#8217;t answer the door. That&#8217;s the moment CBS should have packed up the cameras and gone back to the station. But they didn&#8217;t. Instead, they spoke to some unnamed person behind the door and aired that footage instead, so that millions of people could see exactly what the front of this principal’s house looks like. And they did that after heavily implying he said horrible racist things on a recording — even though they admit they haven&#8217;t authenticated the recording, and say they can&#8217;t even play it on-air because of how unreliable the recording may be. This is what journalistic malpractice looks like.
But CBS wasn&#8217;t alone. The local NBC News affiliate had similar coverage. They didn&#8217;t play the recording of these alleged racist comments either. But they did speak to several students who said confidently that this principal needed to resign immediately:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006 Students React" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NUZ1i-9a2ZM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The police are called in because they&#8217;re worried about violence at the school. Meanwhile, the reporters are visiting this man&#8217;s home and broadcasting footage of where he lives. And the news stations are insinuating that this principal said something so horrible that they can&#8217;t even air it on television.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1356-we-ve-crossed-the-rubicon-race-hoaxers-are-now-using-ai-member-exclusive">WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show</a></h4>
To be fair, they didn&#8217;t have to air it because other media outlets were spreading it all over the internet. Philip Lewis, the deputy editor of Huffington Post, posted the audio along with this message implying the principal&#8217;s guilt. Here&#8217;s <a href="https://x.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1747708846942851493" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what he wrote</a>: &#8220;Baltimore County Public Schools is investigating the principal at Pikesville High for alleged derogatory remarks about students and staff. A voice believed to be the principal can be heard ranting about Black students and Jewish families.&#8221; 
Who exactly &#8220;believed&#8221; the voice to be the principal? The Huffington Post editor didn&#8217;t say. He certainly didn&#8217;t investigate the recording himself. But in reply to Philip&#8217;s posts, a lot of people called for the principal&#8217;s termination anyway. &#8220;What&#8217;s there to investigate?&#8221; said one person.
Here&#8217;s the audio of the principal&#8217;s alleged racist meltdown, which Philip posted:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="007 Racist Tape" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nrYHH-_i5vE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Now, I remember hearing this audio when it was originally circulating. And it seemed authentic to me, on a technical level at least. I didn&#8217;t think it was digitally altered. It sounds like a person — some person, anyway — saying those things. But it also seemed strangely… off… in a few different ways. It was obviously suspicious for a principal in Baltimore, of all places, to say these kinds of things in front of other people. People with these points of view aren&#8217;t getting hired to teach in Baltimore, much less run the schools. And everything he says is over-the-top, even in the context of a supposedly racist rant. He&#8217;s attacking black kids and Jewish people in the span of 45 seconds for some reason. It&#8217;s like listening to a leftist&#8217;s comic book idea of what a bigoted school administrator would sound like. The “I’m going to join the other side” line is so on the nose as to be almost comical.
The local news media in Baltimore, however, didn&#8217;t share any of my skepticism. One popular talk show suggested that the tape was almost certainly legitimate, because the voice in the recording mentions specific people at the school by name. That was the reasoning. It can&#8217;t possibly be fake because someone put the bare minimum amount of effort into it, to make it seem legitimate. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="008 Radio" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pz2b4ayy75g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Yes, how could anyone at the school possibly have “an axe to grind”? How could any faculty member conceivably want to concoct some race hoax in order to bring down the principal? When have people ever lied about being victims of racism? Somehow that kind of thinking still exists in this country in 2024, after about ten million other race hoaxes have been exposed.
But to the great surprise of virtually every media outlet in Baltimore, the ruse came crashing down yesterday, when we learned that this recording is, indeed, yet another one of these race hoaxes. 
The principal never said any of the things on that recording. There was no recording at all. 
It was all created by AI. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="009 Investigation Update" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MedDClwZ2Zc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Oddly enough, watching that video, it almost looks like the police press conference was AI generated too. The officer&#8217;s mouth doesn&#8217;t match the sounds. That&#8217;s the era we&#8217;re now living in. In any event, in this case, the audio was generated by an AI program that&#8217;s extremely simple to use. All you would have to do is upload a short audio file containing a voice — it can be just a single sentence — and then you can have the AI say whatever you want, in that person&#8217;s voice.
Police have <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/eric-eiswert-ai-audio-baltimore-county-YBJNJAS6OZEE5OQVF5LFOFYN6M/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> the school&#8217;s athletic director, a 31-year-old man named Dazhon Darien, and charged him with creating this AI voice file. Specifically, he&#8217;s been hit with a variety of offenses, including stalking, theft, and disruption of school operation.
What would Darien&#8217;s motivation be for making up a fake recording like this? It turns out that he was under investigation by the principal for allegedly paying teachers under the table using school funds. There was also other alleged misconduct as well, so Darien&#8217;s contract wasn&#8217;t being renewed. In response, he decided to generate fake evidence that he was being fired because he&#8217;s black. On the tape, the principal supposedly says he needs to get rid of black employees by any means necessary — including D.J., which is Darien&#8217;s nickname. Then Darien allegedly shared the audio file with another teacher (a black woman who has since resigned), who in turn then shared it with a student who put it on social media. (As of now, no one has been charged with any wrongdoing except this athletic director). 
As a quick aside, notice what Darien allegedly chose to include in the fake audio. There&#8217;s an angry complaint in there about black students performing poorly on test scores. It&#8217;s interesting this is something the athletic director thought to include in his fake racist screed. This is how broken Baltimore&#8217;s schools are now. The only impassioned comments you&#8217;ll hear about black students failing their tests are in an AI-generated racist deep fake designed to destroy the life of the school&#8217;s white principal. Otherwise, no one seems to care about the academic performance in these schools.
This case was apparently solved by analysts who determined conclusively that the recording was AI. For some reason, the media apparently didn&#8217;t speak to any of these analysts in January, when they were visiting the principal at his home. But the Baltimore Banner interviewed several of these experts last month. They determined with 99% certainty that they were dealing with AI, based on some telltale signs.
One of the experts <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/eric-eiswert-ai-deepfake-YUNO6ITYM5FWZPQAE24RIBV5CQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>: “There are some signs of editing, like putting different pieces together. This has the sound features of AI generation. The tone is a little flat.” Additionally, there was a lack of &#8220;consistent breathing sounds or pauses&#8221; in the recording, as well as &#8220;unusually clean background sounds.&#8221; The analysts also noted, quote, &#8220;sudden and incredibly short stops between bits of dialogue that indicate the absence of sound, which itself indicates some level of file manipulation.&#8221;
So this was pretty open- and shut at a technical level. It wasn&#8217;t a sophisticated deepfake at all. And even then, it took months until the truth came out and this principal could clear his name. That&#8217;s how long it took the FBI, Berkeley, and several other AI experts to vindicate this man.
What this means is that we have officially entered into a new era of race hoaxes. We all knew that this would happen eventually. Now we&#8217;ve crossed the Rubicon. Unfortunately, it&#8217;s only going to get worse from here. We already know there&#8217;s a deep desire and willingness among many people to frame innocent people as racists and bigots. AI will be used relentlessly to that end.
Before long, the technology will advance to the point that &#8220;experts&#8221; won&#8217;t be able to identify AI as easily. The tone of the audio will be less &#8220;flat,&#8221; and there won&#8217;t be any awkward spots in the recording. What happens then? Keep in mind, again, that this fake recording — which does at least sound like a real human being — was made by some dumb race hoaxer working at a public school. What could someone with a bit more expertise and access to better technology do? And what happens when the video deep fakes become as convincing as the audio ones? Then we&#8217;ll have real problems. Fake hate crimes will be the least of our worries. Total destabilization of society is what we&#8217;re facing.
Imagine AI-generated videos of police officers killing unarmed black suspects. Is there any doubt that kind of video would cause nationwide riots? A few weeks ago, an armed black criminal out on pretrial release actually shot at police officers on camera, and the media still <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-media-nominates-their-new-george-floyd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominated</a> the shooter as their new George Floyd. And that&#8217;s just the beginning.
Picture AI-generated politicians committing gaffes, making promises, and even declaring war. What happens when AI Joe Biden announces, say, a ground invasion of Russia at 7:00 p.m., just as the real Joe Biden falls asleep? You can imagine the hysteria — especially when an AI-generated Karine Jean-Pierre heads to the fake podium to confirm it.
It&#8217;s obvious that we need some kind of legislation in place to stave off the catastrophe we can all see coming. Unfortunately, judging by the fact it took several months to disprove this AI hoax, it&#8217;s clear that most people aren&#8217;t ready for that conversation. Millions of people see AI-generated clips that affirm what they already believe, and they don&#8217;t have any interest in checking if the clip is real or not.
In this case, the AI clip of that principal supposedly affirmed the fiction that white supremacy is alive and well in Baltimore. It was too good to check, so it went viral immediately. That&#8217;s why the AI-generated narratives will keep coming. That&#8217;s why the number of victims will continue to rise. And it&#8217;s why, to save not only jobs but also lives, we need to rein in this technology while we still can.

