As Maine’s Democrats resist efforts by the federal government to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) ideology and radical gender education from schools, the Legislative Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs held a hearing on Wednesday for a bill that would increase transparency of public schools for parents seeking more information about what their children are being taught.
“Like many of you, I have watched as parents across Maine——and the country——have become more engaged in their children’s education over the past few years. Whether through school board meetings, curriculum reviews, or simply helping with homework during the pandemic, more and more families have begun asking an important question: What exactly is being taught in our schools, and how do we ensure accountability in that process,” said Rep. Elizabeth Caruso (R-Caratunk) testifying on her bill.
“This bill is not about restricting what can be taught. Rather, it’s about ensuring that what has been approved through proper channels is faithfully delivered. It’s about empowering parents not by removing choices, but by giving them access to the information they need to be full partners in their child’s education,” she added.
The bill, LD 660, An Act to Provide Transparency and Public Access to Public School Curricula, drew co-sponsorships from nine other Republican representatives, but received no Democratic support.
Caruso’s proposed law instructs school boards to institute policies ensuring that approved curriculum is implemented in classrooms without changes, allowing parents to trust that the curriculum they have reviewed is really what their children are being taught.
If enacted, schools would not be permitted to base their curriculum or class offerings on the immutable traits of students, families, or communities, such as race or sex, or other data such as psychological information or emotional problems.
Curriculum and course offerings would also adhere to the purpose of education laid out in the Maine State Constitution, and must “disseminate the knowledge needed to ensure the rights and liberties of United States citizens in the state.”
Caruso’s bill mandates that school districts add at least three years’ worth of data on total school capacities, the number of enrolled students by grade level, academic subjects, and percentage level of student proficiency in those subjects based on state assessment scores.
If the bill passes, parents will be able to access more information on the people educating their children.
The bill requires that all training materials and programs for teachers and school administrators paid for with state funds be fully transparent. School districts would have to make any training program materials and videos available free of charge on their websites. The public would be allowed to attend the training courses for teachers. Training courses would be publicly listed, and notification must be given 30 days in advance to allow parents the opportunity to attend.
Also, the training classes would be recorded and posted online for at least three years to allow parents to see how their children’s teachers are being trained.
Under its provisions, each school administrative unit will create a single, easily accessible online portal where all curriculum, training materials, and the costs of speakers and guests used for the professional development of teachers can be readily accessed by a third-party contractor.
The Maine Principals Association (MPA) opposed the increased transparency measures and submitted testimony against the bill.
“This bill places unrealistic and rigid requirements on schools and educators, undermining their ability to provide individualized instruction that meets the evolving needs of students,” said the MPA.
“Requiring schools and teachers to publicly post three years of curriculum without change is simply not feasible. Education is dynamic–curriculum, instructional materials, and teaching approaches evolve based on new research, student needs, and community priorities,” they added.
The Maine American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) joined in opposing the bill, claiming that it is not really about transparency at all and that it intends to police what can be taught, despite the sponsor specifically denying that during her testimony.
“So-called ‘curriculum transparency’ bills, introduced in the Maine Legislature and across the nation aim, are not really about transparency at all: they are efforts to micromanage what can be discussed and taught in schools. This type of legislation has a chilling effect on educators’ ability to teach and engage with their students in a meaningful way,” said the organization.
The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) also opposed the bill, at the same time that they face a federal investigation for allegedly concealing children’s gender transitions from parents.
[RELATED: U.S. DOE Investigates Maine Schools Over Secret Gender Transitions…]
“Requiring that curriculum be implemented without change is contrary to effective teaching. Educators must be able to adjust materials and instructional strategies to meet the diverse and evolving needs of their students. Mandating a static curriculum not only limits this flexibility but also disregards professional judgment of teachers and the adaptive nature of high-quality instruction,” said the department.
The Maine Policy Institute’s Harris Van Pate testified in favor of the bill, supporting an increase in transparency for parents across the state.
“LD 660 does not seek to micromanage classroom instruction. Instead, it affirms a
fundamental principle: that curricula approved by school boards—the people’s
representatives—should be faithfully implemented and made accessible for review.
Likewise, state-funded training programs for educators should not be hidden from the
public eye. If the public is paying for it, the public deserves to see it,” he said.
“Parents are too often forced to resort to Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests just to understand what materials are used in the classroom, who is brought in as a guest speaker, or what ideologies are being introduced under the guise of professional development. LD 660 would end that cat-and-mouse game,” he added.
No work session has yet been scheduled for the bill, though the Republican bill appears unlikely to pass through the Democrat-controlled legislature.
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A chilling effect is exactly what is needed on these so-called educators. Teachers need to be policed for how they “teach and engage with their students in a meaningful way” because parents object to the sexual exploitation of their children. The parents disagree with the emphasis on fake research and hoaxes, fringe community priorities, fear mongering and disruptive students “rights” over reading, writing, math, real science and real history. In the 70’s Maine students were consistently 1st and 2nd in America and now we are 46th. As a triple taxpayer in our state I am outraged at the amount of taxpayers money being squandered in education with ZERO value to prepare the kiddos for successful survival in the world today.
It is a sad day in Marxist Maine when the transparency of public educators and education must be legislated. School is not a safe place for our children. And we send them anyway…..
Well if the teachers union and ACLU are against it then it must be the right choice for parents. They do not want you to know how prevalent the grooming is, not to mention what they are not teaching. Just look at the test scores and you can see public education in Maine is a failure.
Easy fix…Just put cameras in every classroom so parents can log-in and view in real time what’s going on. Think the teachers union would approve of this idea?
I would appreciate a copy of the teachers lesson plan at the beginning of each class year, and any changes to it as well.
This will not pass. It goes against what the hypocrites want.
Has the Maine Principles Association engaged the Portland law firm of Drummond Woosum to work on this for them? Asking for a friend.
They should be learning Reading History and Math/science.
What would we expect from these twinky little girls from UM Farmington who major in construction paper poster skills , decorating their dorm room , and how to puke wine coolers
It’s all about Diversity Equity and Inclusion , and nothing about the three Rs .
Kids today learn what the state wants them to , and here in Maine it isn’t much .
I’d like to see a rule that any parent can attend any class on a space available basis.