Conroe ISD School Board Members Advertise for School Choice
CISD biology will teach politics (SEL), and turns out, CISD can socially transition your kid without your knowledge. SURPRISE!
written by: Michele Nuckolls
On May 14, 2024, the most recent regular Conroe ISD School Board meeting was held. Many items were on the agenda, but today let’s look at two specific items of interest: the approval of instructional materials and a discussion about a lack of policy in regard to gender fluidity matters and parental notification. When possible, I will provide additional information including links if you wish to learn more.
SAVVAS Biology
The first item on the agenda that I will investigate here is the approval of textbooks. The item reads as follows:
VII. Teaching and Learning
A. Consider and Take Action Regarding the Adoption of Instructional Materials for Science K-12, Personal Financial Literacy and Economics, Technology Applications K-8, and Career and Technical Education
I will zero in specifically on the biology textbook that caused quite a stir with inaccurate information and chapters that do not align with the SBOE’s (State Board of Education) Proclamation 2024. My assumption is that when Trustee Tiffany Nelson learned that the approval of these textbooks was on the agenda, she must have reached out to an administrator to review the book because Trustee Nelson states during the meeting that she had gotten very little sleep in preparation for the meeting having only received the book the day before. Based on the discussion between the trustees during the meeting, I do not believe it is standard practice at Conroe ISD for board members to be given the opportunity to review textbooks before approving them. We, the people, elected the school board members to hold the district accountable. This is at least part of the function of the board. They are to oversee on behalf of the voters. Does the district understand that we do not elect the school board members to be rubber stampers????
(A little history: On June 20, 2023, a biology textbook was brought before the board in a level 3 hearing by Dr. Alex Harris. (The textbook had already gone through a level 2 hearing as well.) Dr. Harris pointed to the discussion of The Big Bang Theory as atheism because this theory does not acknowledge the existence of God, and he reasoned for this discussion to be moved from biology to history of world religions. The board could not do this due to the required TEKS (Texas Education Knowledge and Skills). Trustee Nelson made a motion to instead add Intelligent Design to the curriculum to compare and contrast with The Big Bang Theory, but this did not pass. Trustee Hubert thought SBOE (State Board of Education) should make the decision. Therefore, Trustee Nelson has been working with SBOE on how to make this a reality for CISD and all of Texas. Really impressive. SBOE (State Board of Education) released Proclamation 2024 with requirements for new curriculums in the state of Texas. This proclamation included adding Intelligent Design to science to compare to The Big Bang Theory, and primate evolution language was removed. In addition, the proclamation does not allow for anti-energy, anti-Texan, or anti-American teaching.)
As already stated, Trustee Nelson barely slept after finally receiving the biology textbook on Monday, May 13th. She worked to prepare for the school board meeting the very next day on Tuesday, May 14th. I am beyond impressed with her work, and I expect that you will be as well. Before I begin to explain what Trustee Nelson found, I would first like to explain how the textbook works and how changes will be made.
The textbook in question is SAVVAS Biology. The printed copies are done, and due to the printer deadline, they cannot be changed. Every classroom will receive a set of five printed copies. The books are large and cumbersome to carry around, therefore every child is guaranteed a digital copy they can access freely. In the rest of this article, when a portion of the text is referred to as being “removed” it will be “turned off” on the digital copy, so students cannot see it when they are reading through the text. The information will still be in the printed textbook. The chapters in this textbook are called investigations and the smaller sections are called experiences.
The following information in the text was a concern. Some, but not all, of the concerning information is not in compliance SBOE Proclamation 2024. The content will be split into two categories. The first category is for when a concern is based on community values or presentation of misinformation. The second category is when the content does not comply with SBOE Proclamation 2024
Category 1: Concerning information
Investigation 8, experience 2
The concern is not about the entire investigation, but only one experience, experience 2, which speaks very favorably of GMOs. Trustee Nelson states at the board meeting that she is a 10-year stage 3 cancer survivor as well as president and founder of a nonprofit for breast cancer research. With this position, she has access to top cancer doctors in the world whom she contacted in preparation for this meeting. It is her belief that GMOs are not good, and the advice she was given by the experts was that GMOs are not safe. Furthermore, she quotes the AAP which states, “Glyphosate (Roundup), the principal herbicide used in the production in GMO crops has been classified by international research on cancer as probably carcinogenic to humans, meriting future studies.”
