Heritage Foundation has released their 2025 Education Freedom Report Card.

Note: Prior versions of their webpage were not archived with the Wayback Machine. I have now added educationreportcard.heritage.org to their archived webpages.1 If there are others webpages you would like to add to Wayback Machine’s archives:

• Visit web.archive.org/save

• Enter the URL of the page you want to archive.

• Click “Save Page” and let the Wayback Machine do the rest!

In 2022, The Heritage Foundation released their inaugural “Education Freedom Report Card”. Since then a baseline has been set, their metrics improved, and areas of interest expanded.

This year’s report focuses on these 5 key points:

Methodology

1. Education Choice

   1. States with more education choice have more educational freedom. “Education Choice” has five sub-categories: (a) Private School Choice, (b) Private School Choice Program Design, (c) Charter Schools, (d) Homeschooling, and (e) Public School Choice.

2. Teacher Freedom

   1. The burden of regulation on education providers limits the innovative options that they can provide. “Teacher Freedom” has four categories of interest: (a) Barriers to Teaching, (b) Chief Diversity Officers, (c) Common Core Testing Requirement, and (d) Praxis Testing Requirement.

3. Transparency

   1. Transparency in the education system gives parents information to make the best decisions about their children’s education. “Transparency” has three subcategories: (a) Strong Critical Race Theory Law, (b) Parental Empowerment, and (c) Accountability.

4. Return on Investment

   1. Education freedom includes the freedom of taxpayers to keep more of their money. Private school choice programs also tend to spend less money for the same or better outcomes. “Return on Investment” has four subcategories and variables: (a) Per-Pupil Spending, (b) NAEP Point per Dollar Spent, (c) Teacher-to-Non-Teacher Ratio, and (d) Unfunded Pension Liability.

5. Civics Education

   1. The Heritage Foundation’s Civics Education score evaluates states’ civics education via five weighted metrics: classical education schools per capita (15%), based on Heritage’s database and NCES student data per 100,000 K-12 pupils; Classical Learning Test acceptance (15%), a yes/no for state colleges/scholarships; civics course requirements (30%), scoring 1 point for full-year or 0.5 for half-year high school courses per Hoover 2024 data; citizenship test (30%), awarding 0-2 points for requiring/passing the U.S. citizenship exam or equivalent at 60%+ for graduation, also from Hoover; and NAEP civics performance (10%), using Annenberg’s 2024 state scores report.

Florida has ranked #1 every year, with Arizona consistently at #2. The reports highlight expanding school choice across the U.S., with the number of K-12 students benefiting from private school choice programs more than doubling from under 600,000 in 2020 to about 1.2 million in 2025. 2025 was a particularly strong year, with new or expanded education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers,2 or tax credits in states including Tennessee, Louisiana, Indiana, New Hampshire, Idaho, Missouri, Wyoming, and Texas—making over half of U.S. students eligible for private choice programs.

Texas entered the top 10 for the first time due to its new universal ESA program, while many top-ranked states are in the Midwest and Bible Belt regions. Overall, the reports show steady progress toward greater parental empowerment, limiting DEI initiatives and union influence.

Heritage Foundation: Where Does Your State Rank on Education Freedom?3

September 9, 2025 | Daily Citizen

Indiana is looking to lead next years charts on literacy proficiency!

3,000 children repeating third grade under new Indiana literacy requirement

Landmark year for school choice chronicled in Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Education Freedom report4

September 19, 2025 | The Lion

I first posted about Heritage Foundation's Inaugural Education Freedom Report Card in December of 2022. You can read that post below.

I can’t speak on behalf of other states, but I can speak to the data I saved from Delaware.

Delaware rankings have PLUMMETED from when I first reported on this back in 2022!5

(Rankings out of all 50 states + D.C.)

Delaware (2022 - 2025 comparison)

•Overall Rank
#31 (2022) 🔻 #44 (2025)

•Education Choice Rank:
#40 (2022) 🔻 #41 (2025)

•Transparency Rank:
#07 (2022) 🔻#37‼️(2025)

•Teacher/Regulatory Freedom:*
#51 (2022) 🔺️ #43 (2025)

•Spending/ROI Rank):
#14 (2022) 🔻 #30 (2025)

•Civic Education Rank
Not Present (2022) 🟥 #41 (2025)

*In 2022, Delaware ranked DEAD LAST in Regulatory Freedom! There is an explanation for this, and it is not as welcomed as some may expect. Due to teacher shortages, Delaware legislators were pushed to apply a worksite band-aid consisting of a napkin and some duct tape.

For this reason, Delaware will now give a provisional certificate for teachers. We are not attracting top high school students into the profession; salary has much to do with that. We need good thinkers and problem solvers in this profession- which Delaware is not producing!

New Jersey is eliminating those same procedural teacher shortage ‘barriers’…

…WITH A 🔥BLOW TORCH!🔥

Teachers union convinces state to dumb down teacher standards6

January 14, 2025 | Freedom Foundation

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

1

2

Beware of vouchers - a “School Choice” Trap

Vouchers: “School Choice” Trap

The Redding Consortium has now voted almost unanimously in favor of creating a single consolidated school district for Northern New Castle County, Delaware.

Let’s be very clear — not just for Delaware, but for communities nationwide:

A mega-district is not a solution to the real problems facing students.

It doesn’t fix poverty.
It doesn’t stabilize housing.
It doesn’t improve attendance.
It doesn’t guarantee better teachers, stronger instruction, or higher literacy and math outcomes.

What it does do — reliably and repeatedly — is:

• expand bureaucracy,

• increase long-term administrative costs,

• reduce transparency and accountability,

• and shift focus away from what actually happens inside classrooms.

We don’t have to speculate about this.
We already know how consolidation plays out.

🧩 The Myth of Consolidation = Equity

District consolidation is often sold as an “equity” reform.

The theory goes something like this:

• Bigger district → shared resources

• Shared resources → fairness

• Fairness → better outcomes

But decades of evidence show that governance structure is not a substitute for instructional quality.

Children don’t experience equity at the district office. They experience it:

• in classrooms,

• through curriculum,

• with teachers,

• through consistent attendance,

• and via early intervention.

Those factors don’t improve just because lines on a map change.

📉 What Consolidation Actually Produces

Across the country, district consolidation has consistently resulted in:

• Larger central offices

• More layers between families and decision-makers

• Slower responses to student needs

• Less community voice

• Higher transportation costs

• Budget growth without proportional academic gains

Research Highlights

Across independent research groups — left, right, and nonpartisan — the conclusion is the same: consolidation changes governance charts, not classroom outcomes.

• Consolidation Has “Null or Very Small” Impacts on Student Achievement

  • A study using Arkansas’s mandatory consolidation policy (Act 60) finds that merging districts had no meaningful positive effect on standardized test scores in math and English Language Arts — and did not lead to greater instructional spending.

    • The Effect of School District Consolidation on Student Achievement

• National Literature Reviews Show No Conclusive Student Benefit

  • Comprehensive literature reviews consistently find no conclusive evidence that consolidation improves academic performance, even though it is often justified for administrative efficiency. Many analyses also note that student achievement effects are small, inconsistent, or context-dependent.

    • Connecticut Review of Research on District & School Consolidation — School State Finance Project literature review

• Policy Briefs Report No Academic Improvement Nationally

  • Several state education association reports note that studies from around the country have documented no inherent improvement in academic achievement through consolidation, and in some cases consolidation can increase total spending without improving outcomes.

    • School District Consolidation Issue Brief — New York State School Boards Association

• Specific Regional Studies Show Mixed — at Best Minimal — Effects

  • Various academic and policy studies (e.g., in Mississippi and Michigan metro areas) find no improvement or slight declines in student achievement following consolidation, suggesting it is not a reliable strategy for raising proficiency.

    • Closures & Consolidation: Impact on Mississippi Students

A 2013 independent study at The College of Wooster looked at the effects of school district consolidation in the metropolitan Detroit area. The researchers used multiple estimation techniques and found either negative impacts or no impact at all on student academic achievement following consolidation — suggesting that merging districts doesn’t inherently improve proficiency and may even worsen outcomes.1

🏫 Massachusetts: Proof That Governance Isn’t the Fix

If consolidation were the key to equity, Massachusetts wouldn’t work.

Yet Massachusetts consistently ranks among the top states in:

• reading and math achievement,

• outcomes for low-income students,

• graduation rates,

• and postsecondary readiness.

And they didn’t get there by merging districts.

What Massachusetts Actually Did

• Focused relentlessly on instructional quality

• Implemented evidence-based early literacy statewide

• Invested heavily in teacher training and coaching

• Used weighted student funding tied to student need

• Established clear accountability systems

• Intervened directly when schools failed to improve

📌 They fixed what happens inside classrooms, not the governance chart.

Sources:

• Massachusetts Ranks #1 in National Education Assessment2

  • Massachusetts consistently ranks at or near the top of the nation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the federally administered “Nation’s Report Card.” Most recently, the state ranked first in the nation in math and reading outcomes compared with other states, showing stronger proficiency on average than national peers.

• NAEP Massachusetts Profile3

  • Detailed state NAEP profiles confirm that Massachusetts students score above the national average in both reading and mathematics, underscoring that strong academic outcomes are possible — but they are linked to quality instruction and accountability systems, not simply district boundary structures.

Mississippi Rising

Mississippi's climb results from targeted reforms, high standards, and consistent focus. Delaware's decline suggests a systemic failure to meet modern educational challenges.

Delaware Slipping, Mississippi Rising: A Tale of Two States Changing Places4

May 4, 2025 | Caesar Rodney Institute

Mississippi's education turnaround has not happened by chance. Over the past decade, the state has instituted rigorous early literacy programs, raised expectations for teachers and students, and committed to consistent policy implementation. Meanwhile, Delaware has struggled with ineffective leadership, consistently poor policy and a lack of vision.

Mississippi's rise is not just a feel-good story, it's proof that with clear goals and consistent execution, a state can overcome entrenched challenges. Delaware's decline, on the other hand, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and refusal to modernize.

What Happens When Consolidation Is Actually Tried: Memphis–Shelby County, Tennessee

Supporters of consolidation often argue that resistance comes from fear of change — or that “this time will be different.”

But we don’t have to guess.

One of the largest and most recent consolidation experiments in the United States already tested this theory — and it failed!

In 2013, Memphis City Schools merged with Shelby County Schools to form Memphis–Shelby County Schools (MSCS), a single mega-district serving more than 140,000 students.

The promises were familiar:

• greater equity

• shared resources

• improved outcomes for low-income students

• administrative efficiency

What followed should give any state pause.

📉 Academic Outcomes Stalled

Post-consolidation data showed:

• reading and math scores remained flat or declined

• achievement gaps persisted

• gains that did occur aligned with state-level instructional reforms, not the merger itself

Source :
The Nation’s Report Card (NAEP)5

In other words, instruction mattered — governance size did not.

💸 Administrative Costs Increased, Not Decreased

Instead of streamlining operations, the consolidated district:

• expanded its central office

• added management layers

• increased transportation and logistical costs

• failed to deliver the promised efficiencies

Source:
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury
👉 https://comptroller.tn.gov/office-functions/research-and-education-accountability.html

This mirrors what national research consistently finds:
consolidation shifts money away from classrooms and toward administration.

🏘️ Community Trust Collapsed

Perhaps the most telling outcome wasn’t academic or financial — it was civic.

Within just a few years: six suburban municipalities left the district entirely, forming their own school systems:

• Germantown

• Collierville

• Bartlett

• Arlington

• Lakeland

• Millington

Families cited:

• loss of local control

• slower decision-making

• diluted accountability

• governance chaos

Source:
Onside the Largest-and Briefest-School District Consolidation in American History6

This study finds that the Memphis–Shelby County consolidation did not improve educational outcomes and that achievement gaps were driven mainly by poverty and student disadvantage, not by district structure. It concludes that consolidation shifted focus to bureaucracy and competition between districts, while resources continued to be allocated by enrollment rather than student need—leaving core inequities unchanged.

The Disintegration of Memphis-Shelby County, Tennessee: School District Secession and Local Control in the 21st Century7

A qualitative research article explores the political and social dynamics after the Memphis–Shelby County merger, including district boundary changes and suburban secession — which reflect how governance shifts don’t necessarily improve equity or outcomes:

Municipal superintendents cite challenges, benefits of split from Shelby County Schools8

Instead of unity, consolidation produced fragmentation.

🎯 Why This Matters for Delaware — and Everywhere Else

The Memphis–Shelby experience exposes the core flaw in consolidation logic:

You cannot govern your way out of instructional failure.

Bigger systems don’t create better teaching.
Central offices don’t close achievement gaps.
Equity language doesn’t replace literacy instruction.

When accountability weakens and bureaucracy grows, communities respond by pulling away — not leaning in.

This isn’t a theoretical warning.
It’s a documented outcome.

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🧠 The Real Drivers of Poor Outcomes Don’t Disappear

In Delaware — and everywhere else — the core drivers of student struggles are well known:

• Poverty and housing instability

• Chronic absenteeism

• Weak early literacy instruction

• High teacher turnover

• Inconsistent curriculum

• Lack of accountability

• Limited family supports

Changing district boundaries does nothing to address these.

These challenges follow children no matter what district name is on the building.

🎭 Political Theater vs. Student Results

What we’re seeing in Delaware is not unique.

Across the country, consolidation proposals often:

• rely heavily on equity language,

• promise future efficiencies,

• avoid concrete academic benchmarks,

• and push risk onto taxpayers and families.

Structural change is easier to sell than instructional reform. It looks bold. It sounds decisive. But it avoids the harder work of fixing teaching and learning.

✅ What Actually Helps Students (Anywhere in America)

If leaders are serious about improving outcomes — especially in high-need communities — the evidence is clear.

We should be investing in:

• Early literacy screening and tutoring

• Science-based reading instruction

• Stabilizing teaching staff

• Coaching and professional development

• Attendance interventions

• Family and housing supports

• Transparent data reporting

• Clear accountability for results

None of that requires a mega-district.

