In a nationally televised face-off‚ Govs. Ron DeSantis‚ R-Fla.‚ and Gavin Newsom‚ D-Calif.‚ on Thursday night debated‚ among other things‚ whether school libraries should carry explicit content on their shelves. When two high-profile state officials spar over an issue on prime-time TV‚ policies related to that issue are likely to be a topic for other state lawmakers when they go back into session in January.  Researchers at The Heritage Foundation have found that books depicting sex acts and promoting the ambiguous ideas of “gender” are‚ in fact‚ landing in school libraries. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) Educators have a responsibility to present students with accurate‚ age-appropriate material‚ and teachers should discuss the teaching of personal topics‚ such as sex‚ with parents before talking with students about them. On sex education‚ some states such as Arizona have opt-in and opt-out policies‚ where educators must get express permission from parents before students take sex-education classes‚ but most states only have opt-out rules that allow parents to remove their child from a sex-education class after parents discover what their child is learning. Florida’s State Board of Education took a proactive step last year and prohibited the teaching of “gender‚” a loose term that defies a clear biological definition‚ in grades 4 through 12. (State law already prohibited the teaching in K-3.) But what about student access to library books? State policymakers trying to protect children from content deemed inappropriate for different grade levels should consider what books students can scan at the checkout desk. Officials should design policies that do not allow school board members to “ban” a book only because the board disagrees with it. School board members’ and teachers’ priority should be to consider whether material is age appropriate and create processes by which educators can work alongside parents to decide the books librarians keep in stock. The South Carolina State Board of Education is considering a regulation that would help parents and teachers as they choose the instructional materials used in schools‚ including library books. The regulation states that teachers and school boards must determine whether library books are “age and developmentally appropriate” and “educationally suitable” for South Carolina students. School district officials must post a list of all the library books available in district schools on their websites‚ helping to make school materials more transparent for moms and dads. As school personnel choose instructional materials and books for use in classrooms and libraries‚ they must review the materials’ “academic or educational rigor” and “educational significance‚” as well as the materials’ “validity‚ accuracy‚ objectivity‚ currency‚ and appropriateness‚” and whether a particular item is of high quality. Parents can file a complaint against a book or set of materials with which they disagree‚ but individuals must show in their complaint that they have read or viewed the book or media they are requesting be removed. School board members must consider any complaints in a public meeting and decide whether the books or media being considered meet the “rigor” and “accuracy” criteria described in the regulation. Lawmakers in Florida and Georgia adopted similar provisions in 2022‚ and Texas officials did so earlier this year. Florida’s new law contains provisions that require school districts to make the selection process for instructional materials open to the public‚ while Georgia’s law creates a process by which parents can object to certain materials. For the last two years‚ Oklahoma policymakers have considered proposals that define the ways in which educators would select age-appropriate materials. Newsom may call such proposals “book banning‚” but most of the books that groups such as PEN America claim are banned are still readily available on school library shelves. Lawmakers concerned with rigor and accuracy in schools are not “banning” quality material. They are doing their due diligence to protect children from explicit content and keep parents involved in schools. 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 Lawmakers Are Checking on School Libraries. Here’s What Parents Need to Know. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A Hunter Biden business entity tied to China made direct monthly payments to Joe Biden in the months leading up to the former vice president’s announcement that he would run for president in 2020‚ according to newly released subpoenaed bank records from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.  The monthly payments came from Owasco PC‚ which Hunter Biden set up as a business entity. Biden‚ the president’s 53-year-old son‚ is under federal investigation for using Owasco PC’s corporate account to commit alleged tax crimes. Owasco PC has links to Chinese energy company CEFC‚ where the younger Biden was a partner.  This is at least the third example of a direct payment to Joe Biden that stems from a family-owned business entity. What appears to be different here is that the payments came directly from a Biden company. Two previous payments appeared to filter indirectly through the president’s ounger brother‚ James Biden.  