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Archive for the ‘The New Normal’ Category

College Free Speech

Protesters shout before a 2017 speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, California. New polling finds that America’s college campuses are seen as far friendlier to liberals than to conservatives when it comes free speech. Polling from the University of Chicago and the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 47% of adult Americans say liberals are free to express their views on college campuses, while 20% said the same of conservatives. (Associated Press)

By COLLIN BINKLEY, JOCELYN GECKER and EMILY SWANSON | Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans view college campuses as far friendlier to liberals than to conservatives when it comes to free speech, with adults across the political spectrum seeing less tolerance for those on the right, according to a new poll.

Overall, 47% of adults say liberals have “a lot” of freedom to express their views on college campuses, while just 20% said the same of conservatives, according to polling from the University of Chicago and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Republicans perceive a stronger bias on campuses against conservatives, but Democrats see a difference too — about 4 in 10 Democrats say liberals can speak their minds freely on campuses, while about 3 in 10 Democrats say conservatives can do so.

“If you’re a Republican or lean Republican, you’re unabashedly wrong, they shut you down,” said Rhonda Baker, 60, of Goldsboro, North Carolina, who voted for former President Donald Trump and has a son in college. “If they hold a rally, it’s: ‘The MAGA’s coming through.’ It’s: ‘The KKK is coming through.'”

Debates over First Amendment rights have occasionally flared on college campuses in recent years, with conflicts arising over guest speakers who express polarizing views, often from the political right.

Stanford University became a flashpoint this year when students shouted down a conservative judge who was invited to speak. More recently, a conservative Princeton University professor was drowned out while discussing free speech at Washington College, a small school in Maryland.

At the same time, Republican lawmakers in dozens of states have proposed bills aiming to limit public colleges from teaching topics considered divisive or liberal. Just 30% of Americans say states should be able to restrict what professors at state universities teach, the poll found, though support was higher among Republicans.

Overall, Republicans see a clear double standard on college campuses. Just 9% said conservatives can speak their minds, while 58% said liberals have that freedom, according to the polling. They were also slightly less likely than Americans overall to see campuses as respectful and inclusive places for conservatives.

Read more here.

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Classroom 1

Iowa teachers will be banned from raising gender identity and sexual orientation issues with students through grade six, and all books depicting sex acts will be removed from school libraries, under a bill Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Friday.

The new law is among similar measures that have been approved in other Republican-dominated statehouses around the country. As with many of those proposals, Iowa Republicans framed their action as a commonsense effort to ensure that parents can oversee what their children are learning in school and that teachers not delve into topics such as gender and sexuality.

Despite the opposition of all Democratic legislators, Republicans who hold large majorities in Iowa’s state House and Senate approved the measure in April and there was little doubt that Reynolds would sign it; she had made issues related to gender identity and sexuality a focal point of her legislative agenda this year.

“This legislative session, we secured transformational education reform that puts parents in the driver’s seat, eliminates burdensome regulations on public schools, provides flexibility to raise teacher salaries, and empowers teachers to prepare our kids for their future,” Reynolds said in a statement.

Under the new law, school administrators also would be required to notify parents if students asked to change their pronouns or names. Religious texts will be exempt from the library ban on books depicting sex acts.

Democrats and LGBTQ groups argued that the restrictions would hurt children by limiting their ability to be open with teachers about gender and sexuality issues and to see their lives reflected in books and other curriculum.

The law’s passage was not a surprise, said Keenan Crow, director of policy and advocacy at the LGBTQ equality group One Iowa. “But we are still very disappointed by it.”

Read more here.

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Spec BOT

Our Village Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. The purpose is to certify the results of the April 4 election and to vote on Board responsibility assignments as follow:

  • John Carpenter Clarke: None
  • Laura Ekstrom: Environment, Roads & Bridges and Equestrian Commission
  • Darby Hills: Building & Zoning and Plan Commission
  • Jessica Hoffman: Health
  • David Riff: Municipal Buildings & Grounds and Public Safety
  • Thomas Straus: Finance, Insurance and Village Personnel

Also, President Cecola is nominating David Riff to be President Pro Tem.  A copy of tonight’s agenda can be viewed here.

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InkedNate

Barrington School District 220 hired longtime school administrator Nathaniel Rouse as the district’s first-ever director of equity, race and cultural diversity initiatives in August of 2020. Apparently, Rouse recruits Board of Education candidates HE (and presumably  his union) deems to be “sound” during school hours.

Posted Tuesday by CUSD 220:

“At the May 2 Barrington 220 Board of Education meeting, the new Board was sworn into office. New Board member Diana Clopton, along with re-elected Board members Barry Altshuler and Leah Collister-Lazzari, will all serve four-year terms on the Board.

Clopton and her husband moved to the Barrington area in 2011. They have two children who attend Prairie Campus and Station Campus. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign and a MBA from Northwestern University. Clopton currently works as an Associate Marketing Director at a bio-pharmaceutical company.”

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220 Admin

The District 220 Board of Education meets tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:

  • Approve Settlement (Abeyance) Agreement with Student A
  • Consideration to Approve Middle School SRO Contract
  • Consideration to Approve 5th Amendment to the BHS SRO Contract, and
  • Consideration to Approve Canvassing Completed by Cook County as a result of the April 4, 2023, School Board Election

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be livestreamed on the district YouTube channel.

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BEA

The real winners in Tuesday’s 220 Board of Education elections outcome.

In a contentious race that hit upon many of the culture war issues being debated across the country and drew the attention of national conservative groups and the state Democratic party, it was the candidate preaching unity who claimed the most votes Tuesday.

With provisional and late-arriving mail ballots left to be counted, Diana L. Clopton was the top vote-getter in the race for three seats on the Barrington Area Community Unit District 220 board, according to unofficial results.