“There simply is not enough data for this textbook to take a stance, so I do not feel that this is factual and violates the TEC6 because it is not proven,” Trustee Nelson states at the board meeting on May 14th.
(A quick side note: Some readers may not know how GMO crops work. Many of these plants are designed to not die when glyphosate (Roundup) is sprayed on them, making weed control more cost effective. I believe this experience (section of text) is corporate propaganda similar to the video below calling out a Monsanto CEO’s bologna that Roundup is so safe you could drink it. Then he refuses to drink it on national television.)
Additionally, within this same experience there is discussion about Y chromosomes, and in that discussion, the text tells a story about how it was proven that Thomas Jefferson fathered a child with his slave, Sally Hemings, using Y chromosome DNA analysis. Trustee Nelson makes the argument that this story should be removed since this is a science textbook, and it is inappropriate to disparage a founding father in this way.
My thoughts: When a textbook drops a bomb like this in the middle of an investigation about Y chromosomes, this is Social Emotional Learning or SEL. The information is not comprehensively teaching about Thomas Jefferson and his life. Part of SEL is to give teachers of all subjects including Math and Science the opportunity to discuss with the students the worst of the history of our country. The purpose of SEL is to turn children into activists. This is Marxism, and four of your school board members voted for it.
Social Emotional Learning began originally to target at-risk kids. The idea was to pull them aside and help them learn individual responsibility and the skills to take responsibility for their social and emotional welfare in life with qualified professionals. This sounds pretty good right? This is then used to slip in the transformative piece. Eventually any child is at risk who might graduate without a critical consciousness, in other words developing a Marxist consciousness of the social and emotional themes happening in their lives. “The goal of using Transformative SEL is to use surveying, interviewing, and understanding the culturally relevant context of a student’s life, and then through a Freiren lens using that to induce a critical consciousness of their lived experience.” – James Lindsay
For more information about Social Emotional Learning and Paulo Freire, I recommend James Lindsay’s podcast, New Discourses, or Lindsay’s book, The Marxification of Education. Paulo Freire wrote the book Pedagogy of the Oppressed, an influential book in education.
A friend recently pointed out to me that there is a statement in the TEKS (Texas Essentials Knowledge and Skills) that opens the door to SEL:
(3) Students are expected to develop an awareness of self-identity as well as recognize multiple perspectives, differences, diversity, biases, and the social and cultural context in which they live.
Additional thoughts: Should the story of Thomas Jefferson fathering children with his enslaved servant, Sally Hemmings be taught in school at all? This is an interesting question that I have been grappling with. If it is told at all, it should certainly be told in History class, where a well-rounded picture of Jefferson can be taught. However, do we also plan to teach every other indiscretion of our founding fathers and other important public American government figures? Are we going to discuss John F. Kennedy’s torrid affair with Marilyn Monroe? Put this way, doesn’t it seem inappropriate and weird to focus on these men’s lives in this way in school?
Investigation 13
This investigation discusses COVID -19. Trustee Nelson disagrees with the chapter claiming that the COVID vaccine has been very effective in preventing the spread of the infection. I, the writer of this article, find it interesting that the textbook writers would write this since the vaccine has not only been a failure, but has caused great harm to many receiving it. Later in the meeting, Trustee Odenweller points out that in this same investigation the text not only touts the vaccines as “highly effective” (an impressive exaggeration) but that wearing masks prevents COVID-19, and we know now that they do not.
If you ask me, this looks like a political chapter when even Dr. Fauci is walking back his rhetoric about both the vaccines and masks. At the very minimum, the writers should have included additional information from scientists who disagree with these statements. Unfortunately, the authors seem to be stuck in 2020 and want to believe that the, “science is settled.” Recently the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit released a decision that the mRNA COVID-19 shot does not fit the traditional definition of a vaccine, further evidence that the science is in fact, not settled.
COVID-19 is covered elsewhere in the textbook.
Category 2: Not in compliance with SBOE Proclamation 2024
Investigation 9
This investigation discusses The Big Bang Theory and Darwin Theory. However, Intelligent Design was not included in the student textbook. It was only included in the Teacher Handbook. The district reached out to the publisher on Trustee Nelson’s request, and the publisher sent a letter stating that Intelligent Design will be added to the online version of the text. The printed books will not be changed. Teaching The Big Bang Theory without including Intelligent Design to compare is not in compliance with SBOE’s Proclamation 2024.
