News
By George Miller & Michael Hernandez, 5-21-24
Quick Summary of May 20 Hearing
CDF (Citizens Defending Freedom) Executive Director Jack Knocke presented case to the NCSD Board of Education, General Counsel Brett Steger and hearing officer Sharyl Wilkes Wood against proposed new Savvas Social Studies (World History & World History Honors) textbook, based on claims of content inaccuracy, bias, Wokeism (SEL, gender ID and much more), privacy and more. He also questioned objectivity of appointed hearing officer Wood.
Asst Supt. Durham countered with: District and state followed the process, book is on the state approved list, it passed district vetting, therefore, your objections have no basis vs. the objection process. He did not dispute CDF’s claims orally, but opined that those are irrelevant. The written materials he delivered did contain rebuttals of CDF’s arguments.
Knocke countered with assertion that multiple state statutes would be violated with the adoption of the book and that those should also be considered, not just the sketchy criteria on the objection form provided.
Next, Hearing officer will evaluate, make recommendation to School Board, then another hearing and vote follows.
Meeting video, compliments of Citizens Defending Freedom:
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Background
As written here previously in one news article and multiple opinion and press release articles, the Nassau County School District wants a new Social Studies/World History textbook, which includes voluminous and dynamically changing online content and reference materials, as well as evaluation and student tracking systems.
Civic organization Citizens Defending Freedom, which has an announced Christian Conservative orientation, cited multiple objections to the book and accompanying materials. They filed an objection to the selection and the school district held a hearing on it Monday May 20 to hear CDF objections and to make an initial response.
Citizens Journal tried to get the District take on it in advance, but was met with a wall of silence. However, the district subsequently and quickly met our request to Asst. Supt. Mark Durham for the materials he gave the Board at the hearing. We also received a position statement by District Superintendent Kathy Burns, shown later in this article.
Full disclosure: We see much of the merits of the CDF argument and wrote an opinion article agreeing with much of it recently. Co-author Mr. Miller also heard the District’s rather brief argument at the hearing and can see how/why they came to where they are now. Today, our job is to fairly show both sides’ positions- and we will.
District Counsel Brett Steger explained about the complaint, the hearing procedure and what will happen next… The district received a complaint from CDF about the Savvas World History text per the district textbook procedure, prepared a response and scheduled a hearing for the complainant and district to testify, call witnesses and cross-examine, if needed. Public comment was not permitted. Steger said that would be permitted after the hearing officer studied the materials, heard/studied the cases and made her recommendation. Then another meeting would be scheduled, with more discussion, public comments and a vote taken
Hearing officer Sharyl Wood was introduced by Supt. Burns as someone with many years of experience in education- teaching and administration positions up to school principal, in the Tampa area and locally, now retired, unbiased and qualified. Search
CDF Complaint
Upon being given the podium, CDF Nassau County Executive Director Jack Knocke immediately challenged Supt. Burns description of hearing officer Sharyl Wood as objective and unbiased, even as he conceded her “enormous qualifications,” as described by Dr. Burns.
We asked around and found several of Ms. Wood’s social media postings which suggested hostility to some of organized religion and “binary” gender identification. Just two examples, below:
Here’s a comment by her on Dave Scott’s 11-23-23 blog:
Sharyl Wood – 10. Nov, 2023 –
“Dave,
You may need to do more research into the idea that “A man is a man and, a woman is a woman.” While that is true for the vast majority of people, there are actually dozens of conditions that may cause gender to be less than certain in an individual. It’s estimated that the incidence of gender dysphoria is 0.5 to 1.3% of the population. To bring this into terms of our own county, which has a population of close to 100,000, that would be in the neighborhood of 500-1,300 people. Do a little research and you’ll find that yes, there are some people that aren’t clearly male or female, and it’s not just in their heads. As with any individual’s circumstances, it’s unkind and wrong to discriminate against someone because they’re different or to overlook, dismiss, or even condone, hatred and violence toward an individual because they aren’t what you think they “ought” to be.”
Omitted is that up to 20% of students polled (not a Nassau poll) are now saying they have other gender identifications. Unless there has been a massive genetic shift in recent years, this is likely attributable to the massive trans sell job. It is unclear why merely questioning this constitutes “hate,” although there have been cases of harassment/violence nationally.
