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T-7 minutes until a hearing in the Assembly Education Committee on #AB19, a controversial homeschool bill requiring updated curriculum.
I'll be live-tweeting the meeting in this thread, but you can find text of the bill and other related docs here:
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/81st2021/Meeting/8792?p=4000000&p=7007261&p=7207261
I'll be live-tweeting the meeting in this thread, but you can find text of the bill and other related docs here:
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/81st2021/Meeting/8792?p=4000000&p=7007261&p=7207261
With more than 1,211 opinions logged in opposition to the bill, this hearing is going to be spicy 
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/AppCF/Opinion/81st2021/reports/OpResultsHi.cfm
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/AppCF/Opinion/81st2021/reports/OpResultsHi.cfm
Chair @sbilbray opens the meeting with, "We do expect courtesy and respect. In this committee, we don't always agree with the policy and that's fine. There may be disagreements on today's bills."
Says there will be equal amount of time for support, opposition and neutral comment
Says there will be equal amount of time for support, opposition and neutral comment
ANNNNDDD we're starting with #AB38 which is much less controversial and revises governance around career and technical education and work-based learning.
Side note, but just realized I only have one Oreo left in my box of Oreos which made me a little sad. BUT I still have some sour patch kids so everything is going to be fine.
Right now, #AB19 designates certain academic subjects as core academic subjects that must be taught in all public schools and has standards for those subjects. Also stipulates that social studies only includes history, geography, economics and government.
Updates in #AB19 remove government from the list included within social studies and adds civics, financial literacy and multicultural education (per bill text).
Nevada Bankers Association just called in during public comment and said they are in support of #AB19 and appreciate the Dept. of Education committee's commitment to financial literacy instruction.
Hearing on #AB19 opening up now -- bill was pre-filed by Gov. @SteveSisolak but "was truly filed on behalf of our school districts requested clarification of the social studies requirements for graduation," Dr. Jonathan Moore says as he introduces the bill.
The state determines what students should know and be able to do. The method of instruction is always left to the local entity, including the instructional materials. In the case of section one, the family, parents, or community is in charge of homeschooling a student, Moore says
"Regarding civics, the major ideas are civic and political institutions, civic dispositions and democratic principles processes rules and laws," Moore said.
As far as multicultural education, the major ideas are social justice consciousness and action, respectful engagement with diverse people, and diverse contributions made by men and women from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Moore keeps reiterating that local entities (i,e. school district or charter school, or someone instructing in a homeschool environment) will determine how the material is taught. This is just updating curriculum.
Part of the reason that the state is bringing this bill forward is that multicultural education+civics+financial literacy were added to curriculum, but those subjects were not added to core academic subjects stipulated in homeschooling requirements.
"Government is not being removed from Social Studies ... By shifting to civics, we're in fact, expanding the scope of knowledge and the horizon for intellectual curiosity around the United States government, in addition to what it means to be a productive member of a community."
Chair @sbilbray says that, for the record, "civics is encompassing of government," adds that the bill is NOT replacing government with multicultural education.
Nathan Noble, a student at UNR calls in supporting #Ab19 saying that classes in financial literacy gave him the tools necessary to file his taxes, multicultural studies expanded his horizons and civics taught him about his rights.
Callers in favor of #AB19 emphasize the need to value and include diverse perspectives and also expand studies to include financial literacy.
"As government has grown in power and scope, busy bodies have ... harnessed the coercive power of government. These busy bodies become busy bullies, when they meet government," Michael Kirkin (not sure on spelling of last name) said calling in opposition to #SB19
Bob Russo a resident of Gardnerville urges lawmakers to keep government in social studies because he questions the depth of training in government that civics would provide...
Russo also believes that multiculturalism could "open the door to teach ideologies such as critical race theory that can lead to hatred divisiveness and hostility among our children, instead of bringing them together as friends and young Americans"
"I grew up in the 60s after the Civil Rights. I went to a parochial school we had people of varying backgrounds, Native Americans, Black Americans, Hispanics and so forth. We never even thought about that stuff we all got along just fine," Russo said.
"So, instead of expanding the curriculum. I support, focusing on the education of our children on basics, math, science reading compositions and things of that nature," Russo finished.
Some people arguing against the bill just don't like the idea of government being removed from the list of subjects.
No one testified in neutral.
Nevada Immigrant Coalition supports #SB19 saying that multicultural education will reduce anti-immigrant bias.
Hannah Branch, a high school student, discusses how many of her minority classmates do not feel safe or supported in the current political climate and says that "multicultural education is a critical step in disassembling this culture of hostility."
Chair of Clark County's Black Caucus, Yvette Willams, says, "it's no secret to anyone who's a minority in the state of Nevada, that we don't have the option to just live, or even visit many communities within Nevada" ...
"But this public policy should reflect the value of our society. And we know that just looking at the summer of 2020 ... it demonstrates the need for multicultural education in being able to relate, understand and accept each other in this diverse state," Williams finishes.
Was just about to tweet this but @kthymianos beat me to it: https://twitter.com/kthymianos/status/1361818446376312832?s=20
Caller right now in opposition calls this bill an "overreach" of DOE authority.
When any group of people are spoken to about their history ... without the recognition or respect to the genius, and the brilliance and the beauty of that culture, that's when we know we have an opportunity to improve our education," Teresa Melendez, a Native Caucus member says.
Thanks for following along with my tweets! The leftover 1/4 bag of sour patch kids combined with the gavel are telling me that this meeting is over. Keep following @TheNVIndy for updates.
