What a maroon!:
In a precursor to a potential run for the White House, former Vice President Mike Pence took aim Wednesday at the Linn-Mar Community School District and its transgender-affirming policies during a rally in the early GOP nominating state.
“No one should have a greater role over what our children are learning or the values they're being taught than their parents,” Pence said to a room full of parents and supporters at a Pizza Ranch in Cedar Rapids.
The Linn-Mar policies, adopted last year but largely in place at many other school districts as well, spell out inclusive practices for transgender students, including giving them access to restrooms, locker rooms or changing areas that correspond with their chosen gender identity. Students in the seventh grade or above could request a “gender support plan” that calls for teachers and peers to address the student by a new name and new pronouns. The policy leaves it up to the students whether to notify parents.
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Pence said “average Americans have been dragged into a left-wing culture war” that has “invaded our schools, our colleges and our workplaces.”
“Every day we are told that not only we have to tolerate the increasingly bizarre obsessions with race and sex and gender, but we have to enthusiastically participate, or face severe consequences,” said the Republican former vice president. “And nowhere is this problem more severe than in our public schools.”
In addition to gender-affirming policies, Pence also mentioned critical race theory, calling it “state-sanctioned racism.”
The broad-based term was developed in the legal field and largely taught in law schools and other graduate-level settings that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions. Many Republicans have since cast it as a culture-war effort to rewrite American history and convince white people that they are inherently racist. There is little to no evidence, though, it is being taught to K-12 public school students, though some ideas central to it, such as lingering consequences of slavery, have been.
The rally was part of an outreach campaign by Advancing American Freedom, a group formed by Pence in 2021 and financed by his supporters. The campaign, which will include digital ads, rallies and events, seeks to combat policies it says “effectuate” students’ gender transition without parents’ knowledge and "restore parental rights.“
The visit coincided with oral arguments before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul, Minn., in a case brought by a group representing parents of Linn-Mar students against the school district. Advancing American Freedom filed an amicus brief along with 20 other “pro-family organizations” in support of the lawsuit against Linn-Mar.
A judge last fall denied a motion for an injunction sought by the group against the district, saying it would block students from any protection from harassment and bullying on the basis of gender identity and would prevent the school from disciplining such harassment and bullying under federal and state law, as it is required to do.
The policy ensures public schools “are productive, safe places to educate children and to ensure no child is subject to harassment, bullying or made to feel lesser for any reason by students, staff and others while at school,” the court ruled.
The parents who filed the lawsuit argue the policy allows school staff to create a gender support plan without their consent, and assert their fundamental right to make decisions about the care, custody and control of their children, according to court documents. They also fear children could be unfairly punished for not using a student’s preferred pronouns or voicing certain opinions concerning transgender issues.
None of the parents, though, assert their child had been given a gender support plan without their consultation or that any child has been disciplined for any misuse — intentional and repeated or otherwise — of another child’s name or pronouns.
“Everybody has a right to go to school and be safe,” said Aime Wichtendahl, a Hiawatha City Council member and the state’s first transgender elected official. “We’re here for the freedom of all students to live authentically.”
Wichtendahl was among a group of roughly 50 protesters who held American and LGTBQ pride flags and signs that read: “Love welcomes all,” “trans rights are human rights” and “don’t legislate hate.”
The issue has become a rallying cry with conservatives across the state.
Gov. Kim Reynolds made “school choice” a centerpiece of her 2023 legislative agenda. And the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature is advancing legislation barring schools from supporting a student’s social change in gender identity and prohibiting public schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in certain grades.
Supporters, including Christian conservative advocacy organization The Family Leader, say such measures keep parents informed and ensures school employees can’t hide information about a student’s requested gender transition or identity from parents.
Critics contend the measures endangers the safety, welfare and autonomy of transgender and gender-fluid youth, and adds to existing stigma and discrimination of LGBTQ youth, who already face higher health and suicide risks than their peers.
LGBTQ advocates say the parental notification requirements could effectively require teachers to “out” LGBTQ students grappling with their personal identity to potentially unsupportive or abusive family members.