Investigation 10, experience 3
Trustee Nelson points out that, “This experience specifically mentions primate evolution, and SBOE took that out of the language they approved for proclamation 2024.” She further explains that the publisher did not include a letter that they would remove this portion, therefore the district would need to “turn it off” on the digital version of the text.
Investigation 16
In the SBOE’s Proclamation 2024, anti-energy, anti-Texan, and anti-American discussion is not allowed in student texts. However, in this investigation, Trustee Nelson points out that there is a graphic that shows the carbon footprint of the USA (huge), Great Britain (smaller), and “other countries” (really small.) Obviously, China and India are not included at all because their footprints would be huge, bigger than any country. This is dishonest and is not in compliance with SBOE’s standards. The publisher did not include this investigation in the letter as a portion that would be removed, so the district would need to “turn it off” on the digital copies.
The First Motion
The first motion with amendment was to adopt all the textbooks on the list except for the SAVVAS Biology textbook, as is. The SAVVAS Biology textbook would be adopted with all of the above discussed concerns removed from the online version. This motion failed.
Trustee Skeeter Hubert – NO
Trustee Theresa Wagaman – NO
Trustee Stacey Chase – NO
Trustee Datren Williams – NO
Trustee Melissa Dungan – YES
Trustee Tiffany Baumann Nelson – YES
Trustee Misty Odenweller – YES
The sections of the textbook that contained misinformation or did not meet community values were discussed as opinion, since it did not conflict with SBOE’s Proclamation 2024. Trustee Skeeter Hubert made the point that he did not believe that the board members could remove parts of the textbook based on their opinion. However, since the passages of concern contained opinion themselves, because unsettled science is, in fact, theory or opinion, then why do the authors’ preferred theories supersede the preference of our elected officials whom we hope will represent our community values?
The Second Motion
The second motion was to approve all materials except for the SAVVAS Biology textbook. The SAVVAS Biology textbook would be adopted with only the noncompliance with SBOE removed, which are investigation 9, investigation 10 – experience 3, and investigation 16. This motion passed.
Trustee Skeeter Hubert – YES
Trustee Theresa Wagaman – NO
Trustee Stacey Chase – NO
Trustee Datren Williams – NO
Trustee Melissa Dungan – YES
Trustee Tiffany Baumann Nelson – YES
Trustee Misty Odenweller – YES
Watching all this go down at the May 14th, 2024, Conroe ISD School Board Meeting was eye opening. I recommend you go watch. Dr. Upshaw presents the books at timestamp 1:56:29 and the discussion begins at timestamp 2:11:38. The video below is cued at the point that discussion begins.
After the vote, Trustee Williams calls this censorship. This is a typical elitist view that only the authors of the text are allowed to curate the content. Just like only librarians get a say in curating the library book collection. If they do it, it’s curation or editing; if a lowly school board member recommends changes, it’s censorship.
Sit down mom, you aren’t allowed an opinion.
Trustee Nelson is attempting to do the job we elected her to do. She is holding the district accountable to our community standards and the State Board of Education’s Proclamation 2024. I would also like to remind the reader that she went above and beyond by working with SBOE to make these standards a reality for all of Texas.
Meanwhile, the 3-4 left leaning school board members had not read the text at all. This was openly admitted in the board meeting. They had not done any research on what is and is not compliant with SBOE either. They seemingly arrived at the school board meeting that day ready to rubber stamp whatever the administrators wanted. We should remind them that their job is to provide accountability to the administration on behalf of the people, not to rubber stamp whatever the administration puts in front of them.
The Aftermath
The Houston Chronicle published a hit piece on Trustee Nelson entitled Thomas Jefferson. Sally Hemmings. And Conroe ISD. I give this nonsense four pinocchios since so much of it was fake news. The author, eager for the publicity to sell his book no doubt, took the greatest exception to removing the story about Thomas Jefferson fathering a child with Sally Hemmings. (Remember that removing this portion didn’t pass.) He completely misrepresents Trustee Nelson saying that she doesn’t believe that Jefferson fathered a child with his slave, Sally Hemmings. He goes on ranting throughout the article basing his arguments on this lie. Go watch the video if you haven’t already, you will see that she specifically states that the story is true, but it just doesn’t belong in a science textbook.
What is going on here?
