What to call this thread?

[Shiftless2]

Texas superintendent resigns after trans student’s removal from ‘Oklahoma!’​

Story by Jo Yurcaba

Texas superintendent voluntarily resigned Wednesday after a transgender student was removed and later reinstated in a high school production of “Oklahoma!” — a case that sparked nationwide outcry amid a broader fight over trans rights.

The Sherman Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Superintendent Tyson Bennett at the end of a two-and-a-half hour closed special session Wednesday. Acting Superintendent Thomas O’Neal will continue to serve as interim superintendent until the board hires a new superintendent, the board said in a statement.

“The school district will continue to operate as normal in the best interest of students, staff and families,” the board said.

Last week, the board held a special meeting to discuss terminating Bennett but did not take any action, the Herald Democrat reported. At the end of the meeting, board member Brad Morgan said the district reached an agreement with Bennett. However, the details of the final resignation agreement were not made public.

Bennett did not immediately return a request for comment.

In March, the board voted to suspend Bennett with pay due to an investigation into the removal of trans student Max Hightower from Sherman High School’s production of “Oklahoma!” in October.

Phillip Hightower, Max’s father, told NBC News at the time that the family received a call from the principal soon after Max landed a starring role in the musical. The principal told them the school had adopted a new policy for “Oklahoma!” that barred students from playing roles that didn’t align with their assigned sexes at birth.


After local backlash and nationwide media coverage, the school changed course and said in a statement in November that there wouldn’t be a gendered casting rule but that the show would be edited down to be more “age appropriate.” However, the shortened version of the play would have cut Max’s solo, Phillip Hightower said at the time.

Phillip Hightower and dozens of other community members criticized the school’s decision at a Nov. 13 school board meeting, and the board voted unanimously to reinstate the original cast and script chosen for the production.

Following Bennett’s resignation, Phillip Hightower commended the board for choosing to “step up and advocate for ALL students.”

“I hope this is the beginning of changing the culture at Sherman Independent School District,” he said. “I hope that Max’s story inspires others to stand up against discrimination. Sometimes you gotta start some good trouble.”

SOURCE

 

[sear]

Texas superintendent resigns after trans student’s removal from ‘Oklahoma!’​

"The principal told them the school had adopted a new policy for “Oklahoma!” that barred students from playing roles that didn’t align with their assigned sexes at birth." #321

- wow -
"... a new policy ..."
That's a euphemism for targeted discrimination.

This story leaves me wondering about a "golden parachute" for the superintendent. Meaning this story raises more questions than it answers.

We do however get some reassurance here. In our current cultural climate of antagonism & instability it has become evident that bigotry is with us for perpetuity, an element of reliability in the chaotic churn of contemporary living. - well isn't that just special -

 

[Shiftless2]

"... a new policy ..."
That's a euphemism for targeted discrimination.

Especially since their first response was not to let Max sing but rather to run an "edited" version of the play that eliminated his solo.

 

[sear]

Texas superintendent resigns after ... #321​

"Whut wer you thankin'!" Dr. Phil

It's such a ridiculous scenario I can't even determine his intentions. Devious, self-serving? Well intended? To spare who? What?

 

[Shiftless2]

But we must protect the children

 

[sear]

"But we must protect the children" S2 #325

"But" ?

My perspective, we must protect the children. BUT !
That does not necessarily mean we should thwart their efforts to resolve a mis-match.
Instead, we are obliged to provide them the stabilizing influence of parental perspective (nascent wisdom).

The human mind, not the same as the human brain, matures slowly over decades.
And as the English & Math SAT demonstrate, aptitude can vary not only from one individual to another, but within any one individual.

As a general principle I try to avoid needlessly ringing any unringable bells. The more irreversible and consequential, the more important the responsible application of this principle becomes.

Bottom line, exercise reasonable caution when facing these decisions.

 

[Shiftless2]

Nothing "reasonably cautious" about those anti-trans bills.

 

[sear]

"Nothing "reasonably cautious" about those anti-trans bills." S2 #327

We're not addressing the attitude of an individual here. So it's difficult to accurately depict it as a single category of motivation.

