Author: sherlockj
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No One in Virginia Schools is Licensed to Practice Social-Emotional Learning
by James C. Sherlock The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotion Learning defines SEL as: the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. It raises the question of who in the school…
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Some Virginia Black Children Have Restricted Access to In-Person Learning — But It’s Complicated
by James C. Sherlock I just spent a good bit of time researching the statewide return-to-school instructional schedules of 132 school districts (May 3 VDOE data) in order to determine if Black students are being disproportionately disadvantaged. They are, but the data show a very complex picture. The answers to “why and by whom?” get…
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Social Emotional Learning Standards Comments to VDOE Nearly 90% Negative
by James C. Sherlock There have been two Virginia Town Hall web pages on which Virginians have commented to the VDOE on the proposed Social Emotional Learning standards for Virginia public schools. If I counted correctly, the current tally on the two pages is 606 against and 64 in favor. And there is still time…
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Vertically Integrated Health Providers/Insurers – Weak State Oversight But New Federal Authority
by James C. Sherlock In the contest between Virginia’s disorganized attempts to oversee vertically integrated health care and health insurance businesses, Sentara being the most prominent example, and Virginia’s regional monopolies’ defenses against effective regulation and legislation, the monopolies have won. This piece discusses Virginia’s failed legislative and regulatory oversight structures. I will recommend structural…
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UVa Religion Faculty Hate Speech against Evangelical Christians
by James C. Sherlock Thirty percent of Virginians identify as evangelical Christians. So, one can never say that the University of Virginia, in targeting them with school-sponsored hate speech, doesn’t swing for the fences. Members of UVa Department of Religious Studies faculty have unloaded on white evangelicals in as wide-ranging and comprehensive an example of…
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VDOE Does Define Educational Equity as Equal Outcomes
by James C. Sherlock An African American Superintendent’s Advisory Council (AASAC) was formed by the Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2020. It is charged “to develop policy recommendations to advance African American students’ academic success and social emotional well being to inform VDOE priorities and strategies”. It has proven extremely influential. I have yet…
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Marx, White Moral Panic and a White Liberal’s Rosary
by James C. Sherlock A couple of days ago Dick Hall-Sizemore published CRT and Virginia History here. Dick is an excellent essayist. That one was the exception that proves the rule. He indicated early in the more-than-1,500 word piece that he would discuss “the legitimacy of this antagonism regarding CRT.” I actually looked forward to hearing…
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VDOE’s Radical Approach to SEL Far Exceeds Its Legislative Mandate
by James C. Sherlock Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane is running into fierce public resistance to draft SEL regulations. See the 409 comments so far. They overwhelmingly oppose what he has offered as a draft SEL instruction in his April 23 memo. The basic problem is apparent. The Board of Education/VDOE are citing laws for…
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VDOE to Take Over Child Care
by James C. Sherlock We have joined in a lot of discussions about the Board of Education and the Virginia Department of Education. I think it time that readers contemplate the vastly expanded role of both that happens on July 1 of this year. From that date, the Board of Education will be setting policy…
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Virginia Needs a Constitutional Amendment to Elect the Board of Education
by James C. Sherlock The Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) is by far the most powerful and consequential public board in Virginia. It is the only one whose Powers and Duties are defined in the Virginia Constitution. It was a mistake not to make the members of the Board with such vast and unconstrained powers…
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VDOE Regulation Officially Nonsensical
by James C. Sherlock I am a reasonably experienced and educated man, but sometimes I need help. I just read the Virginia regulation 8VAC20-23-190. Professional studies requirements for PreK-12, special education, secondary grades 6-12, and adult education endorsements. I know, you don’t have to say it. But anyway, I read it. The full regulation directs…
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Virginia’s Updated “Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students” Has Temporarily Disappeared
by James C. Sherlock Sometimes you just need to go to the documents to see what the Virginia Department of Education is up to. This example will tell you everything you want to know. Each agency proposing a new or revised regulation is required by Virginia law to post a “Proposed Agency Background Document” on…
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Fall Elections Threaten Northam’s Radical Education Team
by James C. Sherlock Politics is a contact sport, and the two people in the Northam administration most likely to be blindsided are Secretary of Education Atif Qarni and Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane. I say blindsided — they won’t see it coming — because the hits will come from their own team. This…
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Chesapeake Regional Medical Center Sues Sentara – Again
by James C. Sherlock A tip of the hat to my friends at Checks and Balances Project for alerting us to a new civil suit filed April 27 against Sentara by Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (CRMC). I will comment on Sentara’s response to the suit when it is available. The complaint alleges various instances of…
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VDOE Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards to Use Schools to Create New Leftists
by James C. Sherlock The Virginia Department of Education has posted — sort of — for citizen comment its draft Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards. (Please note: the link to the VDOE citizen comment page has been corrected.) These draft standards represent an overt attempt to turn school children into social justice warriors of the…