Sunday, August 7, 2022

What are your concerns about Mtn. Brook AL schools?

I live in Mountain Brook. I have no school age children or grandchildren.

I have a great deal of interest in the nationwide contentiousness regarding Critical Race Theory, etc., and what is being taught or not being taught to school children.

I have heard and read the charges and allegations that are flying around.

I am aware of specific cases and situations that have received national publicity. I do not know how representative those cases and situations are for schools, school systems and Boards of Education generally.

I am inclined to believe that this matter is being overblown by a vocal minority and does not represent the sentiment of most parents.

8/14/22 (draft)
In the Mountain City Council elections there are three Mainstream Mountain Brook candidates and three Mountain Brook Families candidates. 

The "platform" of the Mountain Brook Families is set out at https://www.mountainbrookfamilies.org/issues.


This school year will be the first since Alabama lawmakers prohibited some public school teachers from instructing or holding classroom discussions about gender identity or sexual orientation. Under the new law, educators, if they need to talk about sex or gender, should stick to “developmentally appropriate” content.
And while state education officials contend that teachers are not crossing that line, LOCAL Alabama, a political advocacy group, says otherwise.
. . . .
Sinclair, whose children attend public school, declined to specify how many examples her group has collected so far. She said most examples are in one of three of the categories listed on the form: Divisive concepts or critical race theory, comprehensive sexuality education and sexually explicit content.
. . .
State Superintendent Eric Mackey has acknowledged there are a few cases every year where a teacher is accused of stepping outside of teaching the state’s standards, but those types of cases are generally handled at the local school board level and are not widespread.
Mackey said he thinks some people are confused about what the board’s ban actually covers.

Mountain Brook voters should read the Mountain Brook Families "platform" and think about the concerns expressed in said "platform" in the context of other problems faced by Mountain Brook schools and school children. (Because the "platform" is representative of what is being propounded concerning public education and school children in many states and localities around the country, the "problems" I refer to can be considered in a larger context than just Mountain Brook).

Other problems that should be thought about include:
1. Childhood obesity:
2. School discipline:
3. Increased anxiety, depression and suicide occurring among school children;
4. Adverse effect of cell phones and social media on learning in schools; and
5. Bullying. 

I think Mountain Brook voters should hear from Mountain Brook teachers in deciding about how concerned the voters should be about the concerns of Mountain Brook Families.

I will vote for the three Mainstream Mountain Brook families because I think their concerns will be a distraction, and counterproductive, to addressing other problems facing Mountain Brook schools (and public education elsewhere in the United States).

8/15/22 Mtn. Brook teachers should speak to Mtn. Brook parents

8/16/22 Smith, Shelton, Pritchard campaigning
Candidates Smith, Shelton and Pritchard should have written handouts for passing out at tonight's "meet and greet" on the City Hall lawn. 
Such handouts should also be passed out elsewhere, such as to parents in the car waiting lines at the Mountain Brook elementary schools and the junior high school and even to high school students in their cars who are stopped on Bethune and Oakdale roads waiting for the light to change to enter the parking lot at the start of the day.

