Weekend Reads: Trump’s Negative Effect on Classrooms, Fear the New HHS Pick, and Patton Oswalt Breaks our Hearts
Happy Weekend Readers! It’s December the Fourth, only 21 more shopping days in the War on Christmas!
90% of teachers in who responded to a survey by the Southern Policy Law Center have reported negative impacts on their classrooms. CNN has more on the study.
Speaking of Cheeto Hitler, his pick for the important position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Rep (R) Tom Price is a member of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons… essentially the Tea Party equivalent of the AMA. Yay!
The Mall of America in Minneapolis debuted it’s first ever African American Santa this year. The reaction was sadly predictable... via Ed Brayton at Dispatches from the Culture Wars.
Gearge Takei’s reaction was perfect…
Watching people meltdown over a Black Santa in the Mall of America. "Santa is white!" Well, in our internment camp he was Asian. So there.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 3, 2016
A Facebook friend of mine shared this interesting story about how to approach teaching in these interesting times…
This exercise should happen in all schools!: (I’m just sharing this story
🙂)
“When I was in 7th grade, our teacher put on a video and told us to take notes. Ten minutes in, she threw the lights on and shouted at Steven Webb Sladki, telling him he wasn’t taking notes and he should have been. But the thing was, Steve was taking notes. I saw it. We all saw it. The teacher asked if anyone wanted to stand up for Steve. A few of us choked out some words of defense but were immediately squashed. Quickly, we were all very silent. Steve was sent to the principal’s office. The teacher came back in the room and said something like “See how easy that was?” We were reading “Anne Frank.” I started to understand. I just thought now was a good time to share this story. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that what you see with your own eyes isn’t happening.”
When crime writer Michelle McNamara died suddenly in her sleep this April, she left her husband, comedian and actor Patton Oswalt a single parent of their seven year old daughter. GQ tells their story in Patton Oswalt’s Year of Magical Parenting. Watch out for onion ninjas…
Your weekly Romper with Steph… 10 Tips for Surviving the Winter Holidays as an Atheist Parent.
A new edition of Parenting Beyond Belief has finally arrived. The gateway volume for secular and atheist parenting celebrates its 10th anniversary with new essays and new voices. Beliefnet has editor and author and paterfamilia of the atheist parenting blog community Dale McGowan’s own words about his baby.
OK GO will always have a place in our hearts here… but this one is just extra special… #walkherwalk
Featured Image Credit: POW Camp in the War on Christmas from The Internet!