Owasco-JoeBiden-PaymentsDownload House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ noted in a video statement that the president previously claimed there was an “absolute wall” between his official government duties and his family’s business; claimed his family didn’t receive money from China; and claimed he didn’t talk to his son about his business dealings. On each‚ Comer said‚ “This was a lie.” ?BREAKING?Hunter Biden’s business entity‚ Owasco PC‚ made direct monthly payments to Joe Biden. The bank records don't lie.Owasco PC received payments from Chinese-state linked companies &; other shady entities. Joe Biden knew &; benefitted from his family's business schemes. pic.twitter.com/MfvtA4yEZU— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) December 4‚ 2023 “Now‚ Hunter Biden’s legal team and the White House’s media allies claim Hunter’s corporate entities never made payments directly to Joe Biden‚” Comer said. “We can officially add this latest talking point to the list of lies.” “Today‚ the House Oversight Committee is releasing subpoenaed bank records that show Hunter Biden’s business entity‚ Owasco PC‚ made direct monthly payments to Joe Biden‚” the Kentucky Republican said. “This wasn’t a payment from Hunter Biden’s personal account but an account for his corporation that received payments from China and other shady corners of the world‚” Comer added. The oversight panel is one of three House committees leading an impeachment inquiry into the senior Biden’s activities for evidence of influence peddling. The committee subpoenaed the financial records of Hunter Biden and of James Biden in September. OwascoSubpoenasDownload The House-obtained records show that Hunter Biden’s business account‚ Owasco PC‚ received payments from companies linked to Communist China and from other foreign nationals and companies. Records released by the committee show one monthly payment in September 2018 for $1‚380. Also that year‚ James Biden wrote two separate checks to Joe Biden for $200‚000 and $40‚000‚ respectively. The checks were marked as “loan repayments‚” but Comer’s committee has tied the payments directly to Biden family business transactions.  An FBI confidential informant said in a formal document that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid a $5 million bribe to Joe Biden and another $5 million to Hunter Biden in 2016 when Biden was still Barack Obama’s vice president.  While he was vice president‚ Biden met with or communicated with several of his son’s business partners‚ records show. 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 Bank Records Show China-Linked Company Made Direct Payments to Joe Biden appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Remember Threads – the app launched by Meta (Instagram) as a Twitter clone‚ just as the legacy media were ramping up anti-Twitter (X) sentiment and hoping to sway users away from that platform? Some data shows that as many as 80 percent of those who initially signed up for Threads have in the meantime indeed forgotten about it‚ and new statements coming from the top Instagram exec might be a good reason for those who haven’t done it yet to stop using the app. Namely‚ Adam Mosseri believes that allowing Threads users to filter search results as they wish is a bad idea. This is seen by critics as effectively introducing yet another nuance of censorship. The logic‚ if any‚ behind it‚ is that the option to have access to search results sorted chronologically would “create a substantial safety loophole.” Not even a Verge reporter was clear on what that explanation was even supposed to mean. So they quizzed Mosseri in the comments‚ and this is the “clarification” the Instagram boss offered: “Having a comprehensive list of *every* post with a specific word in chronological order inevitably means spammers and other bad actors pummel the view with content by simply adding the relevant words or tags.” It looks like a fine example of the need to adhere to certain “censorship standards” – and also‚ Meta’s inherent urge to do as little work as possible‚ for the most profit imaginable. In that same response‚ Mosseri pretty much admitted to that last point (or maybe both points)‚ adding‚ “And before you ask why we don’t take down that bad content‚ understand there’s a lot more content that people don’t want to see than we can or should take down.” A bold statement about Meta knowing what “people don’t want to see” – and that even what they “shouldn’t take down” still needs to be removed. What not providing chronological search means is simple: Meta arbitrarily decides what is visible to users‚ rather than providing them with that’s relevant to their query. Mosseri for his part‚ in the same thread‚ manages to make things sound even worse: “You can show results in chronological order‚ but you then need to omit bad content that does not quote (sic; probably misspelling of‚ “quite”) cross the line and qualify to get taken down.” Translation: Meta and its major platforms (Facebook and Instagram) and even minor ones‚ like Threads‚ continue to censor even the content that their own rules and guidelines can’t quite accuse of crossing any lines that would warrant takedowns. This policy is not new. Mosseri says they do it because they “need to.” Who is making them? Hardly Meta’s own business instincts – and‚ hardly because people “don’t want to see” what they are actually searching for. The post Threads To Block Chronological Feeds To Maintain Censorship Control appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech‚ freedom from surveillance‚ and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here The post The Secretive Government Program That Allows Law Enforcement To Access Phone Records of Innocent US Citizens appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