Some points from Knocke’s presentation (watch the video above if you want to hear everything) and much text from his complaint follows. Some were mentioned and others were only in written form….
“Tonight’s decision is a huge decision for Nassau County. I accept that the State has approved these textbooks. But let’s look at the evidence. The buck stops here. You make the decision.”
Knocke spoke for well over an hour highlighting objections from the Citizens for Defending Freedom website. See: https://www.counties.citizensdefendingfreedom.com/fl-nassau/resources/2024-social-studies-textbook-adoption-challenge-savvas-learning-llc/
Mr. Knocke believes that the entire line of Savvas textbooks should be refused, due to certain built-in biases of the company, some of its key partners and the products, which he proceeded to give examples of. He has made the point multiple times that the district is not required to select from the approved list and can choose up to 50% of the book budget for non-approved materials. If Knocke is correct, it is interesting that books would be on the approved list which also violate other state statutes, have major factual inaccuracies, present unproven theories as fact and fail to show competing theories.
He also disputed Mr. Durham’s claims that CDF had provided no specific examples and that their points were not on the list of allowable objections. He rattled off quite a few items from his materials and linked them to violations of specific statutes.
SPECIFIC TEXTBOOK Objections from Citizens Defending Freedom
“Objection from Florida World History Interactive, Regular & Honors (Course Group) NEW objection form to fill out
Link to Flip Page Textbook Florida World History Interactive, Regular & Honors (Course Group)“
“Online dynamic resources not available for review:
- NBC News – NBC Learn myStory videos and Essential Questions
- SAVVAS Realize Online reviews 1.25 stars,
- Constitutional Rights Foundation
- Interactive Social Studies
- Connections to Today
- Quest
- SAVVAS Project Imagine (facts or imagined history?)
- World History Interactive
- Active Classroom Strategies
- Comparing Viewpoints
- Mastery System
- Interactive Primary Sources
- BOUNCE to activate videos
These interactive resources were not available for review.
NBC News – Page 5 – In collaboration with NBC News –NBC Learn mysteries –
multiple occurrences throughout textbook. None were available to review.
Project Imagine – Page vi (8 on the flipbook) …instead of teaching about wars, the textbook seeks to teach “When is war justified?” Students are not supposed to be “imagining” history, but should be learning historical facts.
Page 110 BOUNCE to Activate Gallery is not active to read/review
Page 110 GO ONLINE to access digital course not active to read/review
Page 2 (Flipbook page 87) that says “Lucy is 3,000,000 years old and “Neanderthals disappeared 50,000 years ago.” There is absolutely no proof that there were humans, a hominid or any form of humans were on earth this many years ago.
Page 440 – flip book page 522
Notable industrial revolution dates Communist Manifesto and Charles Darwin Origin of Species
How are these 2 of the 4 most notable industrial revolution dates?”
At this point Hearing Officer Sharyl Wood interjected to disagree with Mr. Knocke, saying she believed that these were relevant to the Industrial Revolution and that Marxism related to the workforce’s attitude toward their work. She did not explain how that was so or why this was one of the top key aspects of the Industrial Revolution. Knocke disagreed and said the Industrial Revolution referred to major changes in technology and organization that greatly increased productivity and were almost totally omitted (ed. note: except for steam power). He wondered why it didn’t also cite Capitalism, which he felt more greatly enabled it. She did not frame a response to this.
He thought overall that there was much DEI and racist content in the book. He has told the FL Dept. of Education that. He said that some of the content was only recently made available and some is still not available.
After the meeting, he told us that he was only able to review part of the massive 1100 page tome with even more on-line material, in the very short objection time window permitted- just what he uncovered should be more than enough to disqualify it and there is much more. He said it is inappropriate, inaccurate and unscientific, in that unproven theories are presented as factual without development of opposing viewpoints. He cited state statutes 1006.312 and 1006.40 as being violated by the book.
“Page 901 flip page 983 provides credence to Global Warming and Climate Change which have not been proven scientifically. These are political terms. Refers to these terms as “shared consensus”. A textbook should be teaching facts and not politically shared consensus.
Page 918 Textbook asks students to use report from World Resources Institute (WRI) (formerly The New Climate Economy). Globalist reporting claims fossil fuels are the root of “climate change” and goes on about international globalist initiatives to eliminate fossil fuels. This is not accurate information but is sourced from International NGOs supporting globalist policies. Facts and figures should be presented in textbooks and not politically charged, globalist political policies.”