📚 Want to Go Deeper? Recommended Reading & Listening

📖 Books

• “The Knowledge Gap” — Natalie Wexler
  Why instruction matters more than structure
  👉 https://www.nataliewexler.com/the-knowledge-gap

• “Dumbing Us Down” by John Taylor Gotto
  How schools condition, not educate, students
  👉 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/225850.Dumbing_Us_Down

• “NEA: Trojan Horse In American Education”

  by Samuel L. Blumenfeld
  How the NEA undermines American education

  👉 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1593038.NEA

• “Indoctrinating Our Children to Death” by Alex Newman

  Exposing the agenda shaping modern education

  👉 https://westernislandspublishing.com/product/indoctrinating-our-children-to-death/

• “When Race Trumps Merit” by Heather Mac Donald
  How identity politics undermine merit and excellence

  👉 https://manhattan.institute/book/when-race-trumps-merit

• “Inside American Education” by Thomas Sowell

  The Deterioration of American Schools

  👉 https://www.hoover.org/research/inside-american-education

🎧 Podcasts

• Sold a Story (APM Reports)
  How bad instructional theory — not governance — caused literacy failure
  👉 https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/

• Deep End of Public Education (Kristin Grubbs)
  Deep dives into education policy myths

• Making the Leap [ended] (Christine and Chris Stigall)

  Break free from the status quo

📰 Articles

• School consolidation sounds like a great idea for Arizona. Here’s why it’s not9

🎯 The Bottom Line

One district does not equal equity.
Bigger systems do not equal better outcomes.

Governance reform without instructional reform is a distraction.

If we want to help students — in Wilmington, in Delaware, or anywhere in America — we need to stop chasing structural experiments that sound good and start fixing what actually matters:

Teaching. Learning. Accountability. Results.

Our kids deserve solutions that work — not political theater dressed up as reform.

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

An Urgent Message for Delaware; Critical for All

This a critical, time sensitive message with implications to all, especially those who live in blue states.

I encourage you to stick around and see the troubles Delaware and the surrounding states are experiencing. It’s more than likely this has been attempted in your state, but with good governance and an active citizenry, you’re likely to have never known.

One of the proposed plans being voted on would consolidate four school districts into one district of 50,000 students, with no data to show that these changes would improve any outcome of these students if the social drivers aren't addressed!

Share

A message from Brandywine School Board President Jason Heller

The co-chairs of the Redding Consortium will present the three final redistricting options and share the path to their FINAL recommendation.

⚠️ TWO of the three options ELIMINATE BSD as we know it! ⚠️

🏫 This may be one of the most significant moments in Delaware public education! 💸 (and to your tax rate and property values)

We need our BSD community to show up in person to hear this information.

💻 A virtual option will be available,

BUT 👉 filling the room sends the strongest message that BSD is engaged, united, and PROUD.

On July 22, 2025 the Unites States officially withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

That does not stop the attempts to subvert the will of the American people and institute UNESCO'S educational goals, such as those under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) for “inclusive”, “equitable” quality education, global citizenship,1 education for sustainable development, and “human rights” education—into U.S. government schools.

I know this may be a lot to take in, but for those of you who read , you're already outside the matrix.

New Discourses

The NEA Goes Sustainable

Did you know the focus in education is about to change again? It is. While we've rightly been focused on fighting CRT, Queer Theory, SEL, DEI, and all manner of issues in the schools to protect our kids, a big shift has been being prepared and is likely to be about to launch. Schools in the coming year or two are very likely to lurch into direct instruc…

Listen now

3 years ago · 6 likes · 1 comment · New Discourses

That is EXACTLY what is happening in Delaware with the “Redding Consortium”.2

The NEA goes Sustainable

State universities have much influence on their state's government education. The University of Delaware (UD) indeed plays a significant role in shaping educational policy and equity initiatives in the state, particularly through its involvement with the Redding Consortium for Educational Equity.

UD’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA)3 at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration4 provides operational support, research, data analysis, and staffing to the Consortium, alongside Delaware State University. This includes facilitating meetings, town halls, and reports on topics like redistricting and social drivers of “education inequities”.

UD hosts some of the Consortium's online materials and includes alumni personnel linked to UNESCO.

UD alumna Romina Kasman serves as a UNESCO program coordinator focused on education for “human development, equity, and social justice.” who no doubt has undue influence on UD educational policy.

Adam Foley is the Director of Diversity Education, Assessment, and Outreach for the University of Delaware's “Office of Equity & Inclusion. Adam Foley is affiliated with UNESCO's Inclusive Policy Lab, which addresses diversity and equity in policy contexts. He also has a blog which at first seemed like a profound preoccupation with "alone"5

Deeper reading reveals key insights on technology-fueled disconnection: in our hyper-connected era, we face growing isolation, as superficial online interactions erode genuine human bonds.

Adrienne Lucas, a professor of economics at UD’s Lerner College of Business and Economics, is affiliated with UNESCO’s Inclusive Policy Lab, contributing to research on inclusive education policies.

Wilmington has been signed on to these globalist agenda "sustainable" goals since January of 2022 with the "International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives" (ICLEI)6

"ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability" is a global cancer on individual liberty, and our “glorious liberty document", the United States Constitution: "A global SDGs Cities Challenge, structured as multiple concurrent, technical support cohorts operating through 2030, would reach most of ICLEI’s 2,500 cities, towns and regions, and be supported by a network of university and thought leadership partners."

All of this is tied together.