In 1483‚ Edward V (aged 12) and his brother Richard‚ Duke of York (aged 9)‚ disappeared from the Tower of London. For over 500 years‚ history has judged that the ‘Princes in the Tower‘ were murdered on the orders of their uncle Richard III. Until now there has been very little proof‚ but following intensive research in UK‚ American and European archives‚ astonishing new archival discoveries have been uncovered that challenge this historical narrative. Historian Philippa Langley‚ renowned for her role in uncovering Richard III’s remains in 2012‚ established ‘The Missing Princes Project’ in 2016‚ employing the methods of a cold-case policy enquiry to try and solve the case. In her book‚ The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case – our Book of the Month for December 2023‚ she records the painstaking investigative research work of the project. By questioning received wisdom‚ she and her team shed light upon one of history’s greatest miscarriages of justice‚ revealing a phenomenal‚ untold story. Here we learn more about Langley’s discoveries‚ both from her book and her interview with Matt Lewis on History Hit’s Gone Medieval podcast in which Langley explained her painstaking research and her astonishing new archival discoveries. Who were the ‘Princes in the Tower’ and why were they imprisoned? In 1483‚ King Edward IV died aged 40. His two sons‚ the soon-to-be crowned King Edward V and his younger brother‚ Richard of Shrewsbury‚ were sent to the Tower of London to await Edward’s coronation. However‚ his coronation never came‚ and the two brothers disappeared from the tower‚ and were never seen again‚ presumed dead. Richard III took the crown in Edward’s absence. Since then‚ most people have presumed that Richard III had the boys murdered‚ to avoid rival claimants to his throne. The Princes in the Tower‚ by John Everett Millais (1878)Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / John Everett Millais / Royal Holloway collection / Public Domain The Missing Princes Project Philippa Langley’s ‘Missing Princes Project’ stemmed from the ‘Looking for Richard‘ project‚ the first-ever search for the grave of an anointed King of England. Its evidence-based research approach challenged the beliefs of many historians. After the discovery of Richard III’s body‚ a headline in The Daily Mail published during the reburial week labelled him a ‘child-killer’‚ prompting Langley to realise the need for a fresh evidence-based project to determine the truth – the Missing Princes Project. It’s approach was formulated by Langley who had consulted police and barristers in order to treat the project as a police cold-case investigation – starting with a clean sheet without any biases or use of hindsight. This international effort involved over 300 members who‚ without being told what to look for‚ collected information from local archives spanning 1483-1486. This resulted in over 300‚000 files‚ necessitating a supercomputer to manage‚ cross-check and reference all the material coming in. Despite her long-held interest in the case and doubts about the princes’ murder due to insufficient evidence‚ Langley was determined to approach the evidence objectively – as she explained to Matt Lewis‚ on the Gone Medieval podcast: Searching for evidence of the boys’ deaths Langley meticulously built a chronology of events‚ starting from the last known sighting of the princes at the Tower of London in June 1483. Intriguingly‚ she found no evidence supporting the boys’ deaths during Richard III’s reign. The police advised her that to uncover the truth she should investigate routine administrative records‚ financial accounts and legal documents – combined with examining chronicles from the time‚ Langley saw a shift in historical accounts. Edward V: The elder prince was mentioned in routine administrative records throughout Richard III’s reign. If an account referred to something that took place from April-June 1483 – when Edward V had been the named king – it was referred to in terms of‚ ‘at the time of the bastard Edward V’‚ or ‘the bastard king’. Notably‚ this was without any indications of his death or customary prayers for his soul (as would have been added at the time if relevant)‚ suggesting normalcy‚ and contrary to the expected disruptions if he had indeed died. Richard‚ Duke of York: Richard had fewer mentions in records due to his lesser status. Nonetheless‚ an entry in the Treasurer’s Accounts for Cambridge from September 1484 referred to a payment to Richard‚ Duke of York. Although likely an error by the cleric who had meant Edward‚ Earl of Warwick (who was in King Richard’s household at this time and with him during his visit to Cambridge)‚ this entry implied that at the time‚ there was a belief in Richard‚ Duke of York’s existence. What if the princes had survived? After 4 years of fruitless searching for evidence of the princes’ deaths‚ Langley shifted her focus towards exploring the possibility that the princes might have survived. Following advice from police specialists‚ she conducted a meticulous forensic analysis‚ scrutinising events moment by moment‚ particularly honing in on the Battle of Bosworth where the paths of Richard III and