My personal opinion:
a substantial (primary?) component of it is a blend of personal contempt / disdain, along with the thrill of authoritarianism, imposing will upon defenseless others.
However I can't rule out the possibility there's also some concern for the welfare of minors.

After all, we're not merely addressing a "life-changing" issue here, literally a gender-changing issue. Such major decisions might otherwise best be left to the individual in adulthood. In this case that's rather more an additional problem than a practical solution.

That along w/ some such decisions may lead to irreversible consequences, involving minors, that can affect the rest of their lives.

For those reasons among others, we're lucky to have a clear-headed champion of those at risk.
Not sure whether you perceive yourself to be a civil-rights advocate, let alone a hero. It seems many heroes acknowledge their own conduct, but may not consider it heroic.
Perhaps we can split the baby, and merely acknowledge you're ahead of the curve.

"Nothing "reasonably cautious" about those anti-trans bills." S2 #327

Almost nothing "reasonably cautious" about those anti-trans bills?

 

[Shiftless2]

 

[sear]

"Trans History Week 2024" #329

#329 is fine. But it's anecdotal. I suspect a statistical analysis might be substantially more impressive.

Specifically on Dr. Barry:
Hand-washing removes or kills pathogens too small to be seen with unaided human eye.

We are lucky to have such scientists, able to deduce, to metaphorically see the unseen. Thank you Dr. Barry.

Dr. Barry "the first European doctor to perform a successful C-section" #329

I gather the original C-section was fatal to the mother. The viable infant was cut out of the mother, at cost of mother's life.
Saving both mother, & child, impressive. Thank you Drs. Barry, & many others.

 

[Shiftless2]

J.K. Rowling Used to Want to Debate Gender. Now She Just Insults Trans People​

The once-beloved children's author seems unable to think about anything besides policing gender
BY MILES KLEE

“YOU’VE SEEN NOTHING yet,” tweeted Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling on Sunday. She was responding to another X user who had told her, “Your downfall is so sad,” a reaction to her continued attacks on transgender people. Rowling promised that worse was in store. “Wait til I hit rock bottom. It’s going to be spectacular,” she wrote.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789683368289874268

This prediction, and much of what Rowling has said of late, are altogether in keeping with what denizens of X (formerly Twitter) refer to as “Meltdown May,” a month-long season when, for whatever reason, online personalities seem more inclined to self-destructive behavior. Yet for Rowling this is just the next stage of a mounting extremism that has come to overshadow her groundbreaking writing career.

Since 2018, Rowling has shown an affinity for ...

CONTINUED

 

[sear]

J.K. Rowling #331​

I sincerely hope my #332 doesn't seem dismissive. It's intended not to be.
Certainly a contemptuous attitude to a vulnerable minority must be cause for alarm to us all. Why?
Human history is awash in alarming reasons.

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." Thomas Paine

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out- because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me." pastor Martin Niemöller commenting on the Nazi holocaust

BUT !!
It is imprudent to victimize ourselves.
That in no way is intended to justify ignoring peril.

But it acknowledges there's a difference between effective counteraction and self-destructive, pointless anxiety, an argument for the serenity prayer:

the Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

nix illigitimi carborundum ?

 

[Shiftless2]

 

[sear]

Sophie LaBelle #333

Plausible among fiscal conservatives.
Implausible among Republicans.

Thus:
Republicans not true fiscal conservatives. Perhaps Republicans not political conservatives in any substantive way.
Could be true of Democrats. Is that because Democrats are more fiscally conservative than Republicans? Or merely because Democrats are more politically conservative than Republicans, Democrats favoring smaller, less intrusive, less authoritarian government?

 

[Shiftless2]

Some years ago I did see a similar argument applied to smoking (if memory serves correctly it was by a European politician but don't remember who). The argument was that the increased medical costs due to smoking would be more than offset by the savings in pensions due to shortened life expectancies.

 

[sear]

"Some years ago I did see a similar argument applied to smoking (if memory serves correctly it was by a European politician but don't remember who). The argument was that the increased medical costs due to smoking would be more than offset by the savings in pensions due to shortened life expectancies." S2 #335

Years ago there was similar cost : benefit analysis regarding Social Security solvency.
iirc the argument was:
government was spending money for PSA to discourage tobacco smoking. And if successful, these PSA would extend the lives of seniors on Social Security, thus increasing the SS $cost burden.

