An Anti-Racist Education for Middle Schoolers

District officials in San Diego evidently believe that the practice of grading students based on average scores is racist.

K-12 students in large public school districts across the country spent much of the fall semester at home, a less-than-ideal result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Zoom learning was hardly the only significant change to the education system. Some school districts are embracing trendy but dubious ideas about how to fight racism in the classroom.

The San Diego Unified School District, for instance, moved this fall to abolish its traditional grading system. Students will still receive letter grades, but they won't reflect average scores on papers, quizzes, and tests. Under the new system, pupils will not be penalized for failing to complete assignments or even show up for class, and teachers will give them extra opportunities to demonstrate their "mastery" of subjects. What constitutes mastery is not quite clear, but grades "shall not be influenced by behavior or factors that directly measure students' knowledge and skills in the content area," according to guidance from the district.

District officials evidently believe that the practice of grading students based on average scores is racist and that "anti-racism" demands a learning environment free of the pressure to turn in assignments on time. As evidence for the urgency of these changes, the district released data showing that minority students received more Ds and Fs than white students: Just 7 percent of whites received failing grades, compared to 23 percent of Native Americans, 23 percent of Hispanics, and 20 percent of black students.

"This is part of our honest reckoning as a school district," Vice President Richard Barrera told a local NBC affiliate. "If we're actually going to be an anti-racist school district, we have to confront practices like this that have gone on for years and years."

These changes to San Diego schools' grading system are an excellent example of a bureaucracy citing a noble-sounding goal (who could be against anti-racism?) to justify a policy that doesn't address the issue whatsoever. After all, eliminating these kinds of grades won't eliminate the underlying inequities that produced the disparate failure rates. It may actually cover those inequities up: Given that grades are a tool for evaluating students' progress, the district is essentially announcing that it will no longer gather as much evidence as it could about negative social phenomena it would presumably like to fix. Better grades do not mean students will suddenly have a better grasp of the material. They certainly won't be better prepared for college, where traditional grades are very much still a thing.

Indeed, this is a lot like "addressing" poverty by no longer tallying the number of homeless people—or, to use a timely example, like President Donald Trump's frustration that increasing COVID-19 testing makes the epidemic look worse. Coronavirus cases exist even if they go undetected; similarly, minority students who are falling behind their classmates will be falling behind even if their teachers aren't giving them Fs.

https://reason.com/2020/12/21/an-anti-racist-education-for-middle-schoolers/

NEW FOOTAGE: Michigan Lawmaker Who Threatened ‘Trumpers’ Was Heckled, Mocked For Incompetence During Fraud Hearing Meltdown

Bumbling state representative Cynthia Johnson tried to have a shouting match with the audience, but was roundly jeered for her trouble.

Previously uncirculated footage from the Michigan state legislature’s Dec. 1 hearing on election fraud shows that state Rep. Cynthia Johnson – who went viral for directing bungled threats at “Trumpers” in bizarre Facebook livestreams – was repeatedly heckled by the audience for her unprofessionalism throughout the hearing, and began screaming in response to laughter at her numerous oral blunders.

“I’ve spoken with many people who worked the TCF, TFC… TCF,” Johnson, 62, said in the footage, eliciting derisive laughter from the unconvinced audience.

“Get it together,” an attendee said. “Sad, sad.”

Johnson then began filibustering the proceedings with a droning monolgue about how the witnesses were not under oath, prompting the committee chair to interject, “Representative, I just wanna remind you, the purpose of today’s hearing is to hear from people across Michigan who witnessed things at the TCF Center.”

The audience erupted in applause, visibly upsetting Johnson. “Okay, so they’re here but they’re takin’ up so much time!” she screamed, prompting the audience to loudly boo.

Johnson then launched into another loud monologue about “Detroiters,” prompting the chairman to ask her if she actually had any questions for the witnesses. “No, but I have some concerns! Many concerns and I wanna just share with you -”

The 62-year-old lawmaker was again cut off and asked if she had a point of order, to which she replied in the affirmative, loudly complaining that the witnesses were not under oath.