The Truth About 21st Century Education Reform.pdf

1.5MB ∙ PDF file

Download

The “SHIFT” in education is changing from a transmission of knowledge, that parents still expect from our schools, to an emphasis on altering the students world-views, their values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. When education is focused on how students perceive the world, that is known as critical theory or cultural marxism. It is about equalizing and Globalizing the American Economy. You are now a global citizen who happens to live in America. Not an Individual and Not an AMERICAN.

Download

The Redding Consortium’s work explicitly aims to advance educational equity, mirroring UNESCO’s emphasis on SDG 4 targets like inclusive learning and lifelong skills.

For the overachievers out there, this really gets into the weeds. All this information can be overwhelming (speaking from personal experience). I suggest bookmarking this page and coming back to it later. I’ve included some reading suggestions at the end of this post that are packed with information, laid out in an easy-to-understand and well-written format.

UN Targets Homeschoolers Through "Human Rights" Scheme

We all know academia is in trouble. In fact, we’re not even sure it can be saved. To put it simply, the university is dying. To be sure, it’s a strange death, however, because the university is in some sense going back to its roots, returning to being theological seminaries, though in a completely new religion. That religion is the transformative religion of Dialectical Leftism, and its materialist watchword in the 21st century is “Sustainability.” In this New Discourses Podcast series, host James Lindsay takes the listener through a 2022 UNESCO book, Knowledge-driven Actions: Transforming Higher Education for Global Sustainability, that calls upon all “higher education institutions” to transform themselves so that they align, promote, and help complete the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a part of the 2030 Agenda.

Strange Death of the University Series7

(Four part series)

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Recommended Reading

Indoctrinating Our Children to Death

by Alex Newman

N.E.A. Trojan Horse in American Education

by Samuel Blumenfeld

The 5000 Year Leap

by W. Cleaon Skousen

Crimes of the Educators

by Samuel Blumenfeld & Alex Newman

Mao's America: A Survivor's Warning

by Xi Van Fleet

Color, Communism, and Common Sense

by Manning Johnson

When Race Trumps Merit

by Heather Mac Donald

The Naked Communist

by W. Cleon Skousen

The Marxification of Education

by James Lindsay

Equity versus Equality: You May Only Choose One

By now you've read the word “Equity" over a dozen times. You should know what is meant by “equity". Pastor John Amanchukwu explains it beautifully.

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

1

https://newdiscourses.com/tftw-global-citizen/

3

https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/biden-school/research-public-service/ipa/public-service/education/

4

https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/biden-school/

Table of Content

• Restorative Justice is Pervasive, The Tentacles Reach Deep

• Zero-tolerance Bullying

• What Parents Need to Know About Restorative Justice w/ Cari Bartholomew

• The Deadly Fraud of Restorative Justice in Schools

• Coincidence is God’s Way of Remaining Anonymous1

• FBI Special Report: Crime in Schools 2020-2024

• Right in Our Own Backyard

  • Locked in an Electrical Closet

  • Akoben - The “War Horn” of Discipline Community-Focused Conversations

• Not Teaching Resilience or Overcoming Challenges: Just Making Accommodations

Schools Must Make Classrooms Sane Again — and Ditch ‘Restorative Justice’2

July 27, 2025 | Manhattan Institute

[Amendment: Dcember 19, 2025]

Aundre Matthews, a student at Ross S. Sterling High School (TX) was charged for the MURDER of 16 year-old Andrew Meismer, stabbing him to death in class! Aundre reportedly even posted on his own Instagram page BRAGGING about his disciplinary history rap sheet!

The district says they will not talk about the student's history.

The 2024-2025 school year alone shows at least 11 offenses, which include:

• Assaulting an employee

• Verbal abuse

• Knife possession

• Fighting

• Sexual Misconduct

• Insubordination

Restorative Justice/Practices is something I have long railed against. It is not a discipline policy, it is a “trauma-informed” philosophical approach to discipline, which if not followed perfectly to a T by all parties involved, is destined to fail.

Look at how this Delaware Rag frames this article. This is what CRT looks like!

Using an immutable characteristic like race to push a narrative. Using phrases like "over-suspended” a certain demographic of students leaving out the percentage that demographic may make up of the student population, and equally important, prior disciplinary action taken on a given student. Many times it is the same small handful of students repeatedly being disruptive, usually lacking discipline in the home.

What those children need is a school with a specific environment of support for dealing with students who have behavior issues. Those schools provide discipline, stability, and many times mentors who will change a child's life trajectory. Moreover, that underlying anger and aggression can often be harnessed as a powerful catalyst for entrepreneurship, fostering a strong work ethic and a relentless "go get 'em" attitude that drives success in life.

The value that mentorship can have on one’s life is insurmountable. I attempt to express that profound power through video & song.

One Delaware school board had the courage to speak out against the anarchy in the hallways of Milford School District. While it only takes one person to speak up for the students, it is the second to speak up which commences change. I commend Dr. Adam Brownstein and Matthew Bucher for having the tenacity to speak up.

