I would argue that no one can be made to feel guilty against their will, because it is their own will—their subconscious will—that desires guilt. Nobody is forcing you to feel guilty, no, you subconsciously want to feel that way. Nobody else wrote your mental software. The problem is that your conscious mind didn’t really write your subconscious software either, so it can seem like something beyond control — or something that is being controlled by others. But we don’t become guilty in order to placate critics; we do it in a subconscious attempt to force ourselves to change, because we have become convinced that change is badly needed. Whether guilt works very well is debatable; the fact that we try so hard to avoid it suggests that it doesn’t. But don’t worry: If you don’t already feel you have done anything seriously wrong, you cannot be forced by someone else to feel guilty.
- Ron Rodenburg, Centerville
Teaching can be defined as “the engagement with learners to enable their understanding and application of knowledge, concepts and processes.” Public schools were founded to build competent citizens. Ohio House Bills 322 and 327 will hamper educators’ ability to develop citizens with an understanding and ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and processes to complex issues like race, slavery and sex. HB 322 and HB 327 are ill-conceived. There is no justification for either bill. These bills are legislation for a problem that does not exist. It appears the purpose of these two bills is to create distrust in our public schools and alarm parents. Both bills imply, with no supporting evidence, that CRT (a graduate level law theory) is being taught in our public schools. The legislation being proposed is open-ended and ambiguous. These bills do not take into account that curriculum taught in our public schools is determined by the Ohio State Board of Education for all subjects and all grade levels. Each school district is required to teach what is in the state adopted curriculum for each subject at each grade level. How it is taught and the materials used to teach the curriculum are determined by each school district and their teachers. Critical Race Theory is not in the Ohio State Education Curriculum. These bills do not recognize that school districts annually give parents lists of required reading for grade levels or that public schools are accountable to the public. Parents have always had and still have options to have their child not participate in an area of study. Making laws which state that divisive issues can not be taught creates a nightmare for educators and chaos in communities. What constitutes a divisive issue is divisive. These laws falsely assume that educators indoctrinate students. The role of a teacher is a facilitator. Teachers provide facts and create a safe environment that encourages student discussion and exploration. The goal is for students to become critical thinkers. How can a student become a critical thinker if they are restricted from learning facts and exploring issues? How will future citizens become competent, well-rounded productive members of society when certain complex issues have been restricted? Support a “no” vote on HB 322 and HB 327. A “no” vote on these two bills is a vote to protect the ability of our public schools to educate students.
- Andrea Bauer, Beavercreek
The guest column “We must not give up the fight to protect everyone’s right to vote” by LaTonia McCane and Dr. Edmund Moore was unbelievable. I can’t believe that anybody would want anyone to vote that can’t show proof of residence. I don’t think Martin Luther King would want an election where nobody is held accountable for the integrity of the vote. It’s a shame that this voting bill is all about cheating and not integrity. Democrats want you to show a drivers license, federal or state ID and vaccination card to eat in some cities, to fly domestic or to buy over-the-counter medicine, tobacco or alcohol. But to vote? No ID required.
- Chris Hill, Montgomery County