AI speaks letters, text-to-speech or TTS, text-to-voice, speech synthesis applications, generative Artificial Intelligence, futuristic technology in language and communication.

We’ve Crossed The Rubicon. Race Hoaxers Are Now Using AI.

We've Crossed The Rubicon. Race Hoaxers Are Now Using AI.

Artificial Intelligence

Baltimore

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Public Schools

Race

Racism

Readers Pass

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> attacked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> Republicans on Wednesday, calling them “extremists” for passing a bill that allows public school teachers to be armed in classrooms after meeting certain conditions, such as firearm training and approval from administrators. 
Harris, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-to-visit-2-democrats-expelled-from-tennessee-state-house-push-for-gun-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visited</a> the Volunteer State last year to push for gun control, called for lawmakers to pass an “assault weapons ban” and “red flag laws.” 
“Arming teachers is not the solution,” Harris posted on X. “We know what actually works: universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage, and an assault weapons ban. Shame on extremists in the Tennessee legislature for failing to protect our children.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Arming teachers is not the solution. 
We know what actually works: universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage, and an assault weapons ban.
Shame on extremists in the Tennessee legislature for failing to protect our children.<a href="https://t.co/vqpbfmkAC0">https://t.co/vqpbfmkAC0</a>
&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1783308012184121357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Republican-backed bill passed the Tennessee House 68-28 on Tuesday amid raucous protests at the Capitol building in Nashville after previously passing the Senate 27-5. The bill now heads to Republican Governor Bill Lee’s desk where he has 10 days to either sign or veto the message before it would automatically become law. 
If signed, the <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1325" target="_blank" rel="noopener">measure</a> would authorize school faculty and staff to carry a concealed handgun if they possess an enhanced carry license, pass a background check, obtain certification by a healthcare professional as mentally sound, and complete 40 hours of training. The local school board and the school’s principal would also have to authorize teachers who request to be armed. 
Advocates of the measure say that it will help to protect schools, especially in rural areas that might not be able to afford full-time security on campus. 
“Have you read the bill, Madam Vice President? It is permissive, allowing a teacher to carry with the approval of the principal, sheriff, and head of school,” Rep Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1783328319707943313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a> to Harris on X. “Requires 40 hours of tactical training, mental health check, and enhanced carry permit, to name a few.”
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“TN teachers in distressed counties have been able to carry since 2016 without incident. We will take every step necessary to protect children in rural communities,” he added. “Please focus on the significant national challenges like open borders, crushing inflation, rising energy costs and failed foreign policy. We’ll handle TN.”
In April 2023, Harris met with two Tennessee Democrats, Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, after the leftist lawmakers were expelled from the chamber after disrupting a floor session by sneaking a bullhorn onto the House floor and leading a gun control protest with protesters chanting from the chamber&#8217;s balcony gallery. 
The protest came after a transgender-identifying shooter murdered six people, including three children, at a Christian school in Nashville.

Vice President Harris Meets With Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arevalo

Kamala Harris Attacks Tennessee Republicans For Passing Bill Allowing Some Teachers To Be Armed

