GOP legislator's push to regulate classroom speech fails
Source: Associated Press
Updated 5:49 am CST, Friday, March 1, 2019
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine Republican's bill that sought to ban teachers from discussing political or ideological advocacy with students has been unanimously rejected by a state legislative committee.
State Rep. Lawrence Lockman's bill sought to limit the types of classroom discussions teachers can facilitate and would have barred teachers from "endorsing, supporting, or opposing" court cases and presidential actions. The Bangor Daily News reports the bill faced strong opposition and was rejected Thursday by members of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Republican Rep. Gary Drinkwater says Lockman's bill was an overreach and any issues about classroom discussions can be handled at a local level.
Republican Rep. Heidi Sampson says the Maine School Management Association has agreed to send letters to school boards about discussing sensitive topics in classrooms.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/GOP-legislator-s-push-to-regulate-classroom-13654828.php
(Short article, no more at link.)
Rep. Lawrence Lockman
On edit, even more of that Lockman magic:
Rep. Lockman claims immigrant welcome centers part of a ‘War on Whites’
In a mass email sent on Tuesday, Maine State Representative Larry Lockman of Amherst used language advanced by the white supremacist movement to attack a bipartisan bill to assist recent immigrants in integrating into Maine’s workforce.
“There is too much at stake to let identity politics and the Left’s War on Whites rule the day,” wrote Lockman to supporters of his political organization, the New England Opportunity Project. “Our safety is at stake!”
The bill in question, sponsored by Republican Senator Roger Katz of Augusta and co-sponsored by Democratic and Republican Senators and Representatives, includes several measures to “attract, educate and retain” immigrant populations in the State’s workforce. It would increase funding for English-language education and launch a “Welcome Center Initiative” to expand adult education programs in regions of the state with immigrant populations or that have industries experiencing a shortage of trained workers.
. . .
Lockman often uses similar, incendiary language to attack immigration and immigrants but the phrase “war on whites” has a special meaning and resonance. It refers to a conspiracy theory, often articulated by white nationalist leaders like David Duke, that a genocide is being committed against people of European descent.
More:
http://mainebeacon.com/rep-lockman-claims-immigrant-welcome-centers-part-of-a-war-on-whites/
= new reply since forum marked as read
