Throughout all of history‚ education has been understood as being about learning the truths of reality and conforming oneself to those truths in order to flourish in civil society.  The Biden administration wants to turn that idea on its head. The administration thinks one should try to twist reality to conform it to oneself and one’s emotions.   That brainwashing starts at the highest levels of the federal government and percolates down into the classrooms. And that’s exactly what’s happening with the Department of Education.  The taxpayer-funded federal agency whose stated mission is to “promote student achievement” and “foster educational excellence” is giving gender-inclusivity trainings to its employees.   As part of The Heritage Foundation Oversight Project’s ongoing investigation into the bureaucratization of transgender policy in the federal government (what we call the “transgender administrative state”)‚ we filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request asking the Education Department’s Office of Inspector General for training materials mentioning “DEI‚” “Transgender‚” “Equity‚” or “Pronouns.” (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) In response to the request‚ we obtained a 38-page internal PowerPoint training for employees‚ “Things Your Seventh Grade English Teacher Never Taught You: The Use of They/Them/Theirs and Other Best Practices in Gender Inclusivity.”   The presentation starts out with their definitions of gender and sexual orientation and explains why the two are not the same.  “For many people‚ gender does not match either sex assigned at birth or societal expectations‚” it states.  Next up‚ there is a confusing slide with umbrellas depicting the spectrum of gender-fluidity.    This slide cites GAY TA Science‚ a group that uses data science techniques to “capture‚ combine‚ and extract insight” to “give LGBTQ+ experiences a voice.”   The presentation then shifts to the subject of transgenderism and transitioning‚ with slides on “gender-affirming health care” and “transgender terminology.”  Throughout the presentation‚ there are “practice time” slides‚ instructing employees to practice using each other’s pronouns.   The whole thing calls to mind images of elementary school‚ but maybe that’s the point. If you never learned about “gender inclusivity” in elementary school‚ you must learn about it now to have a place in the federal government under President Joe Biden.  The presentation then goes on to outline reasons why pronouns matter.  It gives statistics on suicide rates among the transgender population‚ deceptively omitting the fact that studies show so-called gender-affirming care leaves people feeling lonelier and more suicide-prone.   The next part of the presentation is dedicated to “Pronouns 101.”   One slide suggests that the singular use of “they” in so-called gender-inclusive language is a part of the natural evolution of language‚ giving examples.  Another slide decrees‚ “Asking pronouns should be applied to EVERYONE (DO NOT PROFILE).”  This is just another example of the Biden administration’s efforts to create a radical gender bureaucracy in the federal government‚ stemming directly from the president himself.   On the day he took office‚ Biden signed Executive Order 13988‚ “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation‚” an order which undoubtedly intends to screen out Americans who believe in common sense and basic biology.  Since then‚ just about every federal agency has implemented policies and trainings to indoctrinate employees in the LGBT mindset and force out anyone who dissents.  According to its website‚ the Department of Education is given a $68 billion annual budget. This funding is supposed to be dedicated to establishing and distributing funds for federal financial aid policies‚ collecting data on American schools‚ focusing national attention on top education issues‚ and ensuring equal access to education.  Instead‚ the department is focusing its attention on gender umbrellas and pronouns.  It’s no wonder that America’s public education system is in decline.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Biden’s Department of Re-Education  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Germany’s gross domestic product has been falling since the third quarter of 2022‚ causing fears of the first two-year-long recession since the early 2000s. German farmers are openly protesting new climate regulations that would raise the price of diesel fuel‚ vital for tractors and farm machinery. This discontent is mirrored by the general public‚ which is opposed to higher energy costs that drag down the economy. Recent polls show a significant shift in public opinion that’s increasingly opposed to the coalition government. Unlike the U.S. House of Representatives or the Senate‚ where invariably one party secures a ruling majority‚ multiple German parties must form a coalition to reach the required 50%+1 majority threshold. Currently‚ the Green Party‚ the Social Democratic Party‚ and the Free Democratic Party comprise this coalition. The latest polls show all these parties polling far below their 2021 election results while the more right-leaning parties‚ such as the Christian Democratic Union and the Alternative for Germany‚ are surging in popularity. The recent economic slowdown has resulted in widespread political discontent‚ and the core of the slowdown has been disastrous energy policy. Instead of the government focusing on making energy affordable‚ it has continued its commitment to the “Energiewende”—the “Energy Transition”—a government project aimed at radically shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. One of the project’s stated goals is to increase the use of renewable energy sources to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. The end goal is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Germany’s closure of its nuclear plants in April 2023 has made achieving net zero targets significantly more challenging‚ given that nuclear power is capable of generating substantial amounts of carbon emissions-free electricity. The economic effect of these decisions is palpable for ordinary people‚ who feel it each month when paying their energy bills. According to the most recent data published by the German Federal Statistical Office‚ consumers have been paying an average of 46 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity. For comparison‚ the average price of electricity in the United States during December was just under 13 cents per kWh. Cost disparities can also be seen in the price of gasoline. At the fuel pump‚ German consumers pay an average price of $7.23 per gallon‚ compared to $3.33 in America. These high energy costs are slowing other aspects of the economy‚ leading to dramatic losses in purchasing power for consumers and threatening to make production unprofitable for many companies. In addition‚ small businesses and farmers‚ which rely on electricity and fertilizers to operate‚ respectively‚ have been hit extremely hard by these recent price increases. In addition‚ the slowdown in global trade is profoundly affecting Germany’s export-centric economy‚ exacerbating the overall economic decline. Unfortunately for Germans‚ recent economic forecasts do not offer much hope either. Economists predict the economy to grow only by around 0.2% in 2024. Large German companies have already taken notice and acted accordingly. Around 67% of German companies have moved at least some operations abroad‚ citing high energy prices and inflation as their main reasons for leaving. This wide-scale deindustrialization is especially prevalent for the mechanical engineering‚ industrial goods‚ and automotive sectors—the backbone of the German economy. The tipping point came in February‚ when the famous family-owned dishwasher manufacturer Miele announced that it would cut thousands of jobs and move production to Poland. Luxury car manufacturer Porsche initially planned on building a new car battery manufacturing plant domestically and then switched gears by announcing plans to open the proposed plant in America. Both the lack of future investment and deindustrialization create a snowball effect‚ worsening the situation. Widespread dissatisfaction with Germany’s green policies should be a lesson for America. At the heart of the problem is Germany’s failure to allow for the energy industry to create affordable energy for its citizens. For years‚ the anti-business green energy agenda has decreased carbon emissions but increased the economic crisis. Germany’s experience shows that America needs a sound energy policy‚ not the arbitrary climate goals the current administration is pursuing. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post A Lesson for America: Green Policies Crush German Economy appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The University of Houston is facing backlash from pro-life organizations over a pro-abortion statue on campus grounds.   The university canceled the exhibit’s official presentation ceremony‚ but the pro-life groups also called for the school to remove the statue outright. The monument‚ a golden woman with two thick braids resembling ram’s horns‚ stands about 18 feet tall.  The traveling exhibit was transported from New York‚ where it debuted last year‚ to Houston‚ where it’s supposed to remain until Oct. 31. Texas Right to Life is claiming credit for the event’s cancellation. After the pro-life organization urged supporters to contact the university’s chancellor‚ word spread. “Tens of thousands of people contacted the university to remove it‚” Kimberlyn Schwartz‚ director of media and communication at Texas Right to Life‚ told The Daily Signal in an interview Friday.  The organization successfully organized a prayer rally on Feb. 28‚ attended by about 450 people.   “The university subsequently canceled the ceremony. We’re grateful … but it’s not enough until they remove the statue‚” Schwartz stated.   “This statue was made to idolize abortion‚” she said‚ concluding that from the artist’s own explanation.  “The artist wrote in a document … ‘The recent focus on reproductive rights in the United States after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision guaranteeing the right to abortion comes to the forefront … . With [liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader] Ginsburg’s death and the reversal of Roe‚ there was a setback to women’s progress‚’” Schwartz quoted the statue’s designer as saying.   The towering statue‚ dubbed “Witness‚” was designed by Shahzia Sikander‚ who was initially invited to speak about it on campus at an opening ceremony for the exhibit.   Caroline Kane‚ a Republican and Texas congressional candidate‚ posted on X about the statue. “Pray for our children and youth. They are under spiritual attack every step of the way right now‚” she wrote.   Schwartz also related the testimony of a University of Houston student who attended the statue protest: “Four months ago‚ I became pregnant with my first child … . One Wednesday morning‚ I skipped class and flew out to Colorado‚ pregnant and scared.”  “Less than 24 hours later‚ I was back in Houston‚ still scared but without the most precious thing God had ever given me‚ my baby. Since my abortion‚ I have had a deep hole in my heart and soul. Now‚ as I walk to class‚ I pass by a symbol that reminds me of my deepest regret and sadness.”   Schwartz added: “To us‚ this statue represents a dangerous ideology‚ since that leads to the subversion of justice‚ ignoring the vulnerable‚ and embracing the selfish and violent nature of humanity.”  “This is not just some abstract debate about art. The values the co-commissioners and the artist are embracing translate into real tragedies and violence‚ where our most vulnerable neighbors—children in the womb—are intentionally killed in the name of ‘power’ and ‘strength‚’” she said. “We exist to stand against the intentional killing of all innocent human life‚” Schwartz said. “We believe that the university owes its students help and encouragement in a difficult pregnancy‚ rather than suggesting that they must choose between their children or their achievement.” Neither Sikander nor the University of Houston responded to requests for comment by publication time‚ but Sikander had previously expressed disappointment about her presentation’s cancellation to The Art Newspaper. “Art should be about discourse and not censorship. Shame on those that silence artists‚” she said.Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post Pro-Life Groups Urge University of Houston to Remove Pro-Abortion Statue  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

An organization that operates pro-life pregnancy centers in New Jersey asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case involving what the centers’ petition calls “an unlawful subpoena” by state Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Alliance Defending Freedom‚ a Christian legal firm known as ADF‚ filed a petition with the high court Feb. 26 on behalf of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers‚ asking it to force a lower court to hear the case. A federal District Court judge dismissed the pregnancy resource organization’s case Feb. 15‚ citing “lack of jurisdiction.” In December‚ Platkin‚ a Democrat‚ subpoenaed First Choice Women’s Resource Centers‚ which operates five pregnancy centers by that name in the state‚ over what he called potential violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. “With zero justification‚ the attorney general is unlawfully targeting and harassing First Choice‚ simply because the resources it provides help women in need continue their pregnancies rather than abort their unborn children‚” ADF legal counsel Tim Garrison said Friday in a written statement to The Daily Signal.  The District Court incorrectly denied First Choice’s right “to address their claims in federal court‚” Garrison said‚ “and should not affirm AG Platkin’s abuse of power after he initiated an illegitimate and harassing investigation without evidence.” Garrison said pro-life pregnancy centers and pro-life advocates across the nation “hope that the Supreme Court will step in and provide relief‚ requiring the District Court to decide this case and resolve the issue in the lower courts.” ADF’s lawsuit on behalf of First Choice argues that Platkin didn’t cite any complaints and is conducting an “exploratory probe.” This action violates the First Amendment rights of the pro-choice organization‚ the suit claims. Images from inside a First Choice Pregnancy Resource Center (Photos: Alliance Defending Freedom) Platkin‚ known for actively supporting abortion on demand‚ created a so-called Reproduction Rights Strike Force in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization‚ which overturned its 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. The website of the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General says the strike force is “charged with bringing civil and criminal enforcement actions as well as developing initiatives to protect access to reproductive health care and abortion care for New Jersey residents and anyone traveling to New Jersey to access care.” Platkin promoted a $5 million grant for the New Jersey Reproductive Training and Education Initiative‚ to educate and train abortion providers and ensure “an expansive pool of abortion care providers in New Jersey.” The New Jersey attorney general recently filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in an upcoming case involving abortion pills called FDA‚ et al.‚ v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. First Choice “provides ultrasound‚ STD testing‚ baby clothes‚ and serves those most in need‚” Garrison said. First Choice says it offers its services free of charge and a licensed physician supervises all medical procedures. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Pro-Life Pregnancy Group Appeals to SCOTUS in Clash With New Jersey AG Over ‘Unlawful’ Subpoena appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Long Beach Public Schools Paid Students to Join a Social Justice Club

Feel-Good Friday: Cleo is Home Edition

It’s hard to miss 7-year-old Dexter as he walks down the street in his hometown of Ouray‚ Colorado. He’s got style – and he loves the attention. He’s also game for a good belly rub. Dexter is a Brittany spaniel who has learned to walk on his own two feet – literally. Dexter’s story Dexter’s... The post People are baffled dog prefers walking on two feet like a human than on ground like a dog appeared first on Animal Channel.