Gun Control

Kamala Harris

Nashville

Politics

School Shooting

Teachers

Tennessee

The Republican-led Tennessee state Senate failed to pass a bill that would ban the display of ideological and political flags, including Pride flags, in public schools across the state.
<a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1722" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate Bill 1722</a> was introduced by Republican state Sen. Joey Hensley and was a companion to a bill that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-takes-major-step-towards-banning-pride-flags-from-classrooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed the state House</a> with overwhelming support. In a vote on Tuesday in the state Senate, however, SB 1722 failed to reach the required 17 votes for a constitutional majority as 13 lawmakers voted to pass the bill while six voted in opposition. Eight Republicans did not participate in the vote, The Tennessean <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/23/tennessee-senators-block-bill-banning-pride-flags-in-tennessee-schools/73430350007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
SB 1722 “prohibits LEAs [Local Education Agencies] and public charter schools from displaying in public schools flags other than the official United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag.”
Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso introduced the companion bill in the House after parents expressed concern about LGBT Pride flags being displayed in classrooms.
A previous version of the bill allowed for schools to display the American flag, the Tennessee state flag, the POW/MIA flag, and flags such as those that represent Indian tribes, a city, county, or metropolitan government, and an official school flag, among others. But an amendment from Republican state Sen. Todd Gardenhire was passed by the state Senate on Tuesday prohibiting schools from flying any flags other than the American flag and state flag.
Ultimately, the bill’s passage was blocked as five Democrats and one Republican, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, voted against it, while eight Republicans skipped the vote. McNally said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire that he was concerned about constitutional challenges if the bill became law, such as “an adversarial First Amendment ruling against the state.”
“While Senator Gardenhire’s amendment language was a significant improvement, I believe comments made early in legislative process caused irreparable constitutional damage to the bill in my view,” McNally said. “Several members expressed interest in studying the subject of the bill over the summer in order to avoid a likely constitutional challenge. Because an adversarial First Amendment ruling against the state would be a near certainty if the bill passed, I voted no.”
The Republican senators who did not participate in the vote, according to The Tennessean, included: Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta), Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville), Sen. Bill Powers (R-Clarksville), Sen. Shane Reeves (R-Murfreesboro), Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntington), Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson).
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Sen. Haile told The Daily Wire that he doesn&#8217;t want flags that promote &#8220;controversial ideologies&#8221; in schools, but &#8220;legal guidance&#8221; from the state&#8217;s attorney general showed that there are Constitutional concerns surrounding the bill.
“As a grandfather, I firmly believe political flags promoting controversial ideologies have no place in public schools. As a conservative, I support the legislation in principle, which is why I voted for it in committee. After receiving new legal guidance from the Attorney General, there are constitutional concerns about this legislation and its ability to survive a First Amendment constitutional challenge,&#8221; Haile said. &#8220;If passed, that legislation would be tied up in court instead of keeping divisive symbols out of the classroom. The best path forward is to continue to work on this issue so that we can pass a constitutionally sound law to ban divisive flags from schools once and for all.”
Haile&#8217;s concerns were echoed by Sen. Reeves, who added, &#8220;I believe we need a better bill that will withstand court scrutiny.&#8221;
Sen. Watson told The Daily Wire in a statement that he did not vote in favor of the bill because it would also prevent the POW/MIA flag from being displayed on school grounds.
&#8220;I have a consistent record of supporting veterans and wanted the sponsor to delay moving forward with the bill until we had worked out the deficiency. The sponsor elected to move forward,&#8221; Watson said. &#8220;I was not going to vote against our veterans, POW and MIA.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has reached out requesting comment from each of the Republican state senators who skipped the vote on SB 1722.
Tennessee Republicans’ failure to pass the bill banning Pride flags on school grounds comes the same week the GOP-controlled state legislature couldn’t come to an agreement on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-disappointed-tennessee-school-choice-bill-wont-pass-this-year-governor-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice legislation</a> that was pushed by Republican Governor Bill Lee.
Lee said earlier this week that he was “extremely disappointed” that families “will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child.”
Lawmakers hope to end the 2024 legislative session this week, and a new General Assembly will be sworn in after the elections this fall.
This article has been updated to include comments from state senators.

Pride Flag

Bill That Would Ban Pride Flags In Schools Fails In GOP-Controlled TN Senate

Bill To Ban Ideological, Political Flags In Schools Fails In GOP-Controlled TN Senate

Education

LGBT

Social Issues

A 13-year-old girl spoke at a school board meeting and tearfully described watching a student use a Stanley cup to brutally beat up a female student.
The teen girl, who attends Pennbrook Middle School north of Philadelphia accused school officials of failing to step in despite being warned hours ahead of time that the attack was coming.
Reduxx <a href="https://twitter.com/ReduxxMag/status/1781693695894368593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the attacker is a trans-identifying male student who identifies as &#8220;Melanie.&#8221;
&#8220;All of a sudden I just hear all this screaming and everybody running. &#8230; All of sudden you just hear these terrible loud bangs of the Stanley bouncing off her head. And then you see Mel grabbing her hair and hitting her against the table &#8230; There was blood going everywhere,&#8221; the young student recalled.
&#8220;We had to sit in there and watch them clean up her blood off those tables and ground, and we had to watch them take her out with blood dripping down her face and I will never forget that,&#8221; the girl said, her voice breaking.
The attacker also yelled &#8220;I&#8217;m going to murder you&#8221; repeatedly to students, she said.
The violent incident played over in her head as she lay in bed that night, the girl told board members.
The girl said she was &#8220;second on [the attacker&#8217;s] hit list&#8221; and begged school administrators for help five hours before the attack. The guidance counselor promised her the attack would not happen, the teen said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨BREAKING🚨
A male who identifies as transgender brutally assaulted a female student at Pennbrook Middle School in PA.
One girl who said she was &quot;second on [his] hit list&quot; told the school board that she had begged for help HOURS before the attack, but teachers did nothing. <a href="https://t.co/sRRZlnuwZU">pic.twitter.com/sRRZlnuwZU</a>
&mdash; REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReduxxMag/status/1781691644300927186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The incident <a href="https://6abc.com/pennbrook-middle-school-fight-student-sent-to-hospital-following-incident-in-montgomery-county-cafeteria/14685285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">occurred</a> at about 1:20 pm on Wednesday in the school cafeteria. Police and first responders were called to the scene.
Surveillance video shows a 7th grader walking along a lunch table when the student accused of attacking her runs up and begins hitting her in the head with a Stanley cup, according to Upper Gwynedd police.
The female student who was attacked needed staples in her head and is on concussion protocol, police said.
The incident is still under investigation, school officials said.
Incensed parents showed up at the school board meeting to voice their concerns.
&#8220;The fear in these kids&#8217; voices. This had to be a brutal attack because so many kids were screaming and crying,&#8221; one mother <a href="https://6abc.com/pennbrook-middle-school-fight-student-sent-to-hospital-following-incident-in-montgomery-county-cafeteria/14685285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
&#8220;This was avoidable and the district truly failed to protect the students at Pennbrook,&#8221; one parent told school board members. &#8220;What are we supposed to say to our children after this? How do I send him back to school?&#8221;
The attacking student had only been at the school for three days when the attack occurred, parents said.
In a statement, Pennbrook Middle School Superintendent Todd Bauer confirmed that an incident had occurred resulting in &#8220;serious injuries&#8221; to a student.
However, he said rumors are &#8220;false&#8221; that the attacker was expelled from another school for violent behavior.
Bauer said the school is working with law enforcement and the families of the students involved. The school is working with the &#8220;district-wide traumatic event response team&#8221; to support the students who witnessed the attack, he said.

