• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Advertise With Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Fierce Patriots

Conservative Political News

  • Subscribe

<![CDATA[Parental Rights]]>

Ed. Sec. Miguel Cardona Has a Terry McAuliffe Moment on Parental Rights That Could Haunt Biden in 2024

September 22, 2023 by Sister Toldjah Leave a Comment

Though some would disagree, I don’t think it’s even arguable at this point that Terry McAuliffe’s eye-opening comments during a Sept. 2021 Virginia gubernatorial debate with Glenn Youngkin on the public school system effectively doomed McAuliffe’s campaign.

Advertisement

As many RedState readers will recall, McAuliffe, then the Democratic nominee, told Republican nominee Youngkin during an exchange on parental rights in education that “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.”

In the aftermath, McAuliffe’s campaign imploded as he repeatedly doubled down in public appearances and interviews, even walking off the set of one news outlet in a huff. His poll numbers cratered with education-focused voters dramatically shifting away from him in the closing weeks of the campaign.

The rest, as they say, is history, and from that moment on Democrats were put on notice that the sleeping giant in the form of parents had been awakened – and that they wouldn’t back down in the face of intimidation attempts by the Biden administration, or anyone else.

Fast forward two years and Education Sec. Miguel Cardona, one of many far-left activists Joe Biden has in his cabinet, had what may be his own Terry McCauliffe moment in remarks that could come back to haunt his boss in 2024.

In an interview Cardona did with the Associated Press, he was asked about his comments on public schools and education allegedly being “under attack” and to expand on them.  

Cardona told the news outlet that once upon a time, “There was civility. We could disagree. We could have healthy conversations around what’s best for kids,” but times in his view had changed. 

Advertisement

“I respect differences of opinion,” he went on to say. “I don’t have too much respect for people that are misbehaving in public and then acting as if they know what’s right for kids.”

Watch:

Education Secretary Cardona says that he doesn’t have “too much respect” for parents who have been “misbehaving” at school board meetings.

They’re “acting like they know what’s right for kids!” pic.twitter.com/uQf9nbZJ0F

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 22, 2023

Cardona’s remarks drew a sharp rebuke from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary Bryan Griffin, whose boss has been under relentless attack from the left/media for the last two-plus years over his commitment to keeping gender identity politics and wokeness out of the Sunshine State’s public school classrooms, in addition to strengthening the rights of parents:

Parents, this administration wants you to remain calm (and butt out) as public schools cause your child to question their gender and then the government weaponizes against you.

They all need to go. https://t.co/BTTGekPAlA

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) September 22, 2023

Cardona has made no secret in the past of his disdain for parental input in the education of their children. Flashback:

Biden’s Education Secretary Cardona says parents should not be the “primary stakeholder” in their kids’ education. pic.twitter.com/kZo2pr7Bds

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 30, 2021

Advertisement

There was also this tweet Cardona posted back in May, just laying it all out there so there was no mistaking where he stood in the debate:

Teachers know what is best for their kids because they are with them every day. We must trust teachers.

As has often been said, when they tell us who they really are, we should listen. Except in this case, Cardona is telling us not just who he is but who Joe Biden is, too. That’s something that all voters, especially those with skin in the game, should remember as they head to the polls in 2024.

Flashback: Joe Biden Takes Swipe at Ron DeSantis, Ends up Committing Glorious Self-Own on School Choice

Filed Under: <![CDATA[2024Elections]]>, <![CDATA[24Biden]]>, <![CDATA[Education]]>, <![CDATA[Joe Biden]]>, <![CDATA[Miguel Cardona]]>, <![CDATA[Parental Rights]]>, News, Red State

It’s ‘Dangerous and Derogatory’ for Us to Report on Court Cases Now

September 19, 2023 by Susie Moore Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I’ve pretty much stopped wondering if the world could get any weirder or turn even more upside down. Each day, it seems, we’re treated to another story or development that defies logic and begs expletive-laden acronyms like BS, WTF, or AYFKM?! 

Advertisement

As our readers are well aware, as a conservative media outlet, RedState is constantly fighting an uphill battle against what I call “the censor scolds” — rightly dubbed by independent journalists like Michael Shellenberger the Censorship Industrial Complex. Though we continue to push back — and see certain degrees of vindication between the revelations of the Twitter Files and the court rulings in Missouri v. Biden, for instance — we are often flagged and demonetized by Big Tech. The effect of that is that we can’t make money from advertising, hence the inception — and growth — of our VIP program. 

