Superintendent Steinhoff Must Explain Himself –Penn Delco Superintendent George Steinhoff needs to answer directly to the parents and taxpayers of the district as to why he is on a local affiliate of a national news channel essentially saying pushing this agenda is more important than speaking truthfully about what they want implemented.
He states he was naive for thinking people were “past that” regarding the words diversity, equity and inclusion. Past critical thinking or past definitions and precedent? He admits being advised to call it anything else whenever possible hence the CARES committee.
Words mean things. What exactly aren’t we supposed to know about diversity, equity and inclusion that they won’t even say the words out loud.
You may email the superintendent gsteinhoff@pdsd.org with any questions or comments. Please be respectful in your words and consider attending the next school board meeting
Board members, parents and students, teachers and administrators, residents and tax payers:
I’m writing to follow up on the establishment of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee now known as CARES.
While I was unable to join the very start of the meeting, parts of the presentation stood out. Instead of assuaging my concerns, I now have more questions than answers. I plan to view the archived meeting in it’s entirety as soon as it is posted online.
It was implied this committee should be adopted because other districts and corporations have DEI policies. Recent revelations about diversity training involving Coca Cola under the guise of equity show employees were told they need to be “less white.” In the United States there is no room for this type of discrimination and quite frankly this vile hatred. How can the board assure us this rhetoric will not be allowed to creep into the the policy setting process? What accountability will there be for an all volunteer committee? What is the criteria for selecting CARES members?
In addition, during the public comment section one of the speakers used “alt right” to describe those of us with concerns about the committee. This was in my opinion inflammatory, distracting from the substance of the issue. A prominent resident of Delaware County and well known blogger was castigated simply for publishing a letter I authored because they live in a neighboring district. This is the exact opposite of inclusivity. Part of the First Amendment guarantees our right to petition elected officials, of speaking freely and reporting events and opinions.
Finally, the committee was not even minutes old after being established when “cancel culture” surfaced. The lone dissenter on the school board was told in no uncertain terms to resign. So much for respecting other opinions. Is this how the committee will address issues they do not agree with? Will the person who made this comment be allowed to sit on the committee? How does this support an open and honest dialogue?
I intend to follow the development and staffing of this committee very closely. We must all continue to work together, as Americans, to continue to advance our cause to form a more perfect Union. As stated in my public comments, growing up in the City of Chester I grew up in diversity and never saw color or race until that was pointed out to me. I believe people, especially children, are inherently good and kind. I submit that if we continue to point out our physical and other differences, rather than celebrate our shared experiences of this unique melting pot that we are all truly blessed to be a part of, we will continue to drift further apart to our own detriment and to that of the young people we profess to be helping.
I’m writing to express concern for a proposal to create a steering committee for diversity, equity and inclusion.
The board states they recognize several points while providing no supporting evidence to show how the current academic environment has not lived up to the standards of PDSD, “To enable all students to achieve, succeed and excel.” This appears to be an exercise in implementing a solution before addressing issues with existing policy. What is the “clear priority” and what are the “compelling principals?”
My concern extends to incidents currently taking place. An example is a poster in an elementary classroom in the district, “what is said here (classroom), stays in here.” While that may be a fitting slogan for a travel ad to Las Vegas this is completely unacceptable for a public institution charged with educating young minds.
In addition there is evidence of at least one district employee during working hours soliciting on social media, attempting to collect “evidence” in the forms of “anecdotes shared with anonymity.” In America we have the right to face our accuser. Using taxpayer funded time to further a cause, political or otherwise, with the intention of changing district policy using “anonymous evidence” is a violation of and disregard for the Bill of Rights.
President Eisenhower helped integrate schools so our Nation could live up to our founding values. It’s time to stop pointing out the myriad differences that make us unique and promote the two things we all have in common: We are all human beings and Americans. Do we heed the words of Martin Luther King jr who had a shared dream that our nation’s children would not be evaluated according to their color or creed but simply on the content of their character. Perhaps what we need is a steering committee on American History and Civics.
Proponents of this change make false claims of “systemic” failure to justify upending existing policy. As a lifelong resident of Delaware County, a graduate of Sun Valley High School and a resident of the district for nearly four decades I do not see the need for such drastic changes. This would only create another level of bureaucracy between our students and the teachers and administrators who are tasked with educating our children.
I reject the notion the voters didn’t elect the most qualified candidates to the school board; that teachers and administrators are not currently equipped to solve problems for students on a case by case basis; that the school board is incapable or unwilling of addressing issues that have been escalated to them. I most certainly reject the vocal minority that attempts to say Penn Delco is not living up to their own mission statement and policies to the students.
I ask this resolution be unanimously voted down. The school’s function in a civil society is not to tell the students what to think but to prepare them to be critical thinkers. Thank you for taking the time to read this email.
Petition Seeks To Save Penn Delco — Please consider signing the petition for Penn Delco and share. The vote will be Wednesday, Feb. 24. It will be a zoom meeting
As a school board director I feel a responsibility to make stakeholders aware of a resolution the board plans to vote on Wednesday.
The vote is on a Resolution that supports a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a political narrative we have heard for the last eight months across our nation. Students should not be used as a political pawns in the narrative and pandering to a political agenda.
The goals of political activist/organizations pushing this agenda is to incorporate this into our policies, curriculum and in the hiring of staff. This is a slippery slope to introduce the agenda. This will include, beyond what is already being inappropriately identified and discussed in the classroom, Cultural Proficiency, Critical Race Theory, Social Justice, White Privilege, Systematic Racism among much more which does not belong in our schools.
