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For as long as I have been working on the South Side of Chicago, we have talked about education, what needs to be done, and how to fix it. Yet things have only worsened as we have watched our children, the future of America, be used as pawns in a political game. That is why it was not a surprise when I learned that the Illinois State Superintendent Tony Sanders, told school districts to follow state law and to defy President Trump’s federal orders to dismantle DEI and other related obstacles to education.
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Sanders recently chose to ignore the “Dear Colleague” letter from the U.S. Department of Education warning schools that they risk federal funding if they continue to pursue DEI and other diversity measures. Sanders stressed in his message to school leaders that Illinois prohibits discrimination against marginalized groups and stressed that key racial and ethnic group are required by law to be represented in classroom instruction.
“Black history is American history,” wrote Sanders. “The study of events related to the forceful removal and illegal deportation of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during the Great Depression is American history. The study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people is American history.”
OBAMA LIBRARY, BEGUN WITH LOFTY DEI GOALS, NOW PLAGUED BY $40M RACIALLY CHARGED SUIT, BALLOONING COSTS
He added: “In Illinois, we strive to affirm, uplift, and support all our students and their families. Nothing in any executive order or ‘Dear Colleague’ letter should change that.”
He received the support of Illinois Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who accused the Trump administration of using the DEI issue to “just indiscriminately slash school funding.”
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These two top state officials sit on top of a failed Illinois education system. I’m on the other end of the spectrum on the ground and I have seen and lived with the consequences of this failure for so long that it makes me sick.
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What these so-called educators care about more is the racial, sexual, or gender identity of the student than actually educating the student. You can adorn a child with all the identity buttons you want from Black Lives Matter to Gay Pride but what about educating the child in a rigorous fashion? Why have we lost sight of this simple fact?
Why do we fear discrimination of any sort so much that we have forgotten how to educate our children? The kids in my neighborhood and many others can barely read and do math on grade level.
Why have so many of our parents been fooled by the idea that a heavy focus on our immutable characteristics is a good thing? Why have we prized diversity over education?
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A child is a reflection of the parent. It is also a reflection of the school system. And right now, all that reflection shows is failure.
Our only hope is to rid these schools of this DEI culture that weakens our kids’ minds with ideological notions of diversity. You cannot use race on your path to excellence. You can only learn your way to excellence. That is why we parents not just in Illinois but across America must demand one thing only: a classical education that prepares our children for the harsh realities of the world.
The kids in my neighborhood do not have a DEI problem or a diversity problem. They’re so far behind in education because of all this foolishness.
What they need are involved parents, good teachers and skilled administrators that know how to raise a child up. That is the only way we are going to get kids from my neighborhood out into the larger world where they can help create true and everlasting diversity of culture and thought.
North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is recognizing May as Foster Care Awareness Month, a time to highlight the resilience of children involved in the state’s foster care system and the dedication of those who support them. Read the Foster Care Awareness Month proclamation.
On any given day, about 1,050 children are in foster care in North Dakota. More than 700 licensed foster care providers and nearly 200 relative caregivers open their homes to provide stability and support for children until reunification or another permanent plan can be achieved.
This year’s theme, “It Takes All of Us: Caring for Children, Supporting Families and Strengthening Futures,” emphasizes the importance of strong, collaborative communities in ensuring the safety, well-being and long-term success of children. The theme highlights the role of partnerships across organizations, with families at the center of the work.
Everyone involved in the child welfare system plays a critical role in supporting the safety, permanency and well-being of children in care. This includes relatives, foster care providers, public agencies, juvenile court, child welfare professionals, schools, community service providers and other partners working together to support families and promote reunification whenever possible.
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“Foster care is a temporary service designed to ensure child safety while supporting families,” said Chelsea Flory, HHS Children and Family Services director. “May is a time to recognize everyone involved in the child welfare system. This year’s theme highlights the importance of all who play a role in engaging with and supporting families. Together, we strengthen connections and help create brighter, more stable futures.”
Individuals interested in becoming licensed foster care providers are encouraged to call 833-FST-HOME (833-378-4663). For information about providing respite or emergency shelter care, contact the Children and Family Services Licensing Unit at 701-328-2322 or email cfslicensing@nd.gov.
ADA, Ohio — Ohio Northern University’s campus is under evacuation following a bomb threat Tuesday afternoon.
The university said buses are staging on the boulevard south of McIntosh for students, faculty and staff to take to Ada High School to shelter there.
“We are evacuating the campus. Leave immediately. Do not touch anything and refrain from using your phone,” the university shared in a social media post.
Officials said buildings will be cleared one by one, starting with McIntosh and King Horn.
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Residence halls and campus housing are also being evacuated.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
In a wooded site along the west shore of the Missouri River, an engineering marvel was taking shape one afternoon in March that will eventually help provide fresh water to hundreds of thousands of people.
Contractors hired by the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System had positioned 16-foot concrete rings above a structure known as a Ranney well that will draw water from an aquifer 140 feet below the surface. To form the sides of the giant well, workers jam several of the sleeves into the caisson structure that collects water through a series of pipes that extend outward at the bottom.
The new well is part of a $150 million expansion of the Lewis & Clark system that provides 44 million gallons of treated Missouri River water each day to 350,000 people in 20 communities in eastern South Dakota and parts of Iowa and Minnesota.
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The construction is part of a wide-scale increase in water service capacity now underway in South Dakota, where water managers of several systems are implementing plans to serve the state for the next 40 to 50 years.
