EDUCATION REPORT
BY JEN WOOLDRIDGE
Pornographic Book Reinstated in Fairfax , VA
Despite being listed for ages 18 and up on Amazon , Gender Queer : A Memoir by Maia Kobabe is available in school libraries across the country . After backlash , some school districts have pulled the book that includes graphic depictions of sex acts , bodily functions , and strong language . 1 However , two Fairfax County Public Schools committees of “ school administrators , librarians , parents , and students ” unanimously recommended that the book should remain available , claiming a “ commitment to supporting diversity in literature .” 2 ■
1 . Will McDuffie , “ Books including ‘ Gender Queer ’ being pulled from schools , sparking controversy ,” ABC News , November 13 , 2021 , https :// abcnews . go . com / US / books-includinggender-queer-pulled-schools-sparking-controversy / story ? id = 81110458 . 2 . “ FCPS Reinstates Two Books , Reaffirming Commitment to Supporting Diversity in Literature ,” Fairfax County Public Schools , November 23 , 2021 , https :// fcps . edu / news / fcps-reinstates-two-books-reaffirming-commitment-supportingdiversity-literature .
School Helps Students Hide Gender Dysphoria from Parents
Fremont High School in Oakland ,
A California , has a new dressing room for trans students in partnership with The Transition Closet . 1 Teacher Thomas Martin- Edwards says , “ The goal of the transition closet is for our students to wear the clothes that their parents approve of , come to school and then swap out into the clothes that fit who they truly are .” He likens the concept to Superman changing in a phone booth : “ Clark Kent is actually the disguise . And when Clark Kent goes into the phone booth , he transforms into Superman , who is really just who he truly is . . . So this gives our trans students the opportunity to be the superheroes that we know they are .” ■
1 . Libby Emmons , “ Oakland school launches ‘ Transition Closet ’ to help students hide gender dysphoria from parents ,” The Post Millennial , February 16 , 2022 , https :// thepostmillennial . com / oakland-school-transition-closet-dysphoria . photo by : Mackell Phillips
Significant Growth in Christian School
Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy in Moneta , Virginia , has exploded in growth over the last few years . This school was the first school that RenewaNation took through our revitalization process in partnership with EastLake Community Church . The school has grown from 34 students in June 2015 to more than 500 students in fall 2022 . God has provided two new school buildings and a football , baseball , and softball complex and high school building that are currently under construction . God is up to something big in the arena of education ! ■
Record 41 % Rejection of Math Books
Out of 132 submitted textbooks , 41 percent were rejected by the Florida Department of Education ( DOE ) for including CRT . 1 A statement from the DOE said , “ The highest number of books rejected were for grade levels K-5 , where an alarming 71 percent were not appropriately aligned with Florida standards or included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies .” The DOE further explained that the “ reasons for rejecting textbooks included references to Critical Race Theory ( CRT ), inclusions of Common Core , and the unsolicited addition of Social Emotional Learning ( SEL ) in mathematics .”
Controversies over Common Core have swirled for some time , and CRT has been on the forefront lately , most notably in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election . 2 However , many are not yet aware of the risks of Social Emotional Learning in education . A study by the Pioneer Institute conveys the problems with SEL : “ Proponents of SEL call for focusing less on academic content and knowledge in schools , and more on student attributes , mindsets , values , and behaviors . Not only are the goals of SEL ill-defined , but they also raise significant , unanswered questions about what attitudes should be promoted .” 3 Jane Robbins , co-author of the study , aptly stated , “ It ’ s one thing to direct your own moral , ethical , and emotional development or that of your children . But having a government vendor or unqualified public school officials implement an SEL curriculum based on coffee-table psychology is quite another .” ■
1 . Anders Hagstrom , “ Florida rejects 41 % of math textbooks for including CRT , most aimed at K-5 students : ‘ Impermissible ,’” Fox News , April 17 , 2022 , https :// foxnews . com / politics / florida-math-textbook-critical-racetheory-desantis . 2 . Katherine Hamilton , “ Critical Race Theory Top Issue in Virginia Election , Democrats Still Insist It ‘ Isn ’ t Real ,’” Breitbart News , accessed May 5 , 2022 , https :// breitbart . com / politics / 2021 / 11 / 03 / critical-race-theory-topissue-virginia-election-democrats-insist-isnt-real . 3 . Editorial Staff , “ New Study Finds Multiple Problems with Push for Social-Emotional Learning in K-12 Education ,” Pioneer Institute , March 11 , 2019 , https :// pioneerinstitute . org / featured / new-study-finds-multipleproblems-with-push-for-social-emotional-learning-in-k-12-education .
38 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW