Schools

Diane Douglas Underwater; Frank Riggs Swimming to the Top

Anita Christy

According to a recent Capitol Times Yellow Sheet Report titled “Underwater is a Bad Place to Be,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas is going to have an uphill battle to get reelected.  

A recent poll by GOP consultant Chris Baker shows incumbent Douglas with ratings of 15 percent favorability and a whopping 47 percent unfavorability.  Another 38 percent had no opinion. “I think Diane Douglas has probably reached the point of no return,” Baker told the Capitol Times reporter.

As stated in the article, “the poll surveyed 500 self-described likely voters (all of whom have voted in at least one of the last two general elections) from June 14-15, with a partisan breakdown of 35 percent Republicans, 31 percent Democrats and 33 percent independents. Of those 500 voters, 70 percent were contacted on landlines via autodial, while 30 percent were interviewed by live callers on their cell phones. The poll had a margin of error of plus-minus 4.9 percent.”

This is what happens when a novice takes office with no business or executive experience. 

Arizona needs a strong, tested and proven Superintendent with the right combination of executive experience, managerial skills, knowledge of education policies and practices, integrity, and judgment to lead our state’s K-12 schools!  That person is Frank Riggs.  

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Not in Our Schools: Stop the Planned Parenthood Invasion

Anita Christy

Ms. Peggy McClain has been investigating and reporting on the hyper-sexualization of Arizona’s school children for several years.   She has worked very hard to open the eyes of parents who find it hard to believe that their child’s school could possibly be a physically and emotionally dangerous place.  Some parents sense that something is wrong, but their common sense is overridden by the assurances of the "experts," especially because they are so nice about it.  Until, that is, the parent continues to express their concerns.  Ms. McClain helps parents refuse to be manipulated and take charge of their children’s education.  See Delphi Technique – Anyone Who Wants to be Involved in Their Child’s Education Should Understand This.   

Ultimately, young women who have had an abortion know that they have ended the life of their own child.  It is an agonizing fact they must live with for the rest of their lives, no matter how much Planned Parenthood and other abortionists try to dehumanize that child, even to the point of outright lying.  See Abortion Facility Misleads Women, Showing Them Deceiving Depictions of Fetal Development .  

Today’s young people need to know that one-third of their generation has been wiped out by abortion.  

Even the schools in Arizona are trying to "normalize" promiscuity, sexual experimentation, and abortion.  If your common sense tells you that this is wrong, you are right.  No matter which school your child is attending, I urge you to review Ms. McClain’s blog, Not In Our Schools, which is updated frequently.  You can also sign up to receive newsletters, and follow the blog on Twitter.  Recent articles include:

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Assistant Principal to Peaceful Protesters: “They Aren’t Children! They’re Cells! You are at a science-based school!”

Anita Christy

In late April 2017, 16-year old Connor Haines and his sister Lauren, 19, were peacefully protesting against the holocaust of abortion, and sharing the gospel.  They were legally on a public sidewalk outside of STEM Academy, Downingtown, Pennsylvania.   They held signs and were calling out to students and others who were leaving the school in their vehicles.   

After a few minutes,  Assistant Principal Zachary Ruff approaches and tells them to get off the public sidewalk.  Connor says they are there legally.  Ruff again orders them to leave.  Connor suggests he call the police.  Connor explains they are protesting the holocaust (abortion) happening in America.  Ruff tells him to leave.  It becomes clear that Connor won’t back down.  

In less than a minute from initially ordering Connor and Lauren to leave, Ruff tells Connor to "Go to H**L, where THEY are!"  (Who’s "they"?)  Aborted babies.

It gets worse.

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They Did It!!!

Anita Christy

This is the story of how a small, determined group of worried mothers and fathers stopped a train wreck, even after that train was barreling down the tracks.  It took these parents, neighbors, and their friends less than a month to stop a project they were told by Gilbert Town bureaucrats could not be stopped and that had been in planning and development for a year.  The developer and land owner of the project ignored them….at first.  The group started organizing in late March.  That’s when the Town had posted signs in their neighborhood on the site of a mental health facility to be completed in the Fall of 2014.  

That was the first that Pioneer Elementary parents knew what was in store for them.  In record speed, they launched one of the best organized, best mobilized grassroots community action efforts experienced by Gilbert since the effort to stop Prop 406 (sales tax increase).  

What turned a contented neighborhood into a battling army? 