“You’re out of order,” Johnson was told, prompting her to rage that the witnesses were “lying.” The audience booed even more loudly than before, and an attendee called out, “You’re a disgrace.” Johnson finally stopped talking and put her face mask back on, looking down at her lap while fidgeting with her glasses.

https://nationalfile.com/new-footage-michigan-lawmaker-who-threatened-trumpers-was-heckled-mocked-for-incompetence-during-fraud-hearing-meltdown/

Twitter to Wipe Out Followers on Official White House Accounts Before Biden Takeover

Social media platform Twitter noted in late November it was actively working with the US National Archives and Records Administration to handle the transfer of several White House accounts. At the time, it was believed the transition would follow the same process that occurred during the 2017 handover to the incoming Trump administration.

Rob Flaherty, the digital director for US President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, revealed on Tuesday that Twitter had told the team it would be resetting the follower lists on all White House-linked Twitter accounts.

The Biden team official later remarked in a follow-up tweet that the campaign had fought against the idea of wiping the follower lists, but was informed that the move “was unequivocal.”

The revelation was later confirmed by the Wall Street Journal’s Emily Glazer, who explained that the affected accounts would include the White House, POTUS and VP Twitter accounts, among others. Twitter also indicated that followers of the current accounts will be notified and given the choice to follow the new Biden accounts.

The three aforementioned accounts currently have nearly 70 million followers collectively, about 19 million fewer than Trump has on his personal Twitter account, which he has frequently used instead of the official White House accounts.

Twitter’s updated policy is a complete change from the steps taken during the transition from the Obama administration to the Trump administration, when the company simply allowed the follower lists to be absorbed by the incoming officials.

When Twitter was contacted about Flaherty’s remarks, spokesperson Nick Pacilio remarked that the company has been in “ongoing discussions with the Biden transition team on a number of aspects related to White house account transfers.”

https://sputniknews.com/science/202012221081544271-twitter-to-wipe-out-followers-on-official-white-house-accounts-before-biden-takeover/

Sen. Lindsey Graham defends foreign aid to Pakistan in omnibus spending bill

'Pakistan is a place I really worry about'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday defended foreign aid spending included in the $2.3 trillion spending package Congress passed Monday night, arguing foreign aid is necessary to compete with China for influence abroad.

Appearing on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Graham faced questions about the massive spending package, which members of Congress were given with fewer than eight hours to read before it was brought up for a vote. Critics have slammed the bill, which was sold to the public as a coronavirus relief package, for containing several provisions seemingly unrelated to the pandemic, including funding for Pakistan's "gender programs" and other bits of foreign aid.

In reality, the $900 billion coronavirus relief package was tied to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill Congress needed to pass to keep the government open. The criticized provisions were mostly part of the omnibus bill, not the COVID-19 relief package.

Host Brian Kilmeade asked Graham if he was disappointed with how the vote turned out.

"So the bottom line is they wanted $3 trillion for the pandemic last year, we wound up with $900 billion," Graham said, referring to congressional Democrats' demands for more spending. "You could've gotten this package in July, Mitch McConnell is right about that. They refused to even talk to us before the election because they thought a relief package would help President Trump."

"If you think this bill is bad, lose Georgia and see what happens," Graham said ominously, referring to the state's upcoming runoff elections for U.S. Senate.

Those Senate races will determine which party has control of the U.S. Senate — for Republicans their only hope to thwart President-elect Joe Biden's agenda and for Democrats their chance to advance long-sought after policies like repealing President Donald Trump's tax cuts and expanding Obamacare.

Graham went on to praise other provisions of the omnibus bill, including military spending and funding for the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

"The foreign aid budget is 1 percent of all American spending," Graham said, responding to critics of foreign aid. He went on to defend the provisions related to Pakistan, which included $15 million toward "democracy programs" and $10 million distributed to "gender programs."

"Pakistan is a place I really worry about. Eighty-five countries a woman can't open up a bank account without her husband's signature, she can't inherit property. If you're a young girl in Pakistan life is pretty tough, so we're trying to make life better for women throughout the world," Graham said.

"One percent of all federal spending is foreign assistance, China is everywhere. We've got to compete," he added.

As for the coronavirus relief, Graham asserted that the $600 stimulus checks assigned to every American will be a boon after months of economic hardship inflicted by state coronavirus restrictions.