Don’t be fooled if anyone says “This is just a committee”. No matter how you spin it this is a slippery slope to introduce the agenda. We have policies and procedures and in place that well define our mission. Activist pushing this agenda have a petition that they are circulating to get this resolution passed.
These are your children and your tax dollars and the board needs to here from you if you share my concerns.
Your feedback is important. I am asking you to please comment below and let us know you are a Penn Delco resident.
Please SHARE this petition as the board will be voting on the resolution this Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Time is of the essence.
Your email to the board would also be helpful.
Doing what is right is more important than what is politically expedient
Penn Delco Falling For Marxist Con Job? — The Penn Delco School Board will vote on a resolution, Feb. 24, to created a “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” steering committee which is obviously a gateway to propagandize your children to hate themselves, their country and you.
“The greatest threat to American society today . . .is coming from the diversity, equity, inclusion industry,” warns retired Princeton University and Vanderbilt University Professor and author Carol Swain. “It is steeped in critical race theory which is Marxist. It divides people. When you think about what is taking place on college campuses and also now in K-12, children are being bullied, they’re being shamed. Teachers are being encouraged to teach nonsense, and they may justify it by saying it is fighting racism, it’s helping racial and ethnic minorities; it’s really harming everyone’s child.”
Why would a school district need to a committee to study “diversity, equity and inclusion” anyway? If it was doing its job of creating literate, numerate citizens who knew what their rights and obligations were under the law the words would be moot.
On the other hand, if it wasn’t doing its job maybe they would have to insincerely mouth politically fashionable phrases to signal virtue and cover up its failure. The salaries and pensions can be a nice racket after all.
You make the call. Here’s the resolution.
This video of school director Lisa Esler is being circulated in attempt to shame her for her opposition to this twisted resolution.
Bad news for them. She is not shamed. And we are proud of her.
Don’t buy the claim that this is “just a committee”. If the resolution passes the goals will be realized.
Follow The Science Phonies Called Out By Cole — The always controversial David Cole of the always controversial TakiMag.com has maybe the best column of the last 14 months regarding Covid19 and the “follow the science” phonies.
Bob Small of Swarthmore has forwarded this information about a free online-class at Hillsdale College that many of our readers might find of interest.The class is designed to debunk the premeditated lies about our nation being promoted by what has become the establishment.
It is widely claimed today that our nation is irredeemably flawed—that America has been fundamentally unjust from the beginning due to the “systemic racism.”
The purpose of promoting this falsehood is to sever Americans’ patriotic attachment to our country and its founding principles in order to replace our limited government Constitution with radically different form of government.
The only way to confront this false and dangerous narrative—and preserve free government—is to counter it with the true and honest story of America’s quest to achieve justice.
Next month, Hillsdale College will be releasing its latest free online course: “Civil Rights in American History.” I invite you to pre-register for this free online course by visiting this secure link:
And after you pre-register, please consider how you can help promote Hillsdale’s free online courses and other educational outreach efforts in this critical time for America by giving your best gift today.
New York Times Opposes Free Speech— Swarthmore’s Bob Small has sent us this link from an Oct. 11 Glen Greenwald article that appeared in The Intercept, describing how the union representing the dead trees inksters — no, they are not journalists –of The New York Times has taken a bold stand against dissent and free speech.
What has invoked the ire of The New York Times Newspaper Guild is an column by Bret Stephens taking to task the discredited 1619 Project promoted by the greedy tree killing corporation.
We have written about the 1619 Project before. It’s garbage befitting The New York Times.
Dan Burke Social Media Troubles — Dan Burke, the West Chester social studies teacher and union boss who is pushing to remove Penn Delco school director Leon Armour because of some social media posts, shouldn’t be throwing stones.
What kind of example does that present to your students, especially the female ones? You know a lot of them found it right?
As we noted in the last article, social media stupidity should be forgivable. Hypocrisy and pedagogic irresponsibility not so much. Ahh, if only teachers were not protected by tenure. If only parents could easily fire a bad teacher by transferring voucher money to a good one.
Dan, you might have to get a job with you buddy Al Schuster at CJAsher.com. You see this interesting piece by CJ Asher about a trip to Nevada? It was kind of an issue last fall’s in Aston 1st Ward Commissioner race, wasn’t it?
Fascists Attack Popular Penn Delco President — Leon Armour, who overwhelmingly won a four-year term on the Penn Delco School Board in November and was picked by his peers as board president, is under fire for Facebook comments.
Leon Armour, one of the good guys
A petition is being circulated to remove him. It’s part of the Cancel Culture. No, there is a better name for it. It’s the Karen Culture. Yeah, the Karen Culture. Pompous, merciless bullies who are certain they are so righteous they can destroy anybody who disses the beliefs they have become conditioned to parrot.
Remember, the Supreme Court just ruled Karens can be males too.
In February 2018, Armour posted a photo of a rifle with the comment “I’m still monitoring it to see if it goes on a killing spree. So far it hasn’t moved.” Oh, the horror. The weapon never did go on a killing spree. It’s actually an excellent way to make a point and tell a truth.
He posted other, less inspired, comments involving illegal immigration, Islam and crime but just the same we are getting sick and tired of people having their lives ruined for moments of social media stupidity. Wonder how those passing the petition would fare with a Twitter exam. Frankly, only the most insipid and banal would likely pass.
Armour is only getting grief because he is the face of a board that is not a rubber stamp for the progressive God-is-dead types that run the teachers union.
The progressives are pushing to defund the police. What would be far better for a happy society would be to abolish school districts and take all that money we spend on education and give it directly to parents so they can choose their kids schools.