School girl with yellow school bag on a crosswalk

WATCH: 13-Year-Old Girl Tearfully Tells School Board She Watched Classmate Brutalize Female Student

13-Year-Old Girl Tearfully Tells School Board She Watched Classmate Brutalize Female Student

Gender

Transgender

Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> signed a law this week that ends teachers&#8217; ability to abuse a book challenge law that was implemented to protect children from pornographic materials in school.
The law now significantly limits the ability of Florida residents who do not have children in the state&#8217;s education system to be able to challenge book titles.
“The idea that someone can use the parents rights and the curriculum transparency to start objecting to every single book to try to make a mockery of this is just wrong,” DeSantis said the day before the bill signing. “That’s performative. That’s political.”
DeSantis said that people did not want their time wasted by the leftists who were trying to get classic books banned.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t care about your performative efforts to try to make a name for yourself, that&#8217;s not appropriate,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So when you have some school administrators or teachers that are saying that somehow state law requires them to take classic books off the shelves, that is a lie. That is not true. That is depriving students of a valid education.&#8221;
&#8220;So I think that 90% of the things, I mean, when they would say that somehow, &#8216;To Kill a Mockingbird&#8217; couldn&#8217;t be done when that was on the state&#8217;s summer reading list for the Florida Department of Education, don&#8217;t tell me Florida law says you can&#8217;t do that,&#8221; he said. &#8220;When they said you couldn&#8217;t do a book about Hank Aaron, when that was the Book of the Month for the Florida Department of Education, don&#8217;t tell us you can do that.&#8221;
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&#8220;We&#8217;ve had one teacher put a video out, covered up every book in the classroom, &#8216;Oh, the state!'&#8221; DeSantis said mocking the teacher. &#8220;You know, that&#8217;s passive aggressive nonsense, and we&#8217;re just not going to tolerate it. &#8230; Here&#8217;s a good test. If I stood here with with a photo from one of these books and you guys wouldn&#8217;t be able to put it on your air, then it&#8217;s probably not appropriate in the sixth grade classroom. I mean, that&#8217;s probably where we go.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Under <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovRonDeSantis</a> leadership, Florida will NOT stand for adults trying to weaponize kids&#8217; education for self-promotion and political rage bait. 🔥🔥🔥
👇👀Gov. DeSantis: &#8220;Don&#8217;t weaponize these book challenges for a political agenda. We don&#8217;t have time for the nonsense. We… <a href="https://t.co/lXldkL9p6F">pic.twitter.com/lXldkL9p6F</a>
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1781728447020089808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote>

US-NEWS-FLA-SCHOOLS-CHAPLAINS-LAW-OS

DeSantis Signs Law Ending Teacher Abuse Of Book Challenge Policy: ‘We’re Not Going To Tolerate It’

Florida

Ron DeSantis

On April 20, 1999, the American conscience was seared as millions of heartbroken citizens watched the unthinkable stream across their TV screens.
Two students walked into my school, Columbine High School, and perpetuated pure evil, murdering 12 of my classmates and a brave teacher before killing themselves.
During the ordeal, I was hiding under a library desk, listening as the murderers taunted innocent people, killing at will like it was a game — some dark movie where they were the anti-heroes attempting to teach society a sick and twisted “lesson.”
My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest as the shooters killed my two friends, Matt and Isaiah, right next to me. Isaiah was going to be the first person in his family to graduate; instead, he spent his final moments being called racial slurs. Matt was, without a doubt, one of the nicest guys on the football team.
I thought I was next, but somehow I survived. After the shooters left the room, I remember hearing God clearly tell me, “Get out of there.” It was a calm, peaceful, and powerful voice that forced me to my feet before I somehow mustered the courage to yell to everyone else, “Let’s get out of here!”
We immediately escaped before the killers could return, but 10 of our peers were killed in that library. All of the carnage unfolded in just 7 and a half minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Tragically, my sister, Rachel Joy Scott, was one of the others murdered that day just 30 yards away from where I was hiding.
In Rachel’s final moments, she was taunted for her Christian faith yet had the courage not to deny God, even at gunpoint. Her example of faith, hope, love, and devotion, 25 years later, is still inspiring millions of kids across the globe.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but this event would try to define me for the rest of my life — but I refuse to let it. We are more than the events that happened in our past. After the shooting, however, I was broken but didn’t know it.
I pressed on, learning, growing, and healing along the way.
As I’ve shared my story with thousands of kids and families over the years, I’ve come to find solace in efforts to make lasting change by pointing others to hope, even amid tragedy.
My goal? To change hearts and save lives. And I’ve often looked to Rachel’s example to accomplish this quest. To know Rachel was to love her. With a tilt of her head, she had a smile that could light up a room. After her death, we heard story after story about her small acts of kindness that made a huge difference in others’ lives.
Since Rachel left us, her seven personal journals have given an even deeper lens into her love for God and people.
She was real, authentic, and raw about her struggles. Rachel worked to establish the right belief system — one that would guide her with the faith and values she espoused. Her wisdom surpassed that of a normal 17-year-old, which is why her story has inspired books, a movie, and so much inspiration along the way.
My family and I have been committed to sharing her with the world, using a platform that rose from tragedy to inspire people through the power of story. We travel to schools, address students, and speak out in the media about the root causes of moral decay.
Others who faced the unthinkable at Columbine have also used the event for good. I’m proud of my family, especially my parents Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo, and my community – people like our principal, Frank DeAngelis, fellow library survivor Patrick Ireland, and other victims&#8217; families and classmates who have made a positive difference out of something horrible.
“Look hard enough…and you’ll always find a light,” Rachel wrote in one journal entry. “Open your eyes to the love that can be.” She added, “Glory only comes when one pursues their dreams.”
Rachel’s writing revealed her compassion, non-judgemental disposition and a forgiving attitude toward others. One month before she died, she wrote an essay for her English class entitled, “My Ethics: My Codes of Life.” In it, she said, “How do you know that trust, compassion or beauty will not make this world a better place?”
Ultimately, what made Rachel stand out was a willingness to be used by God and a selflessness in stepping up and out for others. Rachel’s story has likely prevented around a dozen school shootings and saved thousands from suicide. It’s the very chain reaction of goodness she had wanted to have in her life.
So, as we reflect on the 25th anniversary of Columbine, I must ask: No matter what you face, what kind of chain reaction are you aiming to ignite? That’s a challenge to us all and I’m fortunate enough to have a sister who has shown me the way.
* * *
Craig Scott is a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting. He was in the library, where ten students were killed, including two of his friends that had hidden next to him under a table. Craig escaped only to learn his sister, Rachel Joy Scott, was the first person killed. For more than 20 years, Craig has dedicated his life to making a difference in schools. In speaking with more than a million people, Craig has positively impacted school cultures by sharing lessons learned from Columbine and challenging students to value themselves and others.
Billy Hallowell contributed to this article.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