“BELOW ARE REFERENCES TO SAVVAS Learning/Pearson corporate guidelines, strategic partnerships that are of grave concern for a public academic setting.
SAVVAS Editorial guidelines
PEARSON RELEASES RACE AND ETHNICITY EDITORIAL GUIDELINES TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC RACISM IN EDUCATION
The guidelines will inform Pearson’s broader Global Editorial Policy that will be re-released later this year with enhanced standards for content relating to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religion and disability.
Specifically, the guidelines identify five main challenges that are commonly highlighted in academic sources including: underrepresentation of minorities, exaggerated negative associations, limited positive associations, missing stories, and the idea that disadvantages are personal, rather than systemic.
“The guidelines produced represent a cultural shift in publishing that attempts to center race and racial equality at its core,” said Dr. Arday. “Pearson’s commitment to changing the racialized dynamics of publishing and the contents of its books, speaks to a boarder need for the educational publishing industry to disrupt how bodies of knowledge are presented with regards to texts and learning resources.
Similar guidelines for content relating to gender, LGBTQ+ and disability from Pearson employee resource groups will inform the Global Editorial Policy and advance Pearson’s commitment to being a fully inclusive and diverse organization that reflects the communities it serves. Link to full article“
“SAVVAS Learning, LLC concerns with vendor promotion of radical agendas
So, when the publishing giant’s editorial guidelines say that the company will make radical ideas, such as “antiracism,” “colorism,” “colonial discourse,” “genderism,” and “intersectionality,” part of everything it does, parents should know what this influential publisher is producing for students and adults everywhere.
Local, state, and federal K–12 education officials, as well as federal hiring managers across the U.S. government, must be aware of the radical race-related and “gender”-related content produced by Pearson because such materials may violate state and federal civil rights laws by promoting unlawful discrimination.
The publisher’s editorial content guidelines booklet, which provides information on Pearson’s priorities for the content created or published by Pearson, states a commitment to “anti-bias, anti-racism, and social equity in any content we produce” (emphasis added).
Pearson commits to “embedding” these woke concepts in “teaching and learning.”
Pearson wants consumers of its materials to be social justice warriors: “We go beyond representation and strive to practice principles of social equity. Within this, we intend to create products and services that impact learners’ engagement in social justice.”
Pearson, however, has produced material to train students and teachers to have “meaningful conversations” about race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+, equity, gender, and disability.18 Pearson, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources.”
A book featured among Pearson’s DEI resources—Sociology: Structure and Change—promotes the use of gender identity over biological sex to describe individuals. The book approvingly cites the work of Alfred Kinsey, a trained zoologist who used poorly designed research methods in an attempt to prove that children of all ages can benefit from sexual activity. Link to full article“
“SAVVAS – LITERACY + SOCIAL STUDIES = EMPOWERED CITIZENS VIDEO
This 1-hour video shows the methodical process SAVVAS uses to incorporate “critical” thinking skills into their curriculum. This is code word that you will hear in the video. You may remember Critical Race Theory and other “critical” theories that have nothing to do with academics. This video suggests that children should be “critically literate” and “literate citizens”. Link to full video here.
Pearson (SAVVAS) partners with Tavistock and Portman in the UK – the largest provider of transgender services in England.
The Tavistock has been accused of forcing racist ideology on students, with lectures such as “Whiteness – A Problem of Our Time”, and is currently being sued for discrimination on the basis of race and religion.
SAVVAS/Pearson Gender Spectrum Conference – CHAMPION SPONSOR
Gender Spectrum is an organization that promotes a “gender inclusive” world for children and youth. Other prominent sponsors included Align Surgical, Transgender Law Center, PFLAG, Gender Confirmation Center, and many others.”
“Here are the official online Nassau School District textbook adoption schedule and links to flip books to review. They only posted in “MS word format”. (Note: Flipbook links DO NOT have links to dynamic online materials from 15 aligned vendors including NBC News)
2024-2025 Updated Social Studies and Science Textbook Adoption Timeline.docx (30 KB)
2024-2025 Social Studies Instructional Materials Adoption Recommendations 1 (4).docx (24 KB)
2023-2024 Science Textbook Adoption 1 (2).docx (29 KB)
Links to relevant Florida Statutes supporting grounds for complaint. HB7, 1006,28, 1006.38, 1006.29, 1003.41, 1003.42, 6A-7.0710, 6A-1.094121
Link to objection form.“
“Exhibits Presented to Nassau County School Board with Knocke Comments:
Exhibit C: Documentary Links
“One simple dynamic link takes us to a 77-page document on climate action justice…These are globalist extremist groups seeking to create activists who are children.”