In my research of this textbook, I learned that SAVVAS was the only biology textbook that did not include all of the changes from SBOE’s proclamation. Why did the committee select that one? All of these qualified employees with backgrounds in curriculum and content, and they select the one that isn’t in compliance? Did the district ignore Trustee Nelson’s work with SBOE on this matter?
Indeed, the administrators seemed to have been attempting to sneak this book in? Did they also choose to share the textbook’s availability for review on social media rather than directly contacting each board member with the option of sending them home with a set of books prior to the meeting? Interestingly, I was sitting right behind these administrator leaders as the board discussion was going on. They periodically looked at each other with disgust, seemingly annoyed as Trustee Nelson discussed her concerns. Trustee Nelson was nothing but professional, and I was appalled to see how she was being treated. She put in a lot of work over the past summer and school year going well above and beyond.
Conroe ISD teachers can socially transition your child without your knowledge.
Surprise! Did you know that? A little history: Way back during COVID (2020), CISD issued a policy that teachers were NOT ALLOWED to tell parents if their child was going by different name/gender/pronouns at school. A whistleblower came forward, and with the help of State Representative Steve Toth, the policy was removed. Now teachers can tell you if they want to, but did you know that if they don’t want to, they don’t have to?
Earlier in the meeting, during public comment, Rebecca Smith MA, LPC-S, read a letter to the school board that was signed by 10 local therapists including herself. In the letter she explained the dangers of hiding information from parents and therefore dividing the family. You can listen to her testimony here:
Later during public comment on the same day, a teenager came forward to talk about being transgender, stating that her mother rejected her over her transition. Her father accepts her. I think many may find it hard to believe that her mother “rejected” her. Most of us know by now that simply not going along with the social or medical transition is seen as “rejection” by this community, and children are encouraged to see this as rejection to drive a further wedge between parent and child. I will not link this testimony since it involves a minor.
The board arrives to this place on the agenda at 4:32:30, and you can watch it entirely here:
There is no policy.
Trustee Misty Odenweller brought this item to the agenda. She first makes the point that there is no policy or procedure, and this has been verified by Ms. Galatas. She then lays out the following concerns:
There is no policy at all or procedures about the following, this has been verified.
How bathrooms or locker rooms are used, if different from biological sex?
Pronoun requests and usage requirements, and parental notification of such requests if different from biological sex.
The usage of content in the classroom and instructional materials regarding to gender fluid issues.
There is no policy specifying when traveling, who is allowed to be housed together or not.
There is no required parental notification about their child using preferred pronouns or changing his/her name in order to socially transition at school. Teachers are simply allowed to affirm and participate without contacting the parents.
Trustee Odenweller is simply asking that they discuss writing a policy and put it in place in an effort to protect teachers, be sure parents are informed, and be consistent across the district.
Trustee Stacey Chase does not believe there is a problem so why make a policy? She wants us to believe that teachers are never pressured to use pronouns and students are never struggling with gender identity without their parents knowing to give them support and help.
Trustee Datren Williams calls the mama bears names and compares them to bullies in the 50s and 60s. This is interesting since he bullies these women every month. He then accuses them of banning history books which has never happened.
Trustee Skeeter Hubert wants to wait until the US Department of Education completes its investigation on Katy ISD over their recently passed gender policy. Then Trustee Dungan and Trustee Odenweller remind Trustee Hubert that what they are asking for is already state law, but they want to codify it into the district policy.
Trustee Theresa Wagaman is completely silent the entire time. She also left early before the hearing on the gender book Lily and Dunkin. Since the board never took any action, I wonder if she would be willing to put the book back on the agenda for a vote or at least take a stand for the book if that’s where she is? I cannot attend the board meeting next Tuesday but would be most grateful if any of my friends and readers would mention this during public comment.
What now?
Attend the next school board meeting.
The next school board meeting is Tuesday, June 18th, 2024. If you are unhappy about anything discussed here in this article, you could sign up for public comment.
Visit this link for more information Board Meeting Information – Conroe ISD
Share this article. Especially if you know parents whose kids are enrolled in the district, you can share this article with them to let them know what is going on with the school board.
November is coming!
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Written by Michele Nuckolls, a local homeschool mom who spends a lot of time in the public library with her kids.
Written on behalf of all the CISD parents and teachers who said, “I can’t say anything for fear of retaliation.”