25th Anniversary Of The Columbine School Shooting Marked In Colorado

25 Years Since Columbine, My Sister Rachel’s Legacy Lives On

Colorado

Five middle school girls refused to race against a trans-identifying male player at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/west-virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Virginia</a> track and field meet on Thursday.
The five girls, who play for Liberty High School, which hosted the meet, refused to participate in the &#8220;shot put&#8221; event, where players throw a heavy ball as far as they can, Outkick <a href="https://www.outkick.com/sports/west-virginia-girls-protest-transgender-biological-male-track-field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
One by one, the five girls stepped into the starting area and then stepped out, refusing to compete, video of the competition that was shared to social media shows.
The girls reportedly did the same for the discus throwing event.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨🚨FIVE middle school female athletes in West Virginia refuse to throw shot put against male, Becky Pepper-Jackson. 
This comes just 2 days after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the WV law that says you must compete in the category that matches your sex. 
It&#39;s a… <a href="https://t.co/RzMgh4jVRU">pic.twitter.com/RzMgh4jVRU</a>
&mdash; Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1781150007858470913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The trans-identifying 13-year-old boy reportedly competes in both shot put and discus throwing. He plays on the girls track and field team at Bridgeport Middle School in Bridgeport.
One of the girls who stepped out <a href="https://www.outkick.com/sports/west-virginia-girls-protest-transgender-biological-male-track-field" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the trans-identifying boy won the championship shot put event.
A total of seven schools competed at Thursday&#8217;s competition, the Harrison County Middle School Championships.
The 13-year-old trans-identifying boy at the girls&#8217; track meet is at the center of a federal case dealing with biological males in girls sports.
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On Tuesday, a federal appeals court ruled that West Virginia&#8217;s law barring trans-identifying boys from competing on girls&#8217; teams cannot be enforced against this particular boy.
“The defendants cannot expect that B.P.J. will countermand her social transition, her medical treatment, and all the work she has done with her schools, teachers, and coaches for nearly half her life by introducing herself to teammates, coaches, and even opponents as a boy,” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-transgender-sports-ban-ruling-badf5518ada74d01a3f0a0420d2f4074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> Judge Toby Heytens.
The ruling only applies to this particular 13-year-old boy, who has been on puberty blockers since third grade.
The video of the girls stepping out of the competition was shared by former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who criticized the adults who allowed the trans-identifying boy to compete against girls. Gaines previously swam against Lia Thomas, a biological male, and since then has been an outspoken advocate for girls&#8217; sports.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a sad day when 13-14yr old girls have to be the adults in the room, but I couldn&#8217;t be more inspired by and proud of these girls,&#8221; Gaines posted on X.
&#8220;Enough is enough. The tide is turning!&#8221; she added.
In recent years, women and girls across the country have raised objections to competing against and alongside biological males. Nevertheless, many schools and sports organizations still allow trans-identifying males to compete on the opposite sex&#8217;s teams.
Last month, a Massachusetts private school stood by its decision to let a trans-identifying male play on the girls’ basketball team after three opposing players said they got hurt.
However, there is some momentum against combining girls and trans-identifying males in sport.
Earlier this month, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which governs sports at more than 240 small colleges, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/naia-college-athletics-org-bans-trans-identifying-men-from-competing-in-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a new policy on Monday banning trans-identifying male athletes from playing on women’s teams.

Anticipation at the start of a race

Five West Virginia Middle School Girls Refuse To Compete At Track Meet To Protest Trans-Identifying Player

Girls

Sports

U.S.