8/20/22

8/21/22 email to Mountain Brook friends
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: [email addresses omitted]
Sent: Sun, Aug 21, 2022 5:38 pm
Subject: Mountain Brook Families vs. Mainstream Mountain Brook on Tuesday
To Mountain Brook friends:
In the Mountain Brook City Council elections on Tuesday, I wish to express support for the Mainstream Mountain Brook candidates Smith, Shelton and Pritchard against the Mountain Brook Families candidates Powanda, Davis and Osband.
You can and should read the Mountain Brook Families issues of "Politics in the Classroom" and "Social Emotional Learning," which are set out at https://www.mountainbrookfamilies.org/issues.
I consider the above views of the Mountain Brook Families in the context of the culture war and division that rages in the United States.
In the culture war, I think the extremes on the two political sides represent a minority of Americans; which minority controls the politics, political discourse and governance, doesn't want compromise, and uses and wants the culture war and division to help them in their power seeking.
I think a majority of Americans are moderate in the center, don't want the raging culture war and division, and are amenable to compromise, but said majority of Americans is sidelined politically.
I think the Mountain Brook Families are mainly interested in fighting culture war.
I think the culture war distracts from addressing critical challenges facing schools, education, school children and parents.
As a sampling of such challenges, consider the below:
Guest: Alabama can’t fumble the ball on $3 billion of COVID school relief
Recent report details Alabama’s teacher shortage
A Remedy for Public Schools Catches On With community schools, acting locally is proving a winning idea
Digital Detox: Mother of Six Shares Her Advice for Getting Kids Unhooked from Technology
The CDC finds a depression epidemic among teens — that it created
Childcare issues still snarl work for parents of young children
I think the Mainstream Mountain Brook candidates will be more open and attuned to addressing critical challenges facing schools, education, school children and parents, and not bent on fighting culture war.
Sincerely,
Rob
[To be filed (without email addresses) in https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/08/what-are-your-concerns-about-mtn-brook.html]

8/23/22

8/29/22

9/1/22 

 9/3/22

Email to H.E.A.L. Inc.
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>T
o: info@healunited.org <info@healunited.org>
Sent: Fri, Jan 13, 2023 5:17 pm
Subject: For Program Director Cristina Saunders - email to Christy Swaid
Dear Ms. Saunders,
On Tuesday, I sent the below email to Christy Swaid.
I don't know how busy Ms. Swaid is or whether my email says anything to which Ms. Swaid would care to react.
My email complains about Alabama Republicans who are beating the drum about Alabama teachers indoctrinating their students in socialism, critical race theory and gender fluidity, and who, I think, are wrongfully keeping Alabama parents, teachers and school boards from doing more addressing of more serious problems that beset Alabama children, including the problem that id the focus of HEAL's mission to Improve children’s health and transform health culture through education and practice of healthy lifestyle behaviors.
If you you think any of HEAL's directors, advisory board, partners and collaborators feel as strongly as I do that Alabama Republicans are acting in ways that are unhelpful to HEAL fulfilling its mission, I would like it very much to talk with them.
Thank you for your attention to this email. I look forward to any response you may be able to give me.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: cswaid@icloud.com <cswaid@icloud.com>
Sent: Tue, Jan 10, 2023 11:33 am
Subject: indoctrinated K-12 children versus unhealthy K-12 children
Dear Christy,
I am a political gadfly, currently perturbed by how Alabama Republicans are beating the drum about Alabama teachers indoctrinating their students in socialism, critical race theory and gender fluidity.
I am dubious about the validity of what the Republicans say.
If there is merit to what they say, I believe the matter can and should be worked out at the local level among Alabama parents, teachers and school boards.
More importantly, I believe the Republicans are wrongfully keeping Alabama parents, teachers and school boards from doing more addressing of more serious problems that beset Alabama children, including the ones you are working on of childhood obesity and bad health habits.(See https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/08/what-are-your-concerns-about-mtn-brook.html where I indicate other problems that need more attention.)
Our new Senator Britt, in her election campaign, beat the drum a lot on the indoctrination matter, and she is continuing on it. (Watch the video at https://twitter.com/Truth_Gazette/status/1611403775356592129.)
With your years of interacting with Alabama students, teachers, parents and school boards, I am sure you have a much more informed view than I about what I say above, and you have your own conclusions about whether Republicans are doing Alabama a disservice in how they are harping on the "indoctrination" matter.
If you believe Alabama Republicans are doing Alabama a disservice, I hope you try to convey that belief to parties of influence in Alabama with whom you interact. Maybe you know Senator Britt and can even be so bold as to say to her, "Katie, get real about the serious problems besetting Alabama children, stop dwelling on 'indoctrination', and get working hard on inspiring policies and actions that will help regarding our national childhood obesity problem and other big problems that are besetting our children."
Thank you for your attention to this email, Christy.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook
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