Exhibit G: Climate Change
“To say that eliminating fossil fuels is at the root of climate change is not accurate scientifically.
Exhibit I: Online Rating Score
“One Savvas rating is 1.3 stars out of 5.0 concerns nationalism and patriotism in the 1890s and then these concepts are linked to a powerful country…Germany.”
Exhibit J: Artificial Intelligence
“Knewton is the deliverer of social emotional learning using algorithms in real time and adjusting the content for some routine tasks to increase the emphasis for empathy, collaboration and resiliency in our evolving world.”
Exhibit K: Gender and Sexual Orientation
“Gender orientation and sexual orientation.”
Exhibit L: Revolutionary
“One sample used is under the title of Revolutionary. It includes critical race theory, gender issues, and Marxist ideals.”
Exhibit N: Gender Spectrum
“Pearson Learning was the champion of the 2020 Gender Spectrum. They are an activist publishing company going beyond producing materials for children.”
Exhibit O: Media Coverage
“Savvas is not child friendly. They are about gender ideology and racial equity manipulation.”
Exhibit P: Other Options
“I’d like to see other publishers used like Liberty or Hillsdale.”
Exhibit Q: Information About Social Economy Learning
“According to Marsha Metzger of Parents on the Level, ‘Schools get coercive power over children who are vulnerable because of their emulation of teachers.’ The publisher “imposes their own political agenda to shape and control children’s belief over homosexuality and relationships between parents and their children.”
AI Partner Named Newton:
“Newton tracks the usage of online users. We’re tracking children of every age…providing a profile of students and then storing that data with 3rd party vendors. We’re using data from two other states: California and Tennessee. Teachers from any state can put content in and put the content in front of our children in Nassau County.”
Online Resources:
“The online resources are integral to the textbook and is a major tool for instruction. To access you take a picture of a symbol. This reduces access to students who do not have a cell phone or one that is fully functional. You need a cell phone to get to the material.””
District support for Savvas textbook and selection process
Assistant Superintendent Mark Durham delivered the district’s response to the CDF complaint. He honed in on the facts that they had followed the district and state procedures/policies on textbook selection, that the selected materials were on the state approved list, the district’s assertion that CDF had not met the criteria for a successful objection, nor had they provided specific examples. He presented the objection form appearing below:
Mark Durham, Nassau County S.D. Assistant Superintendent claimed that Jack Knocke had not adequately “documented specific examples of (textbook) content not meeting the criteria” of the curriculum. After, Knocke’s presentation to the board, Durham was allotted the remaining eight minutes to present board members two folders: red (the curriculum process with timeline starting with the state) and then a blue folder (explaining the procedures used for the hearing and the review of the Savvas curriculum. He stated: “According to the statues of the state: all criteria for textbooks have been met” with both the State and local educators approving the Savvas textbooks.”
Mr. Durham delivered several information books to board members at the meeting containing what we understood is the district’s response to the SDF objection. We asked for and received what we understand are digital copies of those materials the next day….
and here they are:
https://www.citizensjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Basis-for-rejection-of-the-objection.docx
https://www.citizensjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PoliciesandProceduresSpecifications.pdf
Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns’ response to objection
The school district sent us this statement from Supt. Burns this week:
“The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) establishes the instructional materials adoption schedule and the processes involved in adoption are written in state statutes. Social Studies was scheduled for adoption in the 2022-2023 school year. However, the Nassau County School District made the decision to postpone our adoption until the 2023-2024 school year to ensure we would only review materials approved by FLDOE. The specific instructional material challenged by the CDF is the textbook chosen for our World History and World History Honors courses. There were only two textbooks on the state approved list that met the requirements for both courses. The District followed local and state policies regarding its selection of World History-Interactive, Florida Edition as the textbook for World History and World History Honors. This textbook went through a rigorous approval process by FLDOE and then by our local committee. We believe this selection best suits the needs of our World History teachers and students.”