Meet Apollo‚ a magnificent Friesian stallion who carries the grace and beauty of the Greek god he’s named after. With a stunning black coat that captures everyone’s attention‚ Apollo strides with an aura that screams‚ “Yes‚ I know I’m fabulous.” Carol Whitaker‚ Apollo’s proud owner‚ isn’t just any horse lover. She’s a beacon of positivity‚... The post Woman takes proud Stallion for a trot through the neighborhood and he gets 4.5M views appeared first on Animal Channel.

On today's Morning Joe‚ Scarborough told a tale of attending a family gathering for his last birthday‚ and that his family members there were "all Republicans. All pro-life. All evangelicals." And yet‚ were they really "pro-life"? According to Scarborough‚ 30 minutes into the gathering‚ one relative raised the anedcote of a woman in Texas who was bleeding out because the doctor wouldn't perform an abortion. And that in turn led to "these people‚ these Republicans‚ these pro-lifers‚ these Southern Baptists‚ these evangelicals‚ had one horror story after another horror story about what terminating Roe v. Wade was doing to human beings." As opposed to actually terminating human beings. Not one of those "pro-life" relatives‚ in Scarborough's recounting‚ supported the overturning of Roe?  No‚ they were all horrified by the decision‚ and found it devastating. Obviously‚ then‚ they're not "pro-life." They're sharing Planned Parenthood talking points.  Scarborough even had the gall to suggest that Donald Trump goes around bragging that he is responsible for that woman bleeding out‚ and for the 10-year-old girl being raped and chased out of her state to get an abortion.    Speaking of pro-life Baptists‚ Scarborough frequently mentions having been born and raised a Southern Baptist. And he was ardently pro-life back when he represented a conservative Florida Panhandle district in Congress. Joe had 0% ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood‚ and 100% from the National Right to Life Committee.  During his congressional career‚  Scarborough surely spoke out in condemnation of Roe v. Wade. Will Scarborough at some point share his conversion story of becoming a born-again promoter of abortion rights and stalwart defender of Roe? Here's the transcript. MSNBC Morning Joe 3/8/24 6:43 am ET JOE SCARBOROUGH: I‚ I‚ you know‚ I am a big believer in anecdotal evidence. I've talked about this before. My‚ my last birthday‚ I had‚ had my family around. All Republicans. All pro-life. All evangelicals.  And we were sitting there‚ and 30 minutes in‚ we're just talking about different things. And I think it went from baseball to suddenly somebody said‚ "hey‚did you hear that story about that woman in Texas that was bleeding out because the doctors wouldn't" -- and somebody else said‚ "Oh‚ my God. And that woman." And they. And I just sat. That's‚ that's where‚ if you're in my job either as a politician or‚ you know‚ a host on the show here‚ you just‚ you try to melt into‚ you know‚ the woodwork‚ and you just try to listen. These people‚ these Republicans‚ these pro-lifers‚ these Southern Baptists‚ these evangelicals‚ had one horror story after another horror story about what terminating Roe v. Wade was doing to human beings. Doing to women. Doing to professional women. Doing to housewives. Doing to 10-year-old girls. They just sat there going on. And at that point‚ I said‚ man‚ when they start telling stories about how devastating an issue is to all these other people‚ that's when you know it really sinks in. So for Donald Trump to be running around bragging‚ "I terminated Roe v. Wade. I terminated Roe v. Wade. I'm responsible for that woman bleeding out. I'm responsible for that 10-year-old girl being raped‚ having to be chased from the states. I'm responsible for the" -- it's just devastating for him. It's devastating for Republicans. We've seen it already since Dobbs became the law of the land.

