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U S NEWS Dialuna 14 Februari 2022
GOP pushes US schools to post all class materials online

(AP) — Republican state closely, including requiring
lawmakers across the them to wear body cameras.
U.S. are trying to require
schools to post all course The Ohio teachers said par-
materials online so par- ents of older children occa-
ents can review them, part sionally pull a student from
of a broader national push class — say, when evolu-
by the GOP for a sweep- tion or the Big Bang is being
ing parents bill of rights taught in science — or re-
ahead of the midterm quest an alternate assignment
congressional elections. when offended by a selected
reading, and those interac-
At least one proposal would tions generally go smoothly.
give parents with no exper-
tise power over curriculum The GOP acted after con-
choices. Parents also could servatives complained about
file complaints about certain public schools’ responses to
lessons and in some cases sue the COVID-19 pandemic
school districts. and the racial reckoning that
followed the death of George
Teachers say parents already Floyd, the Black man killed
have easy access to what their by a white Minneapolis po-
children learn. They worry “I don’t think anybody dis- Virginia. Juliet Tissot, a mother of two lice officer in 2020. Some
that the mandates would cre- agrees that more information from the Cincinnati suburb states and local school boards
ate an unnecessary burden is better for parents,” said The Ohio bill would affect of Madeira, said elementary have banned books about race
and potentially threaten their Brett Hillyer, a Republican public, private and charter classrooms are a different relations, slavery and gender.
professional independence state representative in Ohio schools, as well as colleges story. The nonprofit worker
— all while dragging them who is co-sponsoring such and universities that par- and volunteer said schools The Ohio teachers say the
into a culture war. a bill. He said the proposal ticipate in the state’s dual- stopped sending home text- Republican efforts could ul-
could quell disagreements enrollment program for sev- books years ago and often fail timately erode their ability to
The bill “insinuates there’s between parents, teachers enth through 12th graders. to provide curriculum de- make professional judgments
some hiding happening,” said and school boards before tails when asked. That leaves and stifle the spontaneity that
Katie Peters, a high school they get too far. A panel of three Ohio teach- parents groping for informa- brings their classrooms to
English teacher in Toledo. “It ers recently sat down with tion when helping kids with life, while adding to work-
makes me a little defensive, Educators don’t take issue The Associated Press to dis- homework. loads that have already taken
because I’m like — no, wait with keeping parents in- cuss the proposal. They said a serious toll on school staff-
a minute, we’re not hiding formed, but they see a risk they already post syllabuses, “Children are with their par- ing.
anything. The transparency is that the so-called curricu- textbook information, course ents a lot more than they’re
always there, and the parents lum-transparency require- materials and sometimes with their teachers, and it’s Emerson Sykes, a staff attor-
who have cared to look have ments will invite censorship, notes for parents and stu- bad that parents don’t know ney at the ACLU Speech, Pri-
always had access.” professional burnout and res- dents — at least at the mid- what’s going on — and they vacy and Technology Project,
The bills arose from last ignations. dle- and high-school levels. don’t anymore,” she said. called the bills “thinly veiled
year’s debate over the teach- “I’m surprised this didn’t attempts at chilling teachers
ing of race, diversity and sex- Other state considering some None of them could recall happen sooner, but it seems and students from learning
uality. The GOP insists the version of the idea include ever denying a parent’s re- like it’s finally coming to a and talking about race and
changes are needed to give Arizona, Florida, Georgia, quest for additional informa- head.” gender in schools.”
parents a measure of control Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, tion. Tissot also supports polic-
over what their children see North Carolina and West ing teachers’ behavior more Hillyer said he does not in-
and hear in class. tend for parents to be a

US: Over 130,000 Russian troops now staged outside Ukraine

(AP) — Ukraine’s presi- against Ukraine, the White end to his questioning the Vladimir Putin would really
dent urged calm amid House said. They agreed to increasingly strident state- send the troops poised along The U.S. largely has not
intensified warnings of pursue both deterrence and ments from U.S. officials in Ukraine’s borders rolling made public the evidence it
a possible Russian inva- diplomacy in the crisis, it recent days that Russia could into the country. says is underlying its most
sion within days, saying he added. be planning to invade as soon specific warnings on possible
had yet to see convincing as midweek. The U.S. picked up intelli- Russian planning or timing.
evidence of that, even as The U.S. updated its esti- gence that Russia is looking
the U.S. reported Sunday mate for how many Russian While Zelenskyy has urged at Wednesday as a target date, The Russians have deployed
that Moscow positioned forces were now staged near against panic that he fears according to a U.S. official missile, air, naval and special
more of its troops closer Ukraine’s borders to more could undermine Ukraine’s familiar with the findings. operations forces, as well as
to Ukraine’s borders and than 130,000, up from the economy, he and his civilian The official, who also was supplies to sustain an in-
some airlines canceled 100,000 the U.S. has cited and military leaders also are not authorized to speak pub- vasion. This week, Russia
flights to the capital of publicly in previous weeks. preparing defenses, solicit- licly and did so only on con- moved six amphibious as-
Kyiv. A U.S. official gave the esti- ing and receiving a flow of dition of anonymity, would sault ships into the Black Sea,
mate, speaking on condition arms from the U.S. and other not say how definitive the augmenting its capability to
President Joe Biden spoke of anonymity to discuss the NATO members. intelligence was. land on the coast.
for about 50 minutes Sun- administration’s conclusion.
day with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy wore military olive “We’re not going to give Rus- Zelenskyy’s comments this
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Zelenskyy’s repeated state- drab at a drill with tanks and sia the opportunity to con- weekend indicated frustra-
renewed promises of what ments playing down the U.S. helicopters near Ukraine’s duct a surprise here, to spring tion at the warnings from
the West says will be tough warnings — while Moscow’s border with Russian-an- something on Ukraine or the Washington.
economic sanctions against forces surround Ukraine nexed Crimea this weekend. world,” Jake Sullivan, the
Moscow and a NATO build- on three sides in what the In the nearby city of Ka- U.S. national security ad-
up in the event of “any fur- Kremlin insists are military lanchak, some expressed dis- viser, told CNN on Sunday,
ther Russian aggression” exercises -- grew this week- belief that Russian President about the U.S. warnings.