Milford board scraps restorative practices from code3

August 4, 2023 | Delaware Online

Restorative Justice is Pervasive, The Tentacles Reach Deep

A 2024 survey of educators found that 48% of schools or districts incorporate it, focusing on reconciliation over punishment.4

Parents Defending Education compiled a list of schools5 from across the Nation using Restorative Practices.

Restorative Justice Frequently Asked Questions6

Here is an example from a euphemistic “Restorative Justice” brochure.

Why is violence and chaos at an all-time high in our government K-12 schools? “Courage is a Habit” explains.

See the two infographics below, then view their 𝕏 Article for a deeper explanation.

Zero-tolerance Bullying

Teachers are specifically told to NOT use the word ‘BULLY' in communications and write-ups to describe the… well, bully. ¯\_🤡_/¯

Teachers are now getting creative in their verbiage to describe bullies using phrasing such as “uses her big size and loud voice to intimidate the other student constantly.”

Schools have adopted a policy of “zero-tolerance bullying”

Zero-tolerance bullying policies in schools, though meant to foster safety, often backfire by enforcing rigid punishments without context, leading to unfair outcomes like suspending kids for minor scuffles or self-defense, which disproportionately harms boys, low-income students, and those with behavioral challenges, pushing them toward dropout, anxiety, or even the proverbial “school-to-prison pipeline” instead of offering mentorship for growth. This approach erodes trust, discourages reporting real issues, and stifles kids’ emotional development by labeling normal rough play as aggression, while creating a fear-driven environment that fails to build resilience or harness youthful energy productively. Broader dangers include suppressing free expression, where diverse viewpoints get chilled in the name of inclusivity, and administrative shortcuts that breed inconsistency and power imbalances. Particularly troubling is how the term “bullying” has been weaponized through broadening definitions to silence dissent. Stretching definitions of genuine harm to include conservative opinions on topics like gender or family, labeling them as “hate speech” or microaggressions, which enforces ideological conformity, protects actual aggressors via selective leniency, and turns schools into divisive battlegrounds rather than supportive communities for all kids.

Zero-tolerance Bullying stands in stark contrast to the minimal discipline practice of restorative justice, which emphasize “dialogue, accountability, and repairing harm over exclusionary measures like suspensions, fostering personal responsibility and community healing while reducing recidivism and improving school climates without the inequities or fear-driven compliance.”

What Parents Need to Know About Restorative Justice

✰✰✰🇺🇸✰✰✰
We Americans are a fearless coalition of selfless patriots, forged in unbreakable unity to shield the innocent from ideological Marxist-☭-driven harm and champion the rising generation. Bound by the immortal 1776 flame of Righteous Indignation, we thunder as one indomitable voice: E Pluribus Unum! ‐ out of many, one unstoppable force for liberty’s dawn!
✰✰✰🇺🇸✰✰✰

Cari Bartholomew, a friend and steadfast stalwart of integrity & tenacity, had an incredibly informative 1 hour livestream on Restorative Justice titled Chaos in the Classroom the How and Why of Restorative Justice

I condensed this livestream into a powerful 7 minute video.

We 🔥 reject the poison of Critical Race Theory!
We 🔥 reject the surrender of Restorative Justice!
We 🔥 embrace every student’s God-given power to overcome, persevere, and triumph!

The Deadly Fraud of Restorative Justice in Schools

I strongly encourage you to listen to the podcast titled The Deadly Fraud of Restorative Justice in Schools in its entirety.

Coincidence is God's Way of Remaining Anonymous

[Post ammended 5 hours after publication]

On the very day this post was published,(November 12, 2025) a local Delaware high school posted a bulletin in response to a video circulating online. In the video, students crowded around and recorded as others jumped a classmate who was 5-6 months pregnant. She was taken away by ambulance.

Just ONE day later, (November13, 2025), a Laurel High student wielded a knife during an early morning altercation.

Laurel High School Student in Custody Following Altercation, Knife Threat

Additionally, late last week there was an incident in a Christina district school where a boy was hit in the back of the head. The student was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

The school is offering counseling services for students who witnessed the attack.

Pregnant Mother and Young Kids Brutally Attacked by Mob of Students Outside Chicago School

A pregnant mother, having just picked up her young children from a school, was followed by a mob of students.

As she desperately tried to protect her kids, they were dragged to the ground, beaten, kicked, and stomped on in a terrifying assault.

Members of the community gather today in front of the school, demanding that the violent students be held accountable for their actions.

This exemplifies the necessity to end ‘Restorative Practices’ in our schools!

The above video is from the first day of school this year at William Penn High School in New Castle County, Delaware.

The below video is from a North Carolina high school where a student assaulted his teacher while the other students in the class just filmed and laughed.

Jen McWilliams, co-founder of Courage is a Habit7 explains a bit further.