Henry Tudor converged. Langley’s investigation revealed that the narrative of the princes’ murder surfaced with Henry Tudor and his foreign invasion force. The earliest mention of their alleged murder in England came from a Welsh poet around 14 August 1485‚ after the Battle of Bosworth‚ blaming Richard III for the act. This narrative gained momentum in England from that point onward. Notably‚ Henry Tudor’s actions after his victory at Bosworth – delaying his journey to London (a move contrary to expectations given London’s strategic importance) and dispatching searches – suggested a quest for the sons of Edward IV. Actions he wouldn’t have taken if they were already dead. Edward V and the Lille receipt The UK investigation was hampered due to the amount of documents lost under Henry VII’s rule. However‚ a breakthrough came when a Dutch research group discovered a crucial accounting receipt in the Lille archive in France‚ dating back to 16 December 1487. This receipt provided evidence of Edward V’s existence‚ and his leadership of an invasion force into England in 1487‚ culminating in the Battle of Stoke. The receipt‚ detailing a payment for 400 pikes‚ was made by King Maximilian I on behalf of the Dowager Duchess‚ Margaret of Burgundy‚ sister of Richard III and aunt to Edward V. It explicitly mentioned the pikes were ‘to lead across the sea with a specialist a German mercenary‚ who the Madam the Dowager sent at that time‚ together with several captains of war from England‚ to serve her nephew‚ son of King Edward‚ late her brother‚ who was expelled from his dominion’ – identifying him as Edward V. Significantly‚ the receipt was signed by three prominent members of Maximilian‘s court (his secretary‚ and‚ controllers of the artillery and weaponry)‚ reinforcing its authenticity and accuracy. There would have been multiple opportunities for correction if the information wasn’t true. Crucially‚ the absence of customary phrases indicating the person’s death in the receipt‚ a common practice in those religious times‚ suggested that Edward V was believed to be alive after the Battle of Stoke in 1487. This discovery challenges the established narratives surrounding Richard III‚ the princes’ fate‚ and the early years of Henry VII’s reign‚ prompting a reevaluation of the Yorkist dynasty and Henry VII’s rule. Despite deliberate destruction of paperwork by Henry VII’s government‚ European archives‚ beyond Henry’s reach‚ provided crucial insights. Langley’s investigation‚ tracing accounts‚ revealed Edward V’s presence in the Channel Islands (Guernsey) during both Richard III and early Henry Tudor’s reign‚ confirming his expulsion from his dominion. Richard‚ Duke of York If Edward had survived beyond 1485‚ it was hopeful that his younger brother Richard had too‚ but Langley needed evidence. In November 2020‚ a stunning discovery emerged from criminal lawyer‚ Natalie Neyman at the Gelderman archive in Holland—a four-page note purportedly written by Richard‚ Duke of York. The note chronicled his story from sanctuary at Westminster Abbey to the Tower of London and subsequent escape to safety in France and the Low Countries‚ orchestrated by John Howard‚ Duke of Norfolk‚ as well as Richard’s journey abroad with two companion retainers‚ Thomas and Henry Percy. When this revelation was cross-referenced with existing administrative records‚ Langley found everything fell into place. Previously puzzling actions by key figures‚ including Elizabeth Woodville‚ the Princes’ mother‚ began to make sense in light of this evidence‚ suggesting her awareness of her sons’ survival. Langley also asserted that Henry VII’s actions‚ like imprisoning Thomas Grey‚ Marquis of Dorset‚ could be linked to the boys’ existence. Addressing sceptics The extraordinary nature of this evidence raised doubts about its authenticity. To validate it‚ Langley sought triple-checks from the archives that had made these discoveries. After receiving confirmation of authenticity‚ the documents were then scrutinised by leading medieval scholar Dr Janina Ramirez at Oxford University‚ who also confirmed the authenticity of three of the documents. As the Gelderman document felt too good to be true‚ Ramirez recommended further verification. Langley’s documentary film team engaged two leading experts‚ one from Belgium specialising in Middle Dutch (the language the note was written in)‚ and Dr Andrew Dunning (a leading expert at the Bodleian Library in Oxford). Both experts corroborated the legitimacy of the documents’ language and content‚ providing additional assurance of their authenticity. Subsequently‚ more evidence surfaced‚ including a document signed by Richard as ‘Richard of England’‚ and a letter from King Maximilian in the Austrian archives. Maximilian’s letter described meting Richard‚ Duke of York‚ identifying his 3 unique birthmarks (by his eye‚ mouth‚ and thigh)‚ and offering full support. (Maximilian was close to Margaret of Burgundy and favoured Yorkist claims‚ yet sought peace with Henry VII but felt mistreated. His support for Edward and Richard promised favourable trade and diplomatic relations if either reclaimed the throne.) Philippa Langley’s book offers further evidence and explanations surrounding the princes and events that may have happened to them after their exit from the Tower of London‚ yet she acknowledges may people may inevitably not be convinced. However‚ she maintains that evidence-based research enables