Like every parent during “remote learning,” I wanted to yell at my kid’s teacher, “You lied! My kid is not a joy to have in class!”
Seriously though, remote learning gave a rare peek into our kids’ classes. For many of us, it confirmed the indoctrination we suspected. Overhearing my daughter’s high school classes, I learned about systematic racism in her economics class, her literature class, and of course, in her yoga class, where it certainly belongs.
It’s interesting that school districts around Colorado boldly claim that they don’t teach Critical Race Theory. They simply say, “Look, it’s not in the curriculum.”
But parents are too often left in the dark about what their children are learning or even sometimes prevented from seeing the educational materials used in the classroom. Pam Benigno, Education Policy Center Director, is collecting stories from parents who have been told, “No, we can’t let you see the program materials or watch the video we showed your child yesterday.”
One parent last week shared with Pam that she was told by a school staff member that it was against their policy to let parents see materials for a special class her daughter had been invited to attend. This very wise parent said, “Then my daughter will not be attending.”
Have you had a similar conversation with your child’s teacher? Do you have a story for Pam? If so, please email her at pam@i2i.org.
And once again, make sure to read her Colorado Politics op-ed about the need for curriculum transparency.
Pam was also featured on The Mandy Connell Show to discuss the proposed social studies standards she’s leading a fight against. Listen here!
National School Choice Week!
This week (January 23-29, 2022) is National School Choice Week! According to a recent survey, more than half of parents are looking for a new school.
If that includes you, please visit our School Choice for Kids website. For many school districts, the open enrollment window is now open to apply for a different school. You can search by district HERE. Colorado families can choose a public school outside of their neighborhood school boundaries or in a different district.
The website also offers information about private schools, homeschool, online schools, and more. And if you want to rethink what school should look like for your children, we have some must-see guidance!
Fiscal Policy Center
Last year, Paul Prentice, a Ph.D. economist and Independence Institute Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy, studied the economic impacts of Governor Polis’ mandate and lockdowns in response to COVID-19 and published an economic study entitled Unequal Opportunities, Unequal Outcomes: The COVID-19 Recession in Colorado.
It found that low-skilled, low-income workers were hit hardest. It was strange to see so many people out of work while businesses were unable to find workers to fill open positions. Our Fiscal Policy Center investigated the problem and published The Colorado Skills Gap: Underlying Causes. We found that Colorado suffers from major skilled labor shortages across numerous industries. Perhaps you’ve noticed how difficult it is to get a plumber, electrician, or HVAC technician out to your house recently.
That work culminated in a white paper published last week: Addressing the Skills Gap: A Market-Based Approach for Colorado. We delve into the history and background of government intervention in workforce development and briefly go over the skills gap in Colorado. We then show what economists like F.A. Hayek can teach us about the labor force and why so many workforce policies fail to solve the problem. The paper lays out and explains three tenets for policymakers to follow when designing policies to address the skills gap, and it delivers an innovative, market-based policy proposal based on those principles.
One of our New Year’s resolutions was to update our LinkedIn page, giving folks across the state and country another avenue to engage with what we do. We will post twice a week to supplement our other social media. I strongly recommend giving it a follow HERE.
At Complete Colorado, guest columnist Sarah Hunt explains how Fort Collins residents were sold a bill of goods with Connexion, the city’s failing municipal broadband effort.
Reporter Sherri Peif covers the many new fees signed into law by Governor Polis, who ironically is making a campaign issue out of Colorado’s high cost of living—the same cost of living he has significantly helped increase throughout his term.
And I explain why Jared Polis could lose re-election. No, really!
This Saturday is a great chance to hear Helen Raleigh, who grew up under communism, and II fellow Paul Prentice, who has spent a lifetime fighting the intellectual battle in favor of capitalism. They discuss the true nature of socialism, including why it always ends up in tyranny, misery, and death. Raleigh and Prentice also debunk the idea that the Nordic countries are an example of a socialist paradise.
January 29, 2022
Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center
11151 Colorado Blvd, Thornton, CO 80233
9:30am to 11:30am
Alternatively, gather with others to learn how to sharpen your communication skills and use your voice to stand up for what you believe in. Be courageous in the face of cancel culture! Find out how to make persuasive arguments when in conversation with someone with a differing viewpoint. Learn new skills, try them out, and gain new insights on how best to employ them. This two-hour seminar is facilitated by II’s Kathleen Chandler and Sheri Tuffield. With their expertise to guide you, you will leave ready to Speak Up and Speak Out!—in the name of Liberty!
January 29, 2022
Adventures In Dance
1500 W Littleton Blvd, Suite 207, Littleton, CO 80120
9:30am to 12:00pm
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFO
Think Freedom!
-Jon