Women

Women's sports

Let’s try to follow the winding contours of this bizarre story.
It begins earlier this week with students at Mt. Nebo Middle School in Utah staging a walk out in protest of all the furries that administrators have allowed to infest the school. It began with a petition, which gained over 500 signatures in a few days, calling for the school to start enforcing its dress codes and stop allowing students to come to class dressed in their furry costumes.
Then came the walk out. Adam Bartholomew, a local commentator in Utah, captured footage of the event. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="004 Kids Protest" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I09wl5Q0UlE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
So the furries have gone feral, it seems. They are biting and scratching and pouncing on people. Some of the students have had enough of this behavior. They want to go to school at a school, not a petting zoo. And that’s why they walked out.
But then the fact checkers leapt into action to throw cold water on this whole story. Or to try, at least. Here’s the Salt Lake Tribune: 
<blockquote>Fact check: Nebo School District responds to claims about student protest over ‘furries.’ A district spokesperson said the protest seemed to be organized after a message sent to families was misinterpreted.</blockquote>
What kind of misinterpretation can lead these students to think that there are a bunch of furries in the school when there really aren’t? What could you have said in an email that people would mistranslate as a reference to furries? Let’s keep reading:
<blockquote>Video of middle schoolers walking out of a Nebo School District school in Payson on Wednesday quickly spread in conservative social media circles, with posts claiming the students were protesting because the district was allowing student “furries” to “terrorize” other students… Nebo School District spokesperson Seth Sorenson said that claim was false. He also said students at the middle school are not wearing full-body animal costumes to class, as “furries” — part of a subculture of people who sometimes dress up like animal characters but act like humans — are known to do… Dismissing the claims, Sorenson said the Wednesday protest seemed to be organized after a message the school sent to families last week was misinterpreted. The message was sent after a group of students had been targeting another group of students, saying things “that were overheard by others that the administration felt were inappropriate and shouldn’t be said,” Sorenson said. The group of students being targeted, he added, were students who sometimes come to school wearing headbands “that may have ears on them.” He said doesn’t think the targeted students necessarily refer to themselves as “furries.”</blockquote>
So the spokesman says there are no furries. The kids are lying, or somehow confused. There aren’t any furries, but there might be some kids wearing animal ears to class. Those kids, he says, may or may not identify as furries. It’s all a big misunderstanding. 
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1351-the-matt-walsh-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show</a></h4>
But then he goes on to admit that there have been altercations over people “dressing differently:&#8221; 
<blockquote>In one specific instance, the targeted students “were sitting in a corner of the lunchroom, eating as a group of friends” when others began calling them names and throwing food at them “because they were dressed differently,” Sorenson told The Salt Lake Tribune on Thursday, providing more details about the situation. After word of the altercation spread, the school sent an initial message to families last Friday, stating, “We expect ALL students to be respectful towards each other while we are here at school.” “We hope you will treat others how you would like to be treated,” the message stated. “Outstanding behavior might demonstrate curiosity, understanding, patience and tolerance.”… But Sorenson said he thinks some parents misinterpreted the note, incorrectly taking it as a message that the school was “taking the side of a single group, saying, ‘We want you to be kind to this group, but they don’t have to be kind to anyone else.’” “Nobody was taking the side of one group or another,” he said. “What we were saying is everyone needs to treat everyone else with respect.&#8221;</blockquote>
Wait a second — he says the school isn’t taking the side of “a single group.” What group? I thought he said there weren’t any furries. Which group is he referring to? I thought the group in question doesn’t exist at the school? What is the fact check here? Is he saying that there are furries at school but he’s not taking their side? Is he confirming that there are indeed kids coming to class dressed like animals? 
This “fact check,” and the dozens of others published by various outlets over the last couple of days, have made it seem like the reports of furries were pure unfounded rumor. But that’s not quite what I’m getting from the spokesman’s own words. And then there’s this: 
<blockquote>On Tuesday, the school sent another message to parents, trying to clarify its original note. “We have had several parents reach out to us over the past few days, regarding rumors that are being spread about behaviors of a small group of students at our school,” the message read. “We hoped our efforts to clarify misconceptions would be sufficient, but it seems we still have some misunderstandings.”The note went on to quote the Friday message, and concluded with an acknowledgement of rumored plans of a walkout protest Wednesday.”</blockquote>
There’s again a reference to this group of students who, according to the fact checkers, don’t exist. How can a non-existent group of furries exhibit any behaviors at all, given that they don’t exist? Or do they? And if they don’t exist then why did we see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears kids from that school, on camera, saying explicitly that their classmates are being permitted to come to class dressed like animals, and act like animals too? 
Here’s a video from a guy named Eric Moutsos with more insight from people who work at the school:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="005 School Teacher Responds 2" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uDfng0vcQJI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Okay, well that confirms it. The furries in school is not a rumor, it’s not misinformation.
The Left has been denying that this sort of thing is happening for years. But here you have a teacher who is on the side of the furries — a teacher who doesn’t like the kids who were protesting — admitting, publicly, that “a few kids dress as pets.” She says that like it’s completely normal, like she sees no problem with it. She doesn’t, and that IS the problem.
We can have debates over dress codes and how strict they should be. But any halfway sane person should agree that the dress code should at least require every student to dress like a human being, at a minimum. Dressing as a pet is not something that a child of any age should be doing on a regular basis. Especially not a middle school aged child — during school hours.
By the way, the same guy, Eric Moutsos, has also obtained these photos of kids at this school dressed in their animal costumes.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006b Furries" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1RZib3bU-Mg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006c Furries" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6M7FYihcRuE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
So we’ve got some kind of velociraptor-lion hybrid, and then a bunch of variations of cats. Kids are dressing like this for school. Their parents are letting them leave the house in animal masks. For school. This is happening. It hasn’t been debunked. It is real.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="006a Furries" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qmU3MyEXEUc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
But we haven’t gotten to the weirdest part of this story, somehow. The local ABC affiliate decided to provide more context by interviewing a furry in costume, and referring to the woman as her fictional character’s name. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="007 Strudel" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3yHZE_2YW28?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Yes, she doesn’t want these kids to “muddy the name” of the furries. They must not sully the reputation of the furries. They shouldn’t do anything that gives the public the impression that people who walk around in animal costumes are —I don’t know — weird, bizarre, deranged, mentally unbalanced. That’s according to “Strudel,” who the reporter refers to as Strudel, while also respecting the non-binary pronouns of the fictional character that the woman in the costume is pretending to be.
You may like to think that this is the media’s low point. That it has finally hit rock bottom. That it cannot possibly get any more embarrassing than this. But there is no bottom, I’m afraid. Searching for the media’s lowest point is like searching for the end of a black hole. It just keeps going and going, and it gets darker and darker all the while.
This — as many of us have warned for years — is the result of emphasizing tolerance and acceptance above all. I don’t say it’s the end result. It is not the final result. As I said, there is no end. There is no finality. It can always get weirder and more disturbing. But this is a result. This is an inevitable stop along the way once you board the crazy train.
When you start telling people — especially kids — that they can be whatever they want to be, and identify as whatever they want to identify as, of course some of them choose to be animals.
And since you’ve elevated tolerance and “personal expression” as the highest virtues, you now have no way of telling these kids not to behave this way. How can you? They’re expressing themselves; they’re being who they feel they are, deep inside. The school can&#8217;t put a stop to this without backtracking on the entire woke program. That’s clearly how they see it and they’re right.
There’s an interesting segment from that ABC affiliate’s written report on this issue. It also quotes Strudel, and calls her that in the report, but then it says this:
<blockquote>According to WebMD, a furry is someone who has an interest in animals with human qualities, and who sometimes dresses up as a cartoon-like version of an animal. “I really like the idea of animals that walk and talk, so I’m going to dress up as one, as kind of a fun sort of cosplay thing,” Strudel said… WebMD said people are often interested in becoming furries to find a sense of community, though some of the drawbacks they may face are negative stereotypes and social stigmas.</blockquote>
Now, I have no idea why WebMD is being consulted for furry information, but in any event, it implies that the “negative stereotypes” and “social stigmas” against this “community” are wrong. But they aren’t. There should be a social stigma attached to walking around in a ridiculous costume. It is normal for a person to treat such behavior as bizarre and antisocial, because it is bizarre and antisocial behavior.
A lot of what we now refer to as “bullying” among children is really just children acting normal and responding to weird, unhealthy things in a way that conveys that the things are weird and unhealthy. The schools want to condition children out of that natural, normal response. They want your child to treat the furry as normal, and then eventually see the furry as normal, and then eventually become one himself, or something just as, or more, bizarre.
That’s the process and the agenda. And it’s playing out at schools all across the country right now.