We’ve recently shared with you several examples of stories that have been demonetized by Google. Brandon Morse wrote about this in Big Tech Calls Us ‘Dangerous and Derogatory’ – and We Think That’s a Badge of Honor. Our Managing Editor, Jennifer Van Laar, brought you additional examples with Big Tech Is Censoring Our Coverage of the Gadsden Flag Kid.

Today, I’m going to do the honors because, while each of these instances is a gross affront to free speech principles, I take personal umbrage at this latest one, as it has to do with our factual reporting on a court ruling — and I write quite a bit on legal matters here. Believe it or not, BREAKING: CA Judge Rules Teachers Cannot Be Forced to Lie to Parents About Child’s Gender Identity got us flagged for “dangerous and derogatory content.” 

Advertisement

Let’s dissect this “dangerous and derogatory” determination and take a closer look at the article and the court ruling. First, a little background (from District Court Judge Roger Benitez’s ruling itself, which can be read in full below) : 

Plaintiffs Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West (“Plaintiffs”) are teachers with fifty-five years of experience between them in the Escondido Union School District (“EUSD”). They bring claims against members of the EUSD Board of Education and certain members of the EUSD administrative staff (collectively, “EUSD Defendants”), as well as members of the California State Board of Education and the State Superintendent (collectively, “State Defendants”) for school district policies that violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiffs move for a preliminary injunction and the EUSD Defendants and the State Defendants move to dismiss the claims. 

…

Plaintiffs Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West are two teachers at Rincon Middle School, which is part of EUSD. Mrs. Mirabelli teaches English, and Mrs. West teaches physical education. According to the Complaint, both have been named “Teacher of the Year” at different times while teaching for EUSD. The district is a public school district with approximately 16,000 students in kindergarten through eighth grades.

…

One current subject that EUSD faces in its community is how to address changing concepts of gender identification, gender diversity, gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, and self-transitioning among its student body. Gender dysphoria is a clinically diagnosed incongruence between one’s gender identity and assigned gender. If untreated, gender dysphoria may lead to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide. Eknes-Tucker v. Marshall, No. 2:22-cv-184-LCB, 2022 WL 1521889, at *1 (M.D. Ala. May 13, 2022). Plaintiffs allege in their Complaint that EUSD has a newly adopted policy of: (1) school-wide recognition of a student’s newly expressed gender identification, and (2) when communicating with a student’s parents, an enforced requirement of faculty confidentiality and non-disclosure regarding a student’s newly expressed gender identification. The policy is known as AR 5145.3.

The result of the new EUSD policy is that a teacher ordinarily may not disclose to a parent the fact that a student identifies as a new gender, or wants to be addressed by a new name or new pronouns during the school day – names, genders, or pronouns that are different from the birth name and birth gender of the student. Under the policy at issue, accurate communication with parents is permitted only if the child first gives its consent to the school. A teacher who knowingly fails to comply is considered to have engaged in discriminatory harassment and is subject to adverse employment actions. 

Advertisement

Now, let’s turn to the Ward Clark’s write-up of the decision. First, the headline: BREAKING: CA Judge Rules Teachers Cannot Be Forced to Lie to Parents About Child’s Gender Identity. As noted by the judge’s order, the EUSD policy requires teachers to withhold information regarding a student’s expressed gender identification from parents unless the student consents to such disclosure. In his ruling, Judge Benitez granted the teachers’ motion for a preliminary injunction regarding the policy. So what — if any — is the issue with the headline? Are they quibbling over the word “lie” (versus “hide,” “conceal,” “fail to disclose”?) 

Next, Ward states: 

United States District Judge for the Southern District of California Hon. Roger T. Benitez has granted a preliminary injunction against the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) in a case involving a requirement that teachers mislead parents as to their own children’s “gender identity.”

Same question: Where’s the danger here? What’s derogatory? 

Ward quotes the decision itself, beginning with the judge’s analogy to situations where a student is injured or assaulted or expresses or exhibits psychological distress and the concomitant parental notification process. 

He then states: 

In this case, it’s clear that consistency and predicates in other cases are being considered in the overall picture of parental rights. As the statement notes, the EUSD’s transgender pronoun policy would somehow place gender confusion in a different category than a sports injury or other mental issues.

Advertisement

Are we being demonetized — effectively censored — for recognizing the psychological/emotional health component of gender identity issues?