“At the end of the day, they’re about hurting lives and not improving the lives of Iowans,” Wichtendahl said. “And they need to stop this and actually start delivering for Iowans and the American people. … This kind of self-reinforced bigotry costs lives and those are the lives we are trying to protect. So if you want to go ahead and protect your kid’s lives, why don’t you start by listening to them and stop trying to run them over?”
Pence was joined by Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who made parental rights a focal point of her successful re-election campaign last year.
Hinson’s two sons attend Linn-Mar schools. She stressed the importance of parents being in charge of their child’s education, and that “woke” policies like Linn-Mar’s wrongly boxes parents out.
Hinson said school administrators, school board members or educators should not be allowed to help facilitate a change in gender identity for a student at school without parental consent or knowledge.
Hinson is a co-sponsor of the Parents Bill of Rights, legislation she said affirms that parents be notified and consulted about what is happening at their child’s school, including medical or mental health issues regarding their child.
“I think 2023 is going to be the year of the parent,” she said during Wednesday’s rally, claiming districts like Linn-Mar are “prioritizing woke nonsense” over “Iowa common sense.”
Geralyn Jones, Linn County chapter chair of Moms for Liberty, who attended Wednesday’s rally, agreed. The group is pushing to remove what it considers “obscene” or objectionable books from school libraries and curriculum.
Jones said she hopes to see parental rights be a focus of GOP presidential prospects.
“I think whoever decides to run for office needs to consider parents, especially when it comes to education and our right to parent our children,” Jones said. “It is our fundamental right to raise our children how we see fit. It’s not school’s responsibility to teach them what they want to know and what society wants them to know.”
Pence did not say whether he will launch a 2024 White House run against his former running mate, former President Donald Trump, who already announced his campaign. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who formally launched her presidential bid Wednesday, is scheduled to campaign in Urbandale and Marion early next week.
Asked about her entry into the race, Pence wished her well.
“She may have more company soon in the race for president,” he said. “And I promise folks here in Iowa and all of you I'll keep you posted.”
www.thegazette.com
In a precursor to a potential run for the White House, former Vice President Mike Pence took aim Wednesday at the Linn-Mar Community School District and its transgender-affirming policies during a rally in the early GOP nominating state.
“No one should have a greater role over what our children are learning or the values they're being taught than their parents,” Pence said to a room full of parents and supporters at a Pizza Ranch in Cedar Rapids.
The Linn-Mar policies, adopted last year but largely in place at many other school districts as well, spell out inclusive practices for transgender students, including giving them access to restrooms, locker rooms or changing areas that correspond with their chosen gender identity. Students in the seventh grade or above could request a “gender support plan” that calls for teachers and peers to address the student by a new name and new pronouns. The policy leaves it up to the students whether to notify parents.
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Pence said “average Americans have been dragged into a left-wing culture war” that has “invaded our schools, our colleges and our workplaces.”
“Every day we are told that not only we have to tolerate the increasingly bizarre obsessions with race and sex and gender, but we have to enthusiastically participate, or face severe consequences,” said the Republican former vice president. “And nowhere is this problem more severe than in our public schools.”
In addition to gender-affirming policies, Pence also mentioned critical race theory, calling it “state-sanctioned racism.”
The broad-based term was developed in the legal field and largely taught in law schools and other graduate-level settings that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions. Many Republicans have since cast it as a culture-war effort to rewrite American history and convince white people that they are inherently racist. There is little to no evidence, though, it is being taught to K-12 public school students, though some ideas central to it, such as lingering consequences of slavery, have been.
The rally was part of an outreach campaign by Advancing American Freedom, a group formed by Pence in 2021 and financed by his supporters. The campaign, which will include digital ads, rallies and events, seeks to combat policies it says “effectuate” students’ gender transition without parents’ knowledge and "restore parental rights.“
The visit coincided with oral arguments before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul, Minn., in a case brought by a group representing parents of Linn-Mar students against the school district. Advancing American Freedom filed an amicus brief along with 20 other “pro-family organizations” in support of the lawsuit against Linn-Mar.
A judge last fall denied a motion for an injunction sought by the group against the district, saying it would block students from any protection from harassment and bullying on the basis of gender identity and would prevent the school from disciplining such harassment and bullying under federal and state law, as it is required to do.