American School Buses

Students Protest As Their School Becomes Infested By Furries

Furries

Salt Lake City

Utah

A group of children and adults staged an hours-long walkout at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a> middle school on Wednesday over an unusual issue — &#8220;furries.&#8221;
The protesters walked out of Mt. Nebo Middle School, which is about an hour south of Salt Lake City, claiming that students who dress as &#8220;furries&#8221; were being disruptive.
Furries are people who have an interest in animals with human qualities, <a href="https://www.webmd.com/sex/what-is-furry-sex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WebMD.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
What a time to be alive.
Yesterday, over 70 students walked out of Mt. Nebo School to protest the school for letting &quot;furries&quot; to bite, bark, &amp; lick them.
ABC even interviewed a &quot;member of the furry community&quot; (they/them) to give a comment about the situation: <a href="https://t.co/zIMjoy9U9b">pic.twitter.com/zIMjoy9U9b</a>
&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1780985197741121691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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lifeisdriving <a href="https://t.co/hNxRLGJuPv">https://t.co/hNxRLGJuPv</a>
&mdash; Adam Bartholomew 🗨️ (@lifeisdriving) <a href="https://twitter.com/lifeisdriving/status/1780604433052901488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In video of the protests shared to social media, students accuse the alleged &#8220;furries&#8221; at Mt. Nebo of biting, scratching, barking at, spraying air freshener on, and pouncing on other students.
Some students who walked out complained that the furries wore masks every day, according to a video of the protest shared to social media.
&#8220;They think they&#8217;re so cool,&#8221; one girl <a href="https://twitter.com/lifeisdriving/status/1780612860957360200?t=bUQt3iyNbuqAGJ8PGor2LQ&amp;s=19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t talk or say anything to the furries or even look at them, but they can come look at us and say stuff to us and touch us,&#8221; said another girl.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
However, the school district&#8217;s public information officer, Seth Sorensen, <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2024/04/17/fact-check-nebo-school-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> back on claims about students dressing up as animals. Students may wear headbands with ears, but they do not dress up in full-body animal costumes, he said.
“Today, we had some students and parents choose to exercise their right to assemble, and do a little protest for what they perceived was something that was happening in the school,” Sorensen <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/utah-student-furry-protest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC4. “It actually is not something that’s been occurring.”
“Interestingly enough, they really didn’t address us with anything they wanted changed,” he said. &#8220;We want every student to feel safe when they come to school, and we want students to get along. In fact, we want adults to get along.&#8221;
He <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2024/04/17/fact-check-nebo-school-district/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that the protest may have been the result of a miscommunication via an email from the school about an altercation between two groups of students.
The school also said it has worked with some students whose dress and appearance might be disruptive to the school environment.
At Wednesday&#8217;s protest, children held signs reading “Compelled speech is not free speech,” as well as “I will not comply,” and “We just wanted to learn.”
A <a href="https://www.change.org/p/students-for-humans-at-school-not-animals-aka-furries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> dubbed &#8220;Students for Humans at School, not animals aka furries&#8221; has garnered nearly 1,700 signatures so far. The petition asks the school to enforce a dress code, which the petitioners say prohibits students from presenting themselves in a way that disrupts the learning atmosphere or creates a welfare issue.
The online “furry” fandom often <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-law-forces-furry-convention-to-bar-children">has</a> sexual overtones, although some self-identified “furries” insist sex has nothing to do with their interest in the fandom.
A 2011 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130308185939/https://sites.google.com/site/anthropomorphicresearch/past-results/international-online-furry-survey-2011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> of “furries” found that about a quarter of “furries” said they felt less than 100% human.

Eurofurence 2016 Furries Gathering

‘Furry’ Claims Spark Walkout At Utah Middle School; School Pushes Back

'Furry' Claims Spark Walkout At Utah Middle School; School Pushes Back

Woke Culture

Wokeness

Seattle Public Schools is shutting down its program for gifted and talented students, where the majority are white or Asian, citing &#8220;equity&#8221; concerns.
The school board voted to scrap its Highly Capable Cohort program in 2020 after a 2018 survey <a href="https://www.parentmap.com/article/equity-teams-seattle-hcc-racial-disparity-gifted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that only 3.7% of participating students were Hispanic and 1.6% were black. Meanwhile, 11.8% were Asian, and the majority were white.
“Numbers would suggest that within our city … predominantly white children are more gifted than other cultures and races, and we know that is absolutely not true,” Kari Hanson, the district’s director of student support services, <a href="https://www.parentmap.com/article/equity-teams-seattle-hcc-racial-disparity-gifted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Parent Map in 2018.
“Clearly we’re not identifying our children of color and we need to get down to why,” Hanson said.
The district began phasing out the gifted program in the 2021-22 school year, and it will be gone entirely by the 2027-28 school year.
Starting next year, every school will have a new &#8220;more inclusive&#8221; Highly Capable Neighborhood School Model.
&#8220;The program is not going away, it’s getting better,&#8221; the school district said in a <a href="https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/advanced-learning/services-and-programs/service-delivery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">release</a>. &#8221;It will be more inclusive, equitable, and culturally sensitive.
&#8220;In particular, students who have been historically excluded will now have the same opportunities for services as every other student and get the support and enrichment they need to grow,&#8221; the district said.
Currently, the district has three elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools for students in the Highly Capable Cohort program.
Under the new program, gifted students <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240331204001/https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/why-seattle-public-schools-is-closing-its-highly-capable-cohort-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will not be</a> separated from other students but will remain in the same classroom, and teachers will have to develop individualized education plans for each student.
Critics <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240331204001/https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/why-seattle-public-schools-is-closing-its-highly-capable-cohort-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argue</a> that the new model puts an unfair burden on teachers who do not have the time or resources to give 20 to 30 students an individualized plan, especially since the district is currently facing a $105 million deficit.
Some parents also worry that the new model will overlook more advanced students.
Minority representation in the Highly Capable Cohort program has improved since 2018. In the 2022-23 school year, 8.2% of gifted students were Hispanic, and 3.4% were black.
The school district is made up of about 14% Hispanic students and 15% black students.
Nevertheless, it is still replacing the program after years of attacks from critics.
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In 2021, Rita Green, the education chair of the Seattle Chapter of the NAACP, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-education-new-york-city-united-states-race-and-ethnicity-f8cbdb50edba9802fe9ad503cfe7d467" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for the elimination of Seattle&#8217;s gifted program.
“We want the program just abolished. Period. The Highly Capable Cohort program is fundamentally flawed, and it’s inherently racist,” Green said.
The district&#8217;s decision also comes amid broader <a href="https://www.edweek.org/leaders/leadership/a-formula-for-creating-more-equitable-gifted-and-talented-programs/2023/02" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism</a> of gifted programs due to equity concerns.
In 2021, then-New York City Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio <a class="color-link" title="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/nyregion/gifted-talented-nyc-schools.html" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/nyregion/gifted-talented-nyc-schools.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/nyregion/gifted-talented-nyc-schools.html" aria-label="ordered">ordered</a> the city’s elementary schools to stop testing for giftedness.

