Domain III

Micro-Competency: Establish a classroom and school culture in which all dimensions of diversity are respected and valued.

Comments:

Parents are responsible for establishing a family culture, based on their heritage, culture, social orientation, and parental choices. In the United States we also have a national culture that respects the right of free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and personal property. These are explicitly identified in the U.S. Constitution.

Not “all dimensions of diversity” are worthy of respect and valuation. A “dimension” that encourages deceit, thievery, treachery or violence is not one that should be respected or valued.

The character development of the student should be encouraged. Honesty, personal integrity, respect for others speech without regard to their origin should be encouraged.

Teachers must not be compelled to use a student’s preferred nouns or pronouns to address them. Many teachers have religious and ethical concerns that should never be violated by a student, period. This entire ‘transgender’ madness needs to be stopped.

Compelled speech is a violation of the teachers rights under both the Virginia and U.S. Constitution and Federal statute.

Micro-Competency: Build student capacity to think critically and consider alternative perspectives.

Comments:

My observation is that the educational institutions are failing to teach critical thinking skills and are in fact pushing propaganda that often conflicts with parental authority and good social order.

My observation is that many teachers are more concerned that the student hold the ‘correct’ social or political opinion (alternate perspective) than to reason from the facts and draw their own conclusions.

Domain IV

Micro-Competency: Support students in learning about dimensions of diversity in the community. Provide opportunities for students to be active contributors in solving relevant local, state, national and global community challenges.

Comments:

Students need to learn to read, right, and speak competently. Students need to learn basic mathematics and science. These are the skills they need to become a contributing member of society. Once they learn the fundamentals of U.S. history, geography, government and civics they can begin to contribute to solving challenges.

Many parents object very strongly to the ‘diversity’ criteria being pushed in Virginia Schools. These diversity opinions often violate the expressed religious beliefs of the parents in the areas of human sexuality and ‘reproductive-rights.’ Parents must have the ability to opt-out their child without penalty. A teacher who retaliates, embarrasses, demeans or reprimands a student for their parents choice should be severely reprimanded, period!

Student do not need to be activists, social justice warriors or special-rights advocates.

Students will have a context for involving themselves in community challenges once they have solidly mastered the fundamentals! Until they can demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals they should not be distracted from their educational requirements to participate in progressive ideological events.

Micro Competency: Create opportunities for authentic student, family, and community engagement by cultivating relationships beyond the classroom anchored in affirmation, mutual respect, and validation.

Comment:

Who determines what is ‘authentic?’ This is the fundamental problem with this competency. Only the parents can determine what is to be ‘authentic’ for their child. It is not the responsibility of the teacher or staff to determine what is authentic! The school acts in loco parentis, it is not to initiate ‘authentic engagements’ that are against parental wishes and guidance, period.

A teacher or staff member who usurps the role of the parent or believes they must act as a change agent to influence the student against a parents known or expressed interests is violating the parents’ and the public trust!

There are many behaviors that schools are promoting and that parents object to that should not be affirmed or validated. When a parent requests that their child be ‘opted-out’ of what they perceive as objectionable subjects or material, their wishes should be honored, period. The teacher or staff member does not have a ‘right’ to violate that parents trust!

In conclusion, I believe this proposed guidance should be withdrawn. Period!

Sincerely,

Dr. Charles T. Bowen Jr., DSL