Lack of Transparency
This whole thing was very low profile, so that outsiders didn’t know what was going on. CDF’ Knocke told me that he received a tip about the book adoption and its nature from a former district employee and requested to see what the book was about. Initially they were stonewalled, then shown parts of it, then more. Even after the hearing, Knocke told me that portions of the materials still weren’t available and he was told that the agreement with Savvas wouldn’t permit it.
The book issue was buried by the District. The hearing date changed multiple times, hearing rules were not stated up front, the district web site meeting announcement didn’t appear much in advance. If there was a press release, we didn’t get it. The agenda did not contain the complaint, attachments, district responses or the public written comments. But the News Leader somehow also heard about it and sent their Editor to cover it. I was told by the Clerk and the District Counsel that no public comments would be permitted and that only the complainant and initial district response would be heard. Knocke and Durham both gave some district employees and the board their materials, but nothing was made available to the public or community beyond a paragraph in the agenda saying there would be a textbook objection hearing.
We were able to obtain the CDF complaint, links and press release and also talked to Knocke in advance. We published several articles. We saw zero notice of this in any other media. We subsequently asked for and received the districts written response materials after requesting copies of what was handed out to the board.
This was the event agenda (no complaint, response or public comments accompanied it):
Monday, May 20, 2024
School Board Workshop – Textbook Objection Hearing
Empowering Others Through A Commitment to Excellence
1201 Atlantic Avenue
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034
(904) 491-9900
5:00 p.m.
- Workshop
Subject : A. Budget Review – Food Services
Meeting : May 20, 2024 – School Board Workshop – Textbook
Objection Hearing
Category : 1. Workshop
Type : Discussion, Information
Public Content
Subject : B. Budget Review – Business Services
Meeting : May 20, 2024 – School Board Workshop – Textbook
Objection Hearing
Category : 1. Workshop
Type : Discussion, Information
Public Content
Subject : C. Budget Review – Districtwide
Meeting : May 20, 2024 – School Board Workshop – Textbook
Objection Hearing
Category : 1. Workshop
Type : Discussion, Information
Public Content
Relevant
floridapolitics.com/archives/612145-school-board-gives-standing-to-any-nassau-county-resident-to-challenge-classroom-materials/ (Add HTTPS:// )
District textbook procedure: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/nassau/Board.nsf/files/CQVKBK5113D5/$file/8.16%20MANAGEMENT%20OF%20TEXTBOOKS%20AND%20INSTRUCTIONAL%20MATERIALS2.pdf
Nassau County Schools Facing Federal Lawsuit Over Removal of Dozens of Books
News By Anne Maxwell, News4Jax 05-17-24 NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A federal lawsuit…
Why Should You Get Involved In Nassau Schools Textbook/Curriculum Situation?
Other Items on This Meeting Agenda
The textbook hearing overshadowed the rest of the session, but here is other News from the Nassau County School Board May 20 meeting:
Katelyn’s Ride for Autism Nets $67,000; Nassau Count Exceptional Student Education Receives $2,500
Mandy Conner, mother of three children, including Katelyn; raised $67,000 at the 11th Annual Katleyn’s Ride for Autism on April 20 at the Pirates Wood Clubhouse in Yulee. A check of $2,500 was given to the Nassau County Exceptional Student Education at the May 20th Nassau County School Board meeting. Conner said that the fundraising goal for 2025 is $100,000 with the event moving from Yulee. Grants for $500 are available to help families with special needs children.
Nassau County Graduation Dates
- Tuesday, May 21 (7 pm) Nassau County Community and Virtual School (Yulee High School)
- Wednesday, May 22 (7 pm) West Nassau High School (UNF Arena)
- Thursday, May 23 (6:30 pm) Hilliard Middle-Senior High School (Flashes Field)
- Friday, May 24 (7 pm) Yulee High School (UNF Arena)
- Saturday, May 25 (9 am) Fernandina Beach High School (Pirate Field)
DARE focus of Superintendent Spotlight
DARE was the focus of Supt. Dr. Kathy Burns Spotlight with Yulee Elementary School student Noah Amaro sharing his essay.
We may add to this article later
Michael Hernandez, from California is co-founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted at [email protected] and is editor of the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes.”
George Miller is Publisher and Co-Founder of Citizens Journal Florida, based in Fernandina Beach. He is a “retired” operations management consultant, software and publishing executive (10 years) and manufacturing management professional.