"I like the COVID package in the sense that it is targeted. If you're a family of four you get $2,400 bucks out there. If you're about to lose your small business, you can get another round of PPP loan. And there's $38 billion to get the vaccine in a place near you so you can actually take it," Graham said.

To those still skeptical, he encouraged them to vote.

"So this is sausage-making, but the Democrats have a say," Graham said. "They run the House. And if they ever get the House, the Senate, and the White House it will be a financial disaster for this country, so vote in Georgia."

https://www.theblaze.com/news/lindsey-graham-defends-foreign-aid-omnibus

Worried the Pakis will out your sick sexual habits Lindsay?

'COVID Relief' Bill Includes New Piracy Law Sending Illegal Streamers to Prison for 10 Years

Streaming shows have been the saving grace of cooped-up families everywhere during COVID. Have you caught up yet on “The Crown” and seen every episode of the series “The Queen’s Gambit” yet? But tucked away inside the COVID relief bill is a rewrite of copyright and intellectual property law that could send illegal streamers to prison for ten years and give Hollywood producers a huge tax break.

Congress threw everything and the kitchen sink into the omnibus bill all in the name of COVID relief. And Hollywood and Silicon Valley got a huge gift with a bright red Christmas bow on it. The 5,593-page congressional wish list, now on its way to the president’s desk, includes a rewrite of piracy, copyright, and intellectual property laws. The changes, among things, make illegal streaming—piracy—a felony.

Now, we all know stealing is wrong and Congress is dysfunctional, but what does imprisoning streamers have to do with COVID relief? For that matter, what do horse racing, new cars for government apparatchiks, and gender medication for Pakistanis have to do with it, either? Wasn’t this a bailout for businesses and families?

Well, no, actually.

It looks like Republican Senator Thom Tillis reached into his upper right-hand desk drawer and pulled out a nearly 100-page rewrite of the copyright and IP laws he’d been holding onto and told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: This. Now. No one will notice.

The Hollywood Reporter says congress “smuggled” into the COVID bill a measure making illegal streaming a felony. The COVID bill also rewrites the way copyright litigation is treated. And that’s not all.

The spending bill also appears to adopt a long-discussed plan to create a small-claims adjudication system within the U.S. Copyright Office.

Advocates have long sought to give copyright owners some recourse to infringement outside of the expensive federal court system, though the so-called CASE Act has engendered some pushback from those weary of throwing certain disputes to unaccountable bureaucrats working for an agency suspected of favoring industry. Some critics believe the alternative dispute system to be unconstitutional, though by making the system opt-in and non-compulsory, advocates hope that it will survive any legal challenge and ultimately lead to swifter resolution over takedown notices for copyright material posted online. The CASE Act previously passed the House by a 410-6 vote before being blocked in the Senate by Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Tillis, and Amy Klobuchar before him, floated this bill for quite a while, but “it ended up dying as people worried about sending Justin Bieber to jail. (No, seriously.)

The rewritten copyright and intellectual property law covers “a computer program, a musical work, a motion picture or other audiovisual work, or a sound recording” but only for companies whose sole purpose is to ‘jack somebody else’s stuff.

It’s all in the name of helping people afflicted by the devastation of COVID, you understand.

Penalties include but are not limited to fines, imprisonment for three years for the first offense to ten years for the second and subsequent offenses.

The publication NME reports that there could be some grace if thieves didn’t know it was pirated material.

This will not apply to individuals who access pirated streams or “unwittingly” stream unauthorised copies of copyrighted work. People who might use pirate streaming services will not be affected.

Tillis issued a statement saying that something needed to be done about the $30 billion lost to Hollywood, publishers, and Silicon Valley every year to piracy.

“The shift toward streaming content online has resulted in criminal streaming services illegally distributing copyrighted material that costs the U.S. economy nearly $30 billion every year, and discourages the production of creative content that Americans enjoy,” Tillis commented in a statement.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/victoria-taft/2020/12/22/covid-relief-bill-includes-new-piracy-law-sending-illegal-streamers-to-prison-for-10-years-n1224928

Biden hasn't discussed Hunter in his search for an AG, some stories about son were 'Russian disinformation'

'The attorney general of the United States of America is not the president's lawyer'

President-elect Joe Biden said in a press conference Tuesday that his son Hunter’s business dealings had not come up in discussions about his highly anticipated pick for attorney general.