Ward concluded his brief write-up with this: 

The District, by this estimation, sought to raise barriers between children and parents, in effect putting teachers in loco parentis with no due process; it also denied the teachers their sincerely held religious convictions as to the nature of the proper relationship between parent and child. This is a victory for not only freedom of conscience on the part of the teachers but also a victory for the rights of parents to direct health decisions for their children. 

Forgive me for failing to see the danger or derogation in his words here. He’s merely describing the judge’s decision and rationale. So, what was it that raised the red flag? 

Was it, rather than Ward’s words, the words of Judge Benitez himself, noting, “A parent’s right to make decisions concerning the care, custody, control, and medical care of their children is one of the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests that Americans enjoy”?

Is Google genuinely contending that this statement is dangerous and derogatory? 

Parental involvement [is] essential to the healthy maturation of schoolchildren. The Escondido Union School District has adopted a policy without parent input that places a communication barrier between parents and teachers.

Advertisement

How is that dangerous? To/about whom is it derogatory? I’d really like to know, wouldn’t you? Is Big Tech going to start censoring and demonetizing federal court opinions? Because the only conclusion one can reasonably draw from the fact that the article in question was flagged is that in the minds of the Big Tech censor scolds, the judge’s recognition that parents have a fundamental liberty interest in the care and well-being of their children is dangerous and derogatory. 

Now do you get a flavor of what we’re up against? I hope that by laying this out in detail, I’ve helped our readers understand what we’re fighting behind the scenes every day in order to be able to bring you important news and investigative stories, along with opinion and analysis from a conservative perspective. Because we can’t do it without your help. Every ding we take makes it harder for us to do what we do. 

That’s why we rely on the generosity of our VIP subscribers. Your support genuinely helps us stand up and push back against this nonsense. When they try to silence us, your subscriptions shield us from their censorship attempts. Sign up today and use promo code “CENSORSHIP” for an incredible 50 percent off and get podcasts, articles, and videos not available to non-subs. And with our VIP Gold membership, you get the same access at our Townhall Media sister sites as well: Townhall, PJ Media, Twitchy, Bearing Arms, and Hot Air.

Advertisement

So, thank you to all of you who already subscribe and play such a vital role in what we do. And please, if you haven’t signed up already, consider doing so — and spread the word to friends and family who don’t believe that reporting on a court ruling or acknowledging the bond between parent and child and insisting that our schools — and our government — respect it is dangerous or derogatory or worthy of being censored. 

We can’t let them have the last word by silencing ours. Please sign up today. Thank you!
 

Mirabelli by Susie Moore on Scribd

mmmmm

Filed Under: <![CDATA[Big Tech]]>, <![CDATA[Censorship]]>, <![CDATA[free speech]]>, <![CDATA[Parental Rights]]>, News, Red State

Primary Sidebar

Fox News Picks Univision Host to Push Amnesty in GOP Debate

September 27, 2023 | Neil Munro | Leave a Comment

Fox News’s top executives chose a Colombian-born anchor to host the GOP primary debate and to tout an amnesty for 11 million illegal migrants and the … Read More... about Fox News Picks Univision Host to Push Amnesty in GOP Debate

Trump in Michigan: ‘Only Time Biden Has Gotten His Hands Dirty Is When He’s Taking Cash from Foreign Countries’

September 27, 2023 | John Binder | Leave a Comment

Former President Donald Trump took a swipe at President Joe Biden while speaking to autoworkers in Macomb County, Michigan, painting the president as … Read More... about Trump in Michigan: ‘Only Time Biden Has Gotten His Hands Dirty Is When He’s Taking Cash from Foreign Countries’

‘Unwatchable’: Viewers Blast RNC, Fox for Including Univision in Debate

September 27, 2023 | Hannah Bleau | Leave a Comment

Viewers of the second Republican National Committee (RNC) debate blasted the RNC as well as Fox News for including Univision as a partner in the … Read More... about ‘Unwatchable’: Viewers Blast RNC, Fox for Including Univision in Debate

‘Donald Duck’: Trump, who skipped 2nd GOP presidential primary debate, targeted by competitors

September 27, 2023 | Alex Nitzberg | Leave a Comment

Seven Republican presidential hopefuls gathered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday night to participate … Read More... about ‘Donald Duck’: Trump, who skipped 2nd GOP presidential primary debate, targeted by competitors

Former President Trump Rallies in Detroit, Rails Against Automakers, Democrats, and Biden

September 27, 2023 | Susie Moore | Leave a Comment

While his GOP competitors were holding a debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, former President Donald Trump was addressing a crowd … Read More... about Former President Trump Rallies in Detroit, Rails Against Automakers, Democrats, and Biden