FBI Special Report: Crime in Schools 2020-2024

FBI reveals 1.3M crimes at public schools. A nightmare of violence awaits our kids | Fox Opinion

The FBI released a new report August 12 on crime in schools and it’s a wake-up call that no parent can afford to ignore. Between 2020 and 2024, law enforcement agencies reported nearly 1.3 million criminal incidents occurring on school property across the United States. This staggering figure includes about 540,000 assaults and 45,000 sex offenses – crimes that directly victimize children in places that are supposed to be safe havens for learning.

The failures of public schools go beyond violence. The latest data from 2024 shows that not a single child was proficient in math in 80 Illinois public schools. Zero. These failures are all symptoms of a broken system. Kids are trapped in these violent institutions with no escape hatch, especially in states where teachers unions run the show and block school choice at every turn. Unions prioritize adult jobs over child safety and success, lobbying against reforms that would give families options.

The full FBI Special Report can be found on the FBI Crime Data Explorer “Special Reports" page.8

Right in Our Own Backyard

From speaking with Delaware teachers, I have been told in after school teacher meetings, teachers are flabbergasted that the kids now know they can do anything they want and teacher's do not have consequences to give them. Students literally curse teachers out, walk in & out of class, throw things, fight, and generally wreak havoc at school with very limited consequences. For a fight, they may get a few days out for suspension. Most of the other things get ignored.

In this short clip, Christina School District is talking about 28 STUDENTS ARRESTED! They are going back & forth about SOLUTIONS without ever addressing the PROBLEM - RESTORATIVE JUSTICE!

I believe in firm, traditional discipline—consequences that directly fit the infraction. These students would not have needed arrest if a clear, consistent disciplinary model were still in place. Swift, proportionate consequences would likely have deterred escalation, and if behavior persisted, a structured intervention plan would have been implemented; benefiting the student through accountability and growth, protecting staff authority, and ensuring a safer, more focused environment for all students.

Two local teachers tell the Dan Gaffney Show what they see inside the Delaware government school system.

The Dan Gaffney Show | Delaware 105.9FM

Elementary School Student Locked in an Electrical Closet

A Delaware mother reported on social media that her 1st grade child was locked in an electrical closet at Carrie Downie Elementary School by the “Emotional Support Counselor".

This should never happen! This “Emotional Support Counselor Animal” locked A CHILD in an ELECTRICAL CLOSET!! That’s a blatant violation of the trust bestowed, and all involved must be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law where applicable.

The elementary school psychologist9 just so happens to be self-proclaimed Marxist ☭ Leninst pro-Hamas former Eisenberg Elementary School Psychologist exposed by Safe Campus Delaware in May.

Jon Cooper, Ed.D., the Colonial School District’s Director of Health & Wellness, presented at the University of Delaware’s ‘Innovative Approaches to Student Mental Health’ event10 in his role as Director of the Division of Behavioral Health. He discussed new initiatives, including Project DelAWARE; a federally funded national clinical psychology training project that integrates behavioral and mental health supports into the classroom.

Is locking a child in an electrical closet one of those “Innovative Approaches to Student Mental Health?

🧩 What a “Reset Room”?11

A Reset Room is often used as a practical tool within a restorative justice framework.

A Reset Room (sometimes known as a “Calm Room,” “Reflection Room,” or “Regulation Space”) is a designated space in schools meant to help students de-escalate, self-regulate, and reflect on behavior before returning to class.

Key characteristics:

• Calm environment

  • Often includes soft lighting, comfortable seating, sensory tools, or calming visuals. (Not electrical boxes, sharp corners, and masonry walls)

• Facilitated reflection

  • Students typically complete a form (like the one in your image) or talk through what happened, what they were feeling, and how to re-enter class successfully.

• Short duration (20+ minutes is not a “short duration")

  • It is not an isolation or detention space — the goal is emotional regulation, not punishment.

• Staff support (this one's a doozey!)

  • Usually supervised by a counselor, paraprofessional, or trained “Reset Room Companion.”

Akoben - The “War Horn" of Discipline Community-Focused Conversations

Akoben Responsive Circle Restorative Justice Work-Study

5.15MB ∙ PDF file

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Below are pages from the above linked struggle guide for mindset adjustment12

Smyrna Educators Association President Fran Strosser detailed her thoughts on Akoben’s Restorative Practice Training…

A 2021 Letter to the School Board from Smyrna Educators Union President Fran Strosser:

Restorative Practices were now beginning in SSD.  There were a great deal of questions and concerns over the program as only a few select chosen people called “Champions” really knew what it was.  Each time I mentioned concerns that were brought to me by members regarding Restorative Practice, he reacted very negatively.  He then made me go around and observe some of the “Champions'' at that time. I was told that after I observed them that I would  then need to come back  debrief  and share my observations with him and my new administrators, David Morrison and Mike Reed.  I did six observations of classes at different schools. 5 of which were positive, 1 was not as positive, even though the teacher was doing an exceptional job.  It was just a very unique class situation.

I was also required to speak with Chella Drews regarding Restorative Practices. She was a representative of Restorative Practices at that time.  In an email to her I was referred to as a “resistor” as were any employees that had questions/concerns about Restorative Practices.13  I found this highly unprofessional that administration would refer to their employees in this manner.  