Splendid.
The answer is not to prohibit tobacco.
The remedy is to privatize Social Security, so that it can never bankrupt itself, or the government that administers it. A pyramid scheme is not rendered more stable simply because it's government run.

 

[Shiftless2]

The remedy is to privatize Social Security, so that it can never bankrupt itself, or the government that administers it. A pyramid scheme is not rendered more stable simply because it's government run.

It's too late - the combined funding shortfall for Social Security and Medicare is somewhere north of $150 Trillion (yes, that's with a "T"). The official US national debt is a fraction of that (and the national debt specifically excludes that shortfall). And that's not counting the funding shortfalls for state and municipal pensions - we've already seen municipalities declare bankruptcy because they can't afford their pension liabilities.

But how does privatizing Social Security solve the problem? Sooner or later the privatized program will run out of money and then the pensioners are SOL.

 

[sear]

Joke now, serious later:

"Sooner or later the privatized program will run out of money and then the pensioners are SOL." S2 #337

George Takei has solved this SOL (speed of light) problem, warp drive: "Warp factor two Mr. Sulu!"

my bad
I'll get serious later.

 

[sear]

#337
Regarding the U.S. federal entitlement programs currently bankrupting the country:

"It's too late - the combined funding shortfall for Social Security and Medicare is somewhere north of $150 Trillion (yes, that's with a "T"). The official US national debt is a fraction of that (and the national debt specifically excludes that shortfall). And that's not counting the funding shortfalls for state and municipal pensions - we've already seen municipalities declare bankruptcy because they can't afford their pension liabilities.
But how does privatizing Social Security solve the problem? Sooner or later the privatized program will run out of money and then the pensioners are SOL." S2 #337

That's bad.
Real bad.
We're not going to solve this problem with any solution as appealing as a B.J. & a 6-pack.

#1) Stop making it WORSE !
Simply making participation voluntary could help reduce the long-term liability. I understand. Benefits are paid out on basis NOT of past revenues (they're already $gone), but on continuing contributions.
The swindlers that introduced this system pretended that was viable, back when the contributors outnumbered beneficiaries 6:1.

They no longer do.

#2) You're PRECISELY right about the current insolvency. BUT !!
IRA / 401k have no such problem. Therefore:

#3) Migrate from the bad thing, to the good thing as painlessly as possible. BUT !
Bear in mind:
the longer we substitute problem solving with hand-wringing, the problem only grows worse.

I understand:
there is an insurance-like component to SS which IRA lacks. SPLENDID !

Destitution isn't much better in the 3rd millennium than it was in the 2nd.
But I remain wary of the Ben Cartwright model of federal governance. Writing unlimited benevolence & generosity is easy for commercial television script writers. Different story for federal entitlements.

Seems to me the appropriate role of government is less to help its citizens, and more to empower citizens to help themselves.

These entitlement programs are MONUMENTALLY disempowering.

AND

While you may well share my skepticism of formal religions, we're stuck with them, and their eternal tax exemptions.
They used to help earn their keep with attending to the destitute, before Uncle Sam elbowed them aside.
That was a mistake.

The current system can be criticized.
So can any other system that replaces it.

My proposal addresses the pyramid scheme. Failing to shut that down simultaneously perpetuates it. I continue to believe that remains a real, real bad idea.

It grows worse daily.

 

[sear]

It's Friday. Not just a good Friday, perhaps a little better than usual.
PBS NewsHour broadcast a segment on same sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy in the United Methodist Church.
I may be as skeptical as many an atheist about a talking serpent, or a pregnant virgin.
But I'm also aware a community church can be a positive influence. This evening's broadcast shines a glimmer of hope regarding this church's policy on same sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy.

"The [United Methodist] Church is becoming aware of who god is ... " clergywoman Reverend Valerie Jackson, lead pastor at Park Hill United Methodist Church

Commenting on this, a UMC spokeswoman:

"... we are claiming we are a church where everyone belongs. We are a church with open hearts, open minds, and open doors."

And now,
back to horrible:
- Trump
- Republicans
- death
- taxes

Have a nice weekend.