Sign Up For The Fierce Patriot Newsletter

Caption this… #letsgobrandon #supplychaincrisis Caption this…
#letsgobrandon #supplychaincrisis #holidayshopping2021
📹 - Credit: @aaronlabrum
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Senate Passes ‘SHORTS’ Resolution; John Fetterman Must Wear Pants

September 27, 2023 | Joel B. Pollak | Leave a Comment

The U.S. Senate achieved a rare bipartisan milestone Wednesday when it passed the “SHow Our Respect … Read More... about Senate Passes ‘SHORTS’ Resolution; John Fetterman Must Wear Pants

Fact Check — Doug Burgum Is Right: China Controls 85% of Rare-Earth Minerals

September 27, 2023 | Frances Martel | Leave a Comment

CLAIM: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said during Wednesday night’s Republican presidential primary … Read More... about Fact Check — Doug Burgum Is Right: China Controls 85% of Rare-Earth Minerals

Judge Tanya Chutkan Refuses to Recuse Herself from Donald Trump’s January 6 Case

September 27, 2023 | Jordan Dixon-Hamilton | Leave a Comment

United States District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on Wednesday refused to recuse herself from overseeing … Read More... about Judge Tanya Chutkan Refuses to Recuse Herself from Donald Trump’s January 6 Case

Mike Pence: Americans Should Have a Right to Join a Union or Not

September 27, 2023 | Paul Bois | Leave a Comment

Former Vice President Mike Pence declared that Americans should have a right to join a union or not … Read More... about Mike Pence: Americans Should Have a Right to Join a Union or Not

Trump Mocks ‘Pro-Union’ Biden: ‘His Entire Career Has Been an Act of Economic Treason, Union Destruction’

September 27, 2023 | John Binder | Leave a Comment

Former President Donald Trump mocked President Joe Biden during a speech to auto workers in Macomb … Read More... about Trump Mocks ‘Pro-Union’ Biden: ‘His Entire Career Has Been an Act of Economic Treason, Union Destruction’

Ocasio-Cortez fumes at Elon Musk criticizing her response to the migrant crisis: ‘She’s just not that smart’

September 27, 2023 | Carlos Garcia | Leave a Comment

Socialist Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York lashed out at billionaire entrepreneur … Read More... about Ocasio-Cortez fumes at Elon Musk criticizing her response to the migrant crisis: ‘She’s just not that smart’

Tim Scott Attacks Striking Auto Workers in First Question at GOP Debate

September 27, 2023 | John Binder | Leave a Comment

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) took a shot at striking auto workers in the first question pitched his way at … Read More... about Tim Scott Attacks Striking Auto Workers in First Question at GOP Debate

RedState Sports Report: Damian Lillard Goes From Blazer to Buck

September 27, 2023 | Jerry Wilson | Leave a Comment

Greetings from the sports desk located somewhere below decks of the Good Pirate Ship RedState. Sammy … Read More... about RedState Sports Report: Damian Lillard Goes From Blazer to Buck

Autoworkers at Trump Speech Boo Biden over 12-Minute Visit to Picket Line

September 27, 2023 | Nick Gilbertson | Leave a Comment

Boos rained down from striking members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) when former President Trump … Read More... about Autoworkers at Trump Speech Boo Biden over 12-Minute Visit to Picket Line

Nancy Mace: McCarthy, House Republican Have Created ‘A Huge Mess’

September 27, 2023 | Pam Key | Leave a Comment

Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) said Wednesday on Fox News Channel’s “Your World” that … Read More... about Nancy Mace: McCarthy, House Republican Have Created ‘A Huge Mess’

McCaskill: ‘New Weird Trump’ Republicans Bought His Successful Businessman ‘Scam’

September 27, 2023 | Pam Key | Leave a Comment

MSNBC contributor Claire McCaskill said on Wednesday on “Deadline,” that former President Donald … Read More... about McCaskill: ‘New Weird Trump’ Republicans Bought His Successful Businessman ‘Scam’

AOC Update: Her Recent Comments Do Not Compare to Her Prediction on How Long Earth Has Left

September 27, 2023 | Duke | Leave a Comment

I  just happened to be browsing the pages of RedState and came across some stories that mention one … Read More... about AOC Update: Her Recent Comments Do Not Compare to Her Prediction on How Long Earth Has Left

Copyright © 2023 — FiercePatriots.com • All rights reserved. • Privacy Policy • Terms of Use • Sitemap