Rear view of large group of students raising arms during a class at amphitheater.

Seattle Public Schools Cites ‘Equity’ In Shutting Down Gifted Program With Majority White And Asian Students

Seattle Public Schools Cites 'Equity' In Shutting Down Gifted Program With Majority White And Asian Students

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Equity

Seattle

Washington

A Minnesota school district is hiring a new assistant superintendent who will be expected to &#8220;examine&#8221; the presence of “Whiteness.”
St. Louis Park Public Schools just outside Minneapolis <a href="https://slpschools.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> the job description for the position on the district&#8217;s job board.
The job, with a salary between $134,141 and $201,212, will focus specifically on injecting &#8220;anti-racism&#8221; into the district&#8217;s culture.
&#8220;[T]he Assistant Superintendent proactively supports the Superintendent to create and communicate anti-racist structures and systems, works to interrupt systems of oppression, and serves as a role model for culturally relevant pedagogy,&#8221; reads the job description.
The posting says the person who fills the role will be &#8220;unwaveringly committed to anti-racist actions&#8221; and will have a &#8220;clear personal commitment to advancing racial equity.&#8221;
It continues, &#8220;They prioritize their own racial equity journey and set clear expectations for themselves and others in their pursuit of racial equity goals.&#8221;
The new assistant superintendent will also &#8220;use data to adapt and sustain their efforts towards racial equity.&#8221;
&#8220;They actively listen for both spoken and unspoken racial concerns, seek multiple racial perspectives, examine the presence and role of &#8216;Whiteness&#8217; in systems and structures, and are open to feedback regarding their own racial blind spots,&#8221; the job posting reads.
Meanwhile, this person also &#8220;[f]osters joy and cultivates a culture of accountability for systemic racial equity transformation.&#8221;
Just last week, the district hired a new superintendent, Dr. Carla Hines, who appears to be focused on racial equity.
&#8220;Her educational leadership, dedication to student academic success, and vision for racial equity transformation is impressive and I&#8217;m confident she&#8217;ll lead our district with integrity and passion, advancing our strategic plan,” <a href="https://www.slpschools.org/default-board-post-page/~board/district/post/dr-hines-selected-for-st-louis-park-public-schools-superintendent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> school board chairman Colin Cox in announcing Hines as superintendent.
The St. Louis Park district <a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/minnesota/districts/st-louis-park-public-school-dist-103888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serves</a> more than 4,500 students at nine schools. Just over half the students are white, while about 20% are black, nearly 13% are Hispanic, and the rest are mixed race, Asian, or another minority.
About 18% of students are economically disadvantaged, and 8% are still learning English.
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Only about 34% of high schoolers in the district are proficient in math, and 58% are proficient in reading. Among middle schoolers, 37% are proficient in math, and 52% are proficient in reading.
In recent years, parents in districts across the country have spoken out against critical race theory (CRT) and other race-related curriculum content they find divisive and objectionable for children.
In 2022, the Florida education board <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-suspends-stop-woke-act-in-florida">banned</a> public schools from teaching CRT. Some individual districts, such as Temecula Valley Unified School District in California, have banned elements of CRT.

Adult man writing on clipboard in shipping yard

Minnesota School District Hiring Superintendent To ‘Examine’ Role Of ‘Whiteness’

Minnesota School District Hiring Superintendent To 'Examine' Role Of 'Whiteness' 

Anti-Racism

Minneapolis

Minnesota

A middle school boy is suing his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wisconsin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wisconsin</a> school district for allegedly barring him from using the girls&#8217; bathroom.
The unnamed seventh grader, known as Jane Doe in court documents, <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2024/03/26/transgender-student-sues-elkhorn-school-district-over-bathroom-access/73096940007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> the lawsuit Thursday in federal court.
The 13-year-old is accusing the Elkhorn Area School District southwest of Milwaukee of violating Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in schools, as well as the Fourteenth Amendment.
The boy says that he told a teacher he identified as transgender and wanted to use female pronouns back in the fall of 2022 when he was in sixth grade. He claims he had experienced gender dysphoria since third grade.
The teacher brought his parents in to establish a &#8220;gender support plan,&#8221; but the guidance counselor did not offer to let the boy use the girls&#8217; bathroom or locker room, according to the lawsuit. The boy was told he could use the faculty bathrooms, however, the suit says.
“These restrooms, which were located further away from her classes than the nearest girls’ restrooms, caused Jane to miss class time and to experience distress at being treated differently from other girls at school,” <a href="https://www.wpr.org/news/transgender-middle-schooler-files-federal-lawsuit-against-elkhorn-school-district" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the child&#8217;s attorney, Joseph Wardenski, head of a New York-based civil rights law firm.
The boy sometimes stayed home from school or drank less water while at school to avoid needing to use the bathroom, the suit claims.
The suit also claims the boy received &#8220;unwanted attention by classmates and teachers, stigma, heightened anxiety and distress, bullying and harassment by peers, and social and academic withdrawal&#8221; due to using the faculty restrooms.
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The boy sometimes used the girls&#8217; bathrooms to &#8220;avoid the distress and humiliation&#8221; of using the faculty bathroom, causing teachers and administrators to reprimand him, according to the suit.
Superintendent Jason Tadlock said Monday that he was not able to comment immediately because he had not yet reviewed it with an attorney.
&#8220;That being said, we always strive to meet all our student&#8217;s needs, and I am saddened to learn that one of our students and/or parents feel that we are not meeting their needs to their satisfaction,&#8221; Tadlock <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2024/03/26/transgender-student-sues-elkhorn-school-district-over-bathroom-access/73096940007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
It is not clear how the federal court will rule in this case as the federal courts have so far been divided on policies that bar trans-identifying students from using the bathrooms of the opposite sex.
Some federal courts have <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10953#:~:text=Eleventh%20Circuit%3A%20Such%20Policies%20Do%20Not%20Violate%20Title%20IX&amp;text=The%20board%20did%20not%20accept,bathrooms%20were%20available%20to%20students." target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that policies allowing such bathroom use violate Title IX, while others have ruled that policies prohibiting such bathroom use is a violation.

Following COVID-19 Protocols

Wisconsin Male Middle Schooler Sues School District Over Being Barred From Girls Bathroom

Bathrooms

LGBTQ

Wisconsin

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