Clopton received 4,100 votes, and incumbents Barry Altshuler and Leah Collister-Lazzari were in second and third, with 4,085 and 4,057 votes, respectively.

The race renewed heated debates in District 220 over COVID-19 mitigations and the placement of the controversial memoir “Gender Queer” on the shelves of the Barrington High School library.

The slate of Baldassano, Munson and Sheriff received support from the conservative 1776 Project PAC, which touts its opposition to critical race theory and anti-racism, and an endorsement from the national organization Moms for Liberty.

On the other side, the Democratic Party of Illinois — boosted by a $500,000 donation from Gov. J.B. Pritzker — supported Altshuler and Collister-Lazzari while accusing Baldassano, Munson and Sheriff of “pursuing an extremist agenda.”

Baldassano said Wednesday it was unfortunate that the campaign became swept up in the culture wars. She said she would have preferred the focus stay on students and their learning.

Read more here.

Related: “220’s Altshuler & Collister-Lazarri blocked Facebook members and deleted their comments throughout campaign,” Choose wisely at the polls,” “Two term District 220 Board of Education member Angela Wilcox endorses Katey Baldassano, Leonard Munson, and Matt Sheriff for 220 Board,” “Endorsements: Munson, Baldassano and Sheriff for CUSD 220 Board of Education,” “District 220 Board of Education candidates Katey Baldassono, Leonard Munson and Matt Sheriff share their vision,” “Parents at top-rated school expose pornographic books in IL school library (DISCRETION ADVISED),” “The District 220 Policy Committee has a lot on their plate tomorrow,” “Who’s minding Leah and Barry’s campaign finances,” “What 220 voters need to know continued, including our recommendations,” “What 220 voters need to know,” “220 Parents call BS!

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VBH 2023

UNOFFICIAL TOTALS:

  • DARBY HILLS: 568
  • JESSICA HOFFMAN: 585
  • JOHN CARPENTER CLARKE: 514

The results have us wondering if Dinky was out campaigning for votes, or if residents weren’t pleased with the Cecola Administration’s choice of Clarke to run for Village Board?  We should have an idea soon enough…

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Barry bitch

Barry Altshuler had his best “Resting Bitch Face” on display yesterday as he picketed with the other ‘Progressive’ candidates in downtown Barrington yesterday.  Altshuler and Collister-Lazzari have continuously blocked from their Facebook campaign pages any person who asked tough questions about their record.

Yesterday, prior to the Progressive Picket, Altshuler deleted dozens of comments from the one post left on his page with comments that disagree with or question his actions in his 4 years in office.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Altshuler and Collister-Lazzari since they’ve been on the District 220 Board of Education, it is they have no tolerance for differing views. Their opinions are always unwavering, no matter what experts in their fields opine, and that’s just wrong…

BA Permiss

Related: Choose wisely at the polls,” “Two term District 220 Board of Education member Angela Wilcox endorses Katey Baldassano, Leonard Munson, and Matt Sheriff for 220 Board,” “Endorsements: Munson, Baldassano and Sheriff for CUSD 220 Board of Education,” “District 220 Board of Education candidates Katey Baldassono, Leonard Munson and Matt Sheriff share their vision,” “Parents at top-rated school expose pornographic books in IL school library (DISCRETION ADVISED),” “The District 220 Policy Committee has a lot on their plate tomorrow,” “Who’s minding Leah and Barry’s campaign finances,” “What 220 voters need to know continued, including our recommendations,” “What 220 voters need to know,” “220 Parents call BS!

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BC Jeans

Barrington Hills President Brian Cecola (far left in wrinkled blue jeans) blamed residents for, “about 90% of car thefts in the Village,” due to their own negligence Wednesday.

Barrington-area leaders are emphasizing public safety, including through the adoption of technology to combat crime.

A recent spike in crime was among the topics discussed Wednesday when officials from nine communities gathered for the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual economic summit, the “State of the Greater Barrington Area.”

In the wake of last month’s thefts of several vehicles at Motor Werks of Barrington, and ensuing crashes that injured five, Barrington Village Manager Scott Anderson said police are having ongoing conversations with dealerships on crime prevention.

The village also plans to install license plate reading cameras at 12 locations in town, and the police department is part of an auto theft task force.

South Barrington was among the first communities in the Chicago region to install license plate reading cameras, Village President Paula McCombie said.

“We have 52 license reader cameras that we have had there for several years now. And that has really helped us to chase these guys out of town,” she said.

Barrington Hills Village President Brian Cecola noted that about 90% of the car thefts in the village are because residents are leaving their key fobs in the cars. He encouraged residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

“I know a lot of residents are hesitant, but they (officers) don’t mind the calls,” Cecola said.

Read more here.

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Flock

Barrington officials are expected to decide next month whether to purchase license plate-reading cameras like this one and install them at 12 locations in town. (Courtesy of Flock Safety)

Barrington police soon could have an additional tool at their disposal to help catch suspected criminals.

The village board is expected to vote Feb. 13 on a plan to install license plate reading cameras at 12 locations in town, where they would take snapshots of passing vehicles to capture their make and model, license plate information and any unusual or unique features.

Under the proposal, Barrington would sign a two-year, $70,250 contract with Atlanta-based Flock Group Inc. for the cameras, which are solar-powered, motion-activated and work in all weather conditions.

Police Chief David Dorn said the system would read the plate and, if the vehicle has been reported stolen or there is a warrant associated with it, a real-time text would be sent to a watch commander.

The Flock cameras also would be linked to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center federal and state hotlists, which are updated at least every 24 hours.

Read more here.

Editorial note: Cameras of this type are in use throughout our Village, and have been for some time.

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