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UNIONS, THE CDC, LET’S HEAR IT FOR SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK, #FUNDFAMILIES and more

UNIONS & BIDEN vs THE CDC. Not only did the Chicago Teachers union defy the school board's order to open the schools so kids can learn, hundreds of districts, including Fairfax County, VA have said that even with vaccinations their teachers won't go back. Of course that contradicts the latest from the CDC. The stunning support these entities have been given by the new Biden Administration is unacceptable, let alone the lack of serious national media criticism.

A PICTURE TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS. This pic with the First Lady and both union bosses, from AFT Union Boss Randi Weingarten's Twitter feed last week. The payback continues.

WHICH IS WHY WE NEED SCHOOL CHOICE! From a few hundred events in 2011 to 33,000 events involving thousands of students ten years later, the show of force for the annual "School Choice Week" is not only a sign of the times but of the importance and permanence of a basic, fundamental civil right — the right to have excellence, equity in education guided by one’s own

choice, not one’s zip code. This week marks the world’s largest celebration of opportunity in education, complete with its own dance. But aside from the fun, it’s time to get policymakers and pundits serious about the critical need to put kids, not adults first. Speaking of which...

#FUNDFAMILIES (not failure). CER’s latest initiative to ensure that a parent’s constitutionally protected right to direct the education of their children becomes a reality for millions more, #FundFamilies (not failure) brings together a tapestry of diverse voices and remedies and is intended to help educate, drive the conversation and give the ultimate educational power to parents — not politicians. When education works for kids, we’re all happy. When it doesn't we need to act with urgency.

TEACHERS ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS… Time for them to start acting like it, says a Washington Post opinion piece today. Welcome to the chorus; guess it’s better late than never.

TEACH HISTORY, SAVE DEMOCRACY? The latest Reality Check w/Jeanne Allen features an in-depth discussion of the issues surrounding how and why teaching civics and history may hold the key to saving our Democratic Republic. As scholar Jeffrey Sikkenga of The Ashbrook Center recalls from John Adams, “Our Constitution was made only for a

moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other…” Bob Woodson of The Woodson Center also spoke of the “structure of our government” and our laws being “only as good as the values and practices that we bring” to it. Look in your Podcast App for this latest episode!

CAN WE REUNITE AMERICA? With a Silicon Valley twist, GSV Founder Michael Moe offers a unique perspective about how we might begin to look at our differences, coming out of his experience as a young man of divorced parents. “A funny thing started to happen as I was toggling between the two communities. I was bumping into the Edina jerks around town... at my siblings' ball games, restaurants, church, gas stations, etc.....and started to think they weren’t so bad. I actually started hanging out with some of them and having them over to the house to play poker.” Moe, who also happens to Chair CER’s Board, goes on to explain how this all ties into what we do and expect from one another today.

TAKE A STEP TOWARD REUNITING at the National Forum On Education Equity, hosted by Stride, Inc. and CER’s own Kevin Chavous. Taking place on Wednesday, February 3rd, registration is free for this timely discussion on racial and education equity in America.