"Has the issue of investigations with your son come up with your team and with candidates about (sic) attorney general?" a reporter asked.

"No, no I guarantee you I'm going to do what I said," Biden responded. "The attorney general of the United States of America is not the president's lawyer. I will appoint someone I expect to enforce the law as the law is written, not guided by me."

Shortly after, Biden was asked by Fox News’ Peter Doocy whether he thought previous stories regarding his son’s purported laptop were the work of "Russian disinformation."

"Yes, yes, yes. God love ya, man. You are a one-horse pony. I tell ya. Thank you. thank you. I promise you my justice department will be totally on its own making its judgments about how to proceed," the president-elect said.

The FBI is now in possession of the laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden, which contained emails revealing his foreign business dealings, including contacts in Ukraine and China.

The FBI and Justice Department officials have concurred with acting-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe that the laptop is not part of a Russian disinformation campaign targeting Biden.

The emails in question were first obtained by the New York Post and, in part, revealed that Hunter Biden allegedly introduced his father, the then-vice president, to a top executive at Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings less than a year before he pressured government officials in Ukraine to fire prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating the company’s founder.

At the same time, Attorney General Bill Barr, who will conclude his service this week said Monday he has "no plan" to appoint a special counsel to take over the federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax affairs.

Republicans have demanded that a special counsel be appointed to continue the federal investigation into Hunter Biden to ensure that it continues through the incoming Biden administration. President Trump reportedly had been discussing a potential special counsel for that investigation.

Hunter Biden confirmed earlier this month that he is under federal investigation for his "tax affairs."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-hasnt-discussed-hunter-in-his-search-for-an-ag-some-stories

LEAKED: Canadian military ordered to salute Chinese president, alongside North Korea

Resurfaced Chinese state propaganda videos from last year’s Military World Games in Wuhan, China proudly show the Canadian Armed Forces doing something that will make you sick — brace yourselves.

The Canadian contingent at the games, representing Canada and its military, were ordered by superiors to salute the Communist dictator of China, Xi Jinping, as they marched past him. This broke with Canada’s traditional allies, including the United States, France and other NATO nations.

Canada’s allies refused to salute the dais where Xi sat observing the pageantry of the official opening of the 7th CISM Military World Games. The United States, Germany, South Korea, Finland, France, Greece and countless others snubbed the dictator. It wasn't even a snub really — hostile nations are not expected to salute each other, the Government of Canada just volunteered to. Australia didn’t just not salute the president, they didn't march in the parade altogether. Even Iran didn't salute Xi.

But then came the military athletes from the North Korean contingent. As they marched past President Xi, the stadium of Chinese nationals broke out in cheers as the hermit kingdom saluted their closest ally, China.

Canada honoured the Chinese tyrant in the exact same manner as the North Koreans. They marched proudly, in a show of admiration and respect for their Chinese hosts, in a manner that was unmatched by any military contingent other than the Chinese military themselves. Justin Trudeau “admires” China, remember.

The United States’ military athletes, in contrast, were walking unenthusiastically, and one member even blew a bubble of chewing gum while being featured on the Chinese state cameras. Others took cellphone selfies, chatted, and laughed — probably at the sheer hilarity of the Chinese propaganda that they were taking part in.

For the Canadian delegates, this appeared to be the most important military display of their lives.

Is it any wonder why our allies refused to salute a man who is currently interning over a million helpless Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province?

According to the Government of Canada, “the hand salute is the personal salute of officers and other ranks. It is a symbolic movement having several meanings. It is a greeting. It is a mark of mutual respect, trust and confidence. It is an act of courtesy and good manners. It is a mark of loyalty.”

Understanding the significance of the gesture, can you think of any reason why we would be saluting a hostile despot from China?

It reminds me of the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, when nations flocked to the Nazi state, unaware that the Holocaust would soon be underway. The only difference now is that we already know China is running concentration camps, but Canada doesn’t seem to mind.

https://www.rebelnews.com/canadian_military_ordered_to_salute_china

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