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Heber-Overgaard Schools Governing Board Votes NO to Signing Common Core Declaration

Anita Christy

Last Thursday, Oct. 10, the Heber-Overgaard School District Governing Board took a stand. They unanimously refused to sign the Common Core Declaration that was “required” of them by the Arizona Department of Education (AZDOE). Agenda Item 8.02 Approval of Declaration of Curricular and Instructional Alignment to the Arizona Academic Standards was not approved.

The room was full of parents, teachers, and other members of the community. Many spoke out against Common Core. Senator Chester Crandell (LD6) spoke about his concern that, with the exception of the Superintendent, all of the members of the State Board of Education are appointed by the Governor, not elected by the voters. That needs to change. He also voiced his concerns about PARCC testing, stating that he was in favor of college entrance exams.

The board understands that they still have to abide by the Common Core State Standards, because the state law requires it. However, this vote should send a message to the Administration, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal, and the AZDOE that the Heber-Overgaard Schools Governing Board and community are not in favor of Common Core.

You may think that this board vote was the big story. It isn’t.

The big story is what parents, teachers, and a governing board member had to say during this meeting.

 

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Payson TEA Party Presents $500 Scholarship Award to Savannah Grassel

Anita Christy

As the publisher of both Gilbert Watch and Gila Watch, I believe it’s extremely important to share with readers of both blogs the inspiring stories of our young people. 

Some months ago, the Payson Tea Party voted to start an annual $500 Scholarship fund, to be awarded to a deserving high school senior. 

Last month, Ms. Darlene Younker, president of the Payson Tea Party, announced the recipient of the group’s first annual $500 scholarship award.  

“It is with great pleasure that the Payson Tea Party announces the award of our first ever Tea Party Scholarship.  Applicants submitted essays answering the question "Is the Tenth Amendment Relevant in Today’s Society?"  Our winner is Savannah Grassel. 

"Miss Grassel, a senior at Payson High School, is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and has been on the Principal’s Honor Roll since 2010.  She is currently the Student Body President.  Savannah is very active in sports having lettered in soccer.   She has also been the Captain of the girls basketball team, has played soft ball, and has participated in track and field.  In addition, Savannah holds several jobs.  This well-rounded young lady has been accepted into Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, where she will major in Biological Sciences.  She would like to become a sports medicine doctor.  Congratulations, Savannah!”

 

Presenting the award to Savannah are Darlene Younker, president of the Payson Tea Party, and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (CD4).  

Here is Savannah’s essay:

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Have Arizona Teachers Received Gag Orders to Not Oppose Common Core?

Anita Christy

Some time ago, a Wyoming school teacher revealed that she had been told by her school district that she was not allowed to speak out against Common Core.  

There are many teachers in Arizona who are afraid to speak against Common Core, fearful of retaliation from their Superintendents, who could target them as first in line for a lay-off, or reassign them to an undesirable teaching position.  

I’ve spoken with teachers who hate Common Core.  They talk of children hating school, because of all the testing, testing, testing.    Even in the first grade, there is little time for anything resembling fun. Everything is uniform, and schools, more than ever before, are turning into "test prep factories."  

These teachers feel like slaves to an insufferable system that deadens the joys of teaching, and they are afraid to speak out publicly!  Please send Gilbert Watch your story.  I will not reveal your name!   Send to anitalchristy@gmail.com. 

Here is the article titled A Wyoming School’s Common Core Gag Order. 

The article begins "I received this email from a 6th grade teacher in Wyoming whose school placed a gag order on her regarding her opposition to the Common Core State Standards.  I’m withholding her name to protect her privacy (and career)."

Here is the email from the Wyoming teacher:

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Education is a System of Indoctrination of the Young: Noam Chomsky

Anita Christy

Say what you will about Noam Chomsky, the Leftist-Libertarian-Socialist who dabbles in anarchy.  The fact is, he understands and articulates very well what America’s government schools are doing:  They are indoctrinating our children to be obedient to the State and to not question authority, their government, or bureaucratic "experts."  Think of this when your child attempts to present scientific evidence that refutes Global Warming and Darwinism.   Think of when you see otherwise thinking individuals such as Gilbert Town Council members who "struggle" to vote against their bureaucratic advisors and the ICC (International Code Council), even when an overwhelming number of citizens know that the codes are unnecessary.   

He has stated that "with regard to freedom of speech there are basically two positions: you defend it vigorously for views you hate, or you reject it and prefer Stalinist/fascist standards."  He has also stated that "Obama, first of all, is running the biggest terrorist operation that exists, maybe in history."

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