people to have an informed opinion. After all‚ before Richard III’s body was discovered people thought he had been thrown into a river. The project remains ongoing‚ seeking further evidence for the final resting places of both princes. As for Richard III‚ in Langley’s view‚ he is exonerated of killing his nephews – the totality of evidence is in her book. Philippa Langley MBE is a British writer/producer with a passion to tell distinctive and original narratives that challenge our perception of established truths. In 2012 she led the successful search to locate the grave of King Richard III through her Looking For Richard Project‚ conceiving‚ facilitating and commissioning this unique historical investigation. Her book‚ The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case published by The History Press‚ reveals the findings of The Missing Princes Project – Philippa’s quest to find out what happened to the Princes in the Tower‚ and was published in November 2023.

Rep. Jayapal Vies for Title of the Worst Member of The Squad

What Have Aliens Done With the REAL John Fetterman...and Are They Willing to Keep Him?

Neanderthals hunted the largest land animals of their time‚ giant beasts that weighed twice as much as African elephants – or mammoths‚ for that matter. The achievement not only shows a level of organization (and courage) previously unconfirmed in our nearest relatives but could have shaped Neanderthal society in Europe between ice ages in a major way.Earlier this year a team led by Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser of the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Center reported cut marks on bones of straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) at Neumark-Nord 1 in Germany from around 125‚000 years ago. Although at first sight the marks could have been the result of scavenging on individuals that died from other causes‚ Gaudzinski-Windheuser and colleagues argued bones treated in this way were so abundant at the one site that they must have been hunted there instead. However‚ this discovery raised the question of whether there was something distinctive about Neumark-Nord‚ or if giant elephant hunting was a more widespread practice. Now‚ these authors have answered their own question using Palaeoloxodon bones from two other sites in modern-day eastern Germany‚ Gröbern and Taubach.The common feature of the three sets of bones (besides all being quite close together) is that all were created around 125‚000 years ago‚ during the last interglacial period when the Earth was at a similar temperature to today. Only one elephant carcass is available from Gröbern for study‚ and only 17 of the bones from Taubach display cutmarks. Nevertheless‚ the similarities were striking.“We identified in both assemblages similar butchering patterns as at Neumark-Nord‚ demonstrating that extended elephant exploitation was a widespread Neanderthal practice during the (early part of the) Last Interglacial‚” they write. These sites also reveal the same bias seen at Neumark-Nord towards adult male Palaeoloxodon‚ much larger than the females‚ but probably traveling along rather than in herds. Life-sized reconstruction of a bull straight-tusked elephant (P. antiquus) in the Landesmuseum for Vorgeschichte‚ Halle‚ with Dr Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser for scaleImage Credit: Lutz Kindler‚  LEIZA (CC BY-NC-ND)Toothmarks at Taubach indicate large carnivores also got at the bones‚ but these were rare enough to suggest the Neanderthals were able to keep their competition at bay for a long time. On their own‚ Gröbern and Taubach could have represented fortunate Neanderthals coming across a recently dead elephant. However‚ seen in the light of Neumark-Nord‚ it looks more likely that hunting was a feature of the region’s Neanderthals during this warm era.Unless elephant killing was the extreme sport of its day‚ undertaken without being too worried about maximizing benefit‚ the Neanderthals must have had a way to make use of these giant beasts. The team calculated that you could get enough meat to provide a Neanderthal’s daily calorie needs 2‚500 times over from a single Palaeoloxodon individual – and not even a particularly large one.Unless the hunters had a way to preserve the meat it would have spoiled quickly‚ even in winter.Consequently‚ the authors reason‚ Neanderthals either had preservation techniques we are not aware of – and were able to implement them fast – or they came together in large numbers to consume such abundance. Either would change our view of Neanderthal society‚ at least in Germany. Most likely‚ the paper proposes‚ the truth is a combination of the two. Moreover‚ it would have been impossible for a small group to carry too much meat with them. If they were preserving it‚ they must have stayed nearby for a long time to make full use‚ rather than being constantly on the move.The study is published open access in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 

Bus drivers encounter a myriad of sights on their daily routes‚ but it’s not every day that they become heroes. This story begins in Milwaukee‚ where the holiday season brought more than just festive cheer; it brought a remarkable act of kindness and a reminder of the warmth of human spirit. It all started on... The post Bus driver spots 2 lost dogs in freezing cold and makes it her mission to get them home appeared first on Animal Channel.