The hypocrisy displayed by the cast of ABC’s The View is never more apparent when their “support all women” shtick clashes with their disdain for actual conservative women. That scenario played out again on Friday as they viciously attacked the mental health Alabama Senator Katie Britt (R) for her less-than-stellar and unusual rebuttal to President Biden’s State of the Union address the previous evening; suggesting that she needed to be pumped full of “medication” and thrown in a “padded room” away from “knives.” “Get some medication‚ Katie!” moderator Joy Behar screeched. “I've never seen mood swings like this. One minute she's like [pretends to cry]‚ then she’s like going to take a knife and stab you! Then she's laughing like an idiot. What's wrong with her? She's like Sybil!” Faux-conservative co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin called the rebuttal “a disaster from start to finish” and had a meltdown over Britt doing it from a kitchen: FARAH GRIFFIN: And actually Katie Britt is somebody who’s a serious person with policy chops. Democratic senators will tell you they respect her. But it's Women's History Month‚ it's International Women's Day and we put the senator in the kitchen! BEHAR: Where the knives are! FARAH GRIFFIN: Like women can be wives‚ they can be moms‚ but they don't -- her in front of a podium. I mean‚ it was -- I was hearing from Republican women everywhere like‚ what -- why did they choose this? Why did she say‚ “put me anywhere else?”     She added that the scene gave off “creepy Lifetime movie” vibes and Behar chimed in again to proclaim that Britt “needs mood elevators!” Co-host Ana Navarro‚ infamous for her wild and unhinged emotional outbursts‚ had the gall to say she was “worried” about Britt being in a kitchen because “she had knives so close” to her. “I thought she could go Chuckie on me at any time‚” she proclaimed; being unoriginal and parroting Behar’s Sybil reference and explaining the mean-spirited joke: “Sybil the movie from '76 about a lady with multiple personality disorder.” “And I'm thinking to myself this lady shouldn't be in a kitchen; she should be in a padded room!” Navarro shrieked. Staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) suggested that Britt was a Karen who “wanted to call the manager on America.” Her criticisms seemed to stem from her well-documented hatred of white women (for examples‚ click here‚ here‚ here‚ and here). “It was giving me fragility. It was giving me those tears that are often weaponized‚” she warned. Co-host Sara Haines‚ who’s been very public about her battles with mental health‚ didn’t object to her friends weaponizing mental health smears against the conservative woman. Instead‚ she flipped out over Britt saying “bless your heart” to Biden. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View March 8‚ 2024 11:16:51 a.m. Eastern (…) JOY BEHAR: Get some medication‚ Katie! I haven't seen acting that bad since my wedding night. [Laughter] So‚ which genius in that party decided that she was the perfect spokesperson? I've never seen mood swings like this. One minute she's like [pretends to cry]‚ then she’s like going to take a knife and stab you! Then she's laughing like an idiot. What's wrong with her? She's like Sybil! ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: A disaster from start to finish. And actually Katie Britt is somebody who’s serious person with policy chops. Democratic senators will tell you they respect her. But it's Women's History Month‚ it's International Women's Day and we put the senator in the kitchen! BEHAR: Where the knives are! FARAH GRIFFIN: Like women can be wives‚ they can be moms‚ but they don't -- her in front of a podium. I mean‚ it was -- I was hearing from Republican women everywhere like‚ what -- why did they choose this? Why did she say‚ “put me anywhere else?” SARA HAINES: What is she auditioning for though? Because I don't think she's going to get a callback! SUNNY HOSTIN: No. FARAH GRIFFIN: And I think they were thinking Ronald Reagan‚ like‚ “All great change in the America happens at the dinner table‚” but instead‚ it gave like creepy Lifetime movie. BEHAR: She needs – she needs – The girl needs mood elevators! (…) 11:18:25 a.m. Eastern ANA NAVARRO: I don't even know how you were able to notice she was in a kitchen because I was so incredibly distracted by what I was watching. Right? The only thing that worried me about being in a kitchen is that she had knives so close because I thought she could go Chuckie on me at any time. You know‚ when she started‚ it was giving me like a – [Laughter] Real housewives -- HAINES: Or Get Out. [Crosstalk] NAVARRO: And then it went from real Housewives confessional having a breakdown to Sybil the movie from '76 about a lady with multiple personality disorder. And I'm thinking to myself this lady shouldn't be in a kitchen‚ she should be in a padded room! BEHAR: Go ahead. Sunny‚ hit it! HOSTIN: You know‚ it was giving‚ like‚ she wanted to call the manager on America. You know what I mean? BEHAR: Karen. Karen. HOSTIN: It was giving that for me. HAINES: You can’t say that! BEHAR: You can’t say Karen? Why not? HOSTIN: No‚ you can't say that. BEHAR: Why not? HOSTIN: It was giving me fragility. It was giving me those tears that are often weaponized. It was giving me what the young people are calling “trad-wife” or the “trad-woman‚” the traditional woman from the '40s or the '50s that was the homemaker. And I think a man made that decision. I think a Republican man realized‚ “You know what‚ the whole DeSantis like angry man thing didn't work.” [Crosstalk] (…)