The policy ensures public schools “are productive, safe places to educate children and to ensure no child is subject to harassment, bullying or made to feel lesser for any reason by students, staff and others while at school,” the court ruled.
The parents who filed the lawsuit argue the policy allows school staff to create a gender support plan without their consent, and assert their fundamental right to make decisions about the care, custody and control of their children, according to court documents. They also fear children could be unfairly punished for not using a student’s preferred pronouns or voicing certain opinions concerning transgender issues.
None of the parents, though, assert their child had been given a gender support plan without their consultation or that any child has been disciplined for any misuse — intentional and repeated or otherwise — of another child’s name or pronouns.
“Everybody has a right to go to school and be safe,” said Aime Wichtendahl, a Hiawatha City Council member and the state’s first transgender elected official. “We’re here for the freedom of all students to live authentically.”
Wichtendahl was among a group of roughly 50 protesters who held American and LGTBQ pride flags and signs that read: “Love welcomes all,” “trans rights are human rights” and “don’t legislate hate.”
The issue has become a rallying cry with conservatives across the state.
Gov. Kim Reynolds made “school choice” a centerpiece of her 2023 legislative agenda. And the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature is advancing legislation barring schools from supporting a student’s social change in gender identity and prohibiting public schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation in certain grades.
Supporters, including Christian conservative advocacy organization The Family Leader, say such measures keep parents informed and ensures school employees can’t hide information about a student’s requested gender transition or identity from parents.
Critics contend the measures endangers the safety, welfare and autonomy of transgender and gender-fluid youth, and adds to existing stigma and discrimination of LGBTQ youth, who already face higher health and suicide risks than their peers.
LGBTQ advocates say the parental notification requirements could effectively require teachers to “out” LGBTQ students grappling with their personal identity to potentially unsupportive or abusive family members.
“At the end of the day, they’re about hurting lives and not improving the lives of Iowans,” Wichtendahl said. “And they need to stop this and actually start delivering for Iowans and the American people. … This kind of self-reinforced bigotry costs lives and those are the lives we are trying to protect. So if you want to go ahead and protect your kid’s lives, why don’t you start by listening to them and stop trying to run them over?”
Pence was joined by Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who made parental rights a focal point of her successful re-election campaign last year.
Hinson’s two sons attend Linn-Mar schools. She stressed the importance of parents being in charge of their child’s education, and that “woke” policies like Linn-Mar’s wrongly boxes parents out.
Hinson said school administrators, school board members or educators should not be allowed to help facilitate a change in gender identity for a student at school without parental consent or knowledge.
Hinson is a co-sponsor of the Parents Bill of Rights, legislation she said affirms that parents be notified and consulted about what is happening at their child’s school, including medical or mental health issues regarding their child.
“I think 2023 is going to be the year of the parent,” she said during Wednesday’s rally, claiming districts like Linn-Mar are “prioritizing woke nonsense” over “Iowa common sense.”
Geralyn Jones, Linn County chapter chair of Moms for Liberty, who attended Wednesday’s rally, agreed. The group is pushing to remove what it considers “obscene” or objectionable books from school libraries and curriculum.
Jones said she hopes to see parental rights be a focus of GOP presidential prospects.
“I think whoever decides to run for office needs to consider parents, especially when it comes to education and our right to parent our children,” Jones said. “It is our fundamental right to raise our children how we see fit. It’s not school’s responsibility to teach them what they want to know and what society wants them to know.”
Pence did not say whether he will launch a 2024 White House run against his former running mate, former President Donald Trump, who already announced his campaign. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who formally launched her presidential bid Wednesday, is scheduled to campaign in Urbandale and Marion early next week.
Asked about her entry into the race, Pence wished her well.
“She may have more company soon in the race for president,” he said. “And I promise folks here in Iowa and all of you I'll keep you posted.”
In Cedar Rapids, Mike Pence rails against 'radical’ school transgender policy
Republican former Vice President Mike Pence railed against “radical gender ideology” in public schools during a rally in Cedar Rapids.
www.thegazette.com