A school district in Vermont claimed that if schools begin honoring a day that celebrates those who detransitioned after changing their gender (well‚ attempting to)‚ calling it “Detransition Awareness Day” would be hurtful and offensive to “transgender” students.  Townhall obtained documents from Parents Defending Education who’d initially requested the “Detransition Awareness Day.” Supposedly‚ a parent emailed the school board on February 6‚ 2023 asking to add a “Detransition Awareness Day” to the school calendar. The parent proposed March 12 for the celebration.  Townhall reported that the parent also asked that the book “Irreversible Damage‚” a story by Abigail Shrier that details how harmful transgender procedures are‚ be available to students “on an easel atop the shelves in the HS library” in the Essex Westford School District in Vermont. “Within the framework of equity and inclusion‚ those who choose to reverse course on the current prevalent narrative should be celebrated. It is a lonely path since it travels uphill against the downhill slippery slope‚ but students in this marginalized group deserve our support‚” the parent wrote in the email.  While school districts regularly celebrate pride‚ it seems only fair that a day to honor those who don’t celebrate changing their gender be instituted as well‚ yet‚ the Vermont district didn’t agree. Here’s what the school district replied according to Townhall: People who transition genders in any direction are recognized on national coming out day and during Pride month. We would‚ of course‚ support someone transitioning in any direction. Centering transitioning gender as damaging does not align with the EWSD Equity Policy's requirement of being LGBTQIA+ affirming. This particular frame on gender transition -- moving from a trans status to a status of gender assigned at birth because of damage done -- is not something we would center. Instead‚ we would support any person transitioning for any reason through the current days and structures we recognize and be supportive of their transition by recognizing the gender to which they identify. Detransition can be hurtful to transgender people and youth. We want to meet their mental needs. The school district is essentially saying‚ 'We’ll celebrate you if you want to live a delusion but if you accept reality‚ you’re on your own.' In the email‚ the school district indicated that the book‚ “Irreversible Damage‚” “actually goes against our equity policy and can cause harm.” Following that email‚ the parent reached back out insisting that their intention is not to “celebrate cisgender identities‚” but rather bring awareness to “transition regret.” A few days after that email‚ the school district replied that it “would not add a day to the calendar where the underlying narrative or content of the day points at others in harmful ways based on identity or for existing in the first place‚” and later added‚ “If the narrative around detransition day were a genuine celebration or recognition of folks who are detransitioning without pointing toward others as harmful for creating representation and equal rights for trans folks‚ I would see this differently.” So schools can point out how amazing they think transitioning is‚ but not how harmful it can be? Seems like a cherry picked assortment of data and information access in order to push an agenda if you ask me. Erika Sanzi‚ the director of outreach for Parents Defending Education felt similarly and told Townhall the following: Schools should get out of the habit of celebrating all these silly days on the calendar but if they are going to do so‚ they can't choose sides. And if school officials think that detransition awareness violates their equity policy‚ they'd be wise to get rid of that policy because it's clearly not equitable or inclusive despite claims to the contrary. That’s exactly right! Schools shouldn't pick sides or they should allow both or multiple to be supported and be given the opportunity to have equal access and representation.  It’s crazy that parents even have to advocate for a day that brings light to the dangers of transgenderism. Transgenderism isn’t something that should exist‚ so a day celebrating detransitioning shouldn’t have to exist either. But it’s the end of 2023‚ and here we are.  Long story short‚ get your kids out of public school.