I had a great meeting with Chella, and expressed the concerns/questions that I had and received from others.  She reassured me that our concerns were genuine.  Most of which revolved around accepting responsibility of actions and the consequences those actions may have. Chella did not return to Smyrna the following year.”

Malik wrote a whole post on how offensive this Maryland political mailer is,14 but in all honesty, this Danielle Hornberger is on-point! This critical theory “white oppressor" narrative is complete bullshit intended to divide! This language clearly does not follow the empty virtues of “belonging" and “inclusion”. In fact, it demoralizes those “black boys” on their journey to be black men. Take notice of how abdul-malik no frills-Sharpton mohamad capitalized the letter B in “Black", and lowercased the letter W in “white". Be wary of this telltale signs of a Critical Marxist viewpoint!

These amazing books by defies the oppressor narrative and inspires those “black boys" to overcome obstacles by way of perseverance, tenacity, self-worth, and their drive to be great, with emphasis on the role of the family & positive male role models.

• Black Victim To Black Victor: Identifying the ideologies, behavioral patterns and cultural norms that encourage a victimhood complex

• The Children We Left Behind: How Western Culture Rationalizes Family Separation & Ignores The Pain Of Child Neglect

Dr Mohamad uses the Akoben logo, which is known as the “African War Horn" The symbol's literal meaning is "Call to War".

Schools do not need war. Schools should be a safe, peaceful settings, teaching kids character, integrity and how to read and do math.

The school's role is to teach academics, and may reinforce values by way of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It is the parents job to teach their children core values, such as respecting others, responsibility, honesty, gratitude and compassion.

I believe Abdul-Malik Muhammad to be a race-baiting grifter using Marxist tactics preying on ignorance and empathy of others for his own personal monetary gain.

An self-interest opinion piece claims that “Delaware’s schools must prioritize restorative practices for discipline” The article is written by Abdul-Malik Muhammad, a Delaware resident & founder of a divisive Critical Race Theory / Restorative Justice framework titled Akoben. Malik Muhammad has received massive amounts of tax payer money to push his program into government schools. The below excerpt is the whole basis for #RestorativeJustice, which is built on a foundation of deceit. Keep in mind what they are NOT telling you is that PRIOR INCIDENTS are considered when determining punishment. We must restore traditional discipline, where students are responsible for their actions!

『”Research has and continues to show that implicit biases against Black and brown students cause them to experience harsher discipline than their white peers for similar behaviors. Black students — especially boys — are two to three times more likely to receive a suspension.”』

“It's hard to be authentic. There's a price for it"

This is just one of the many training videos both “resistors" and “champions" are required to watch.

Teacher-Student Restorative Justice Circle video from page 22 of the Akoben Restorative Justice Struggle Guide where they pass around a… hairy SpongeBob on a stick?

Not Teaching Resilience or Overcoming Challenges: Just Making Accommodations

How Red Tape and Politics Drove One Teacher Out of the Classroom15

August 27, 2025 | iWFeatures

“I was told to decrease the number of detentions that were issued for a certain race that showed up late, because culturally it’s acceptable for them, and that just boggled my brain,” Mangiapane said. “So I should not teach them what professionalism is––showing up on time?”

This video below is of Milford, Indian River & Cape Henlopen retired administrator Dr. Beth Conaway speaking on Restorative Practices at an Education Freedom event in Wilmington.

Allow me to share a song I created about Delaware's failing academic proficiency. A song of sheer grit & emotion. A song to convince the people that we can do better. That we must do better.

Delaware’s Cry for Better Days

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

5

https://defendinged.org/investigations/list-of-school-districts-using-restorative-practices/

10

13

That person who referred to employees as ‘resisters' was former Smyrna Superintendent Patrik Williams. His vile social media misconduct while holding that position led to a 2021 petition calling for his removal, followed by his resignation.

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/january-23-2020-petition-for-safe

If these educators can not control what they say in their private life, what reason would we have to believe they would have self-control in the classroom?

I decided that it was important to write this post to show the complete desensitization & disregard for life that has become present throughout society.

This pervasive desensitization and lack of empathy has been fermented in the minds of young children through a constant barrage of negative, violent, social & sexual indoctrination.

Like the frog in the proverbial boiling pot, educators have simmered through three generations of rising heat—and now they're finally feeling the burn.1 From teaching kids that words are literal violence, to promoting sexual promiscuity, to insisting every obstacle is born of racism and oppression, to falsely likening everyday Americans to history's most monstrous tyrants.

America can not go on like this! We need to restore humanity, morality, humility.

As a staunch supporter of the First Amendment—as every American ought to be—I hold that free speech and individual liberty form the bedrock of our nation. America was founded upon the enduring principle that our rights are bestowed by God, not by man, and thus cannot be stripped away.2 We are endowed by our Creator with these unalienable rights, which are inherent to every human being. Government exists not to grant them, but to safeguard them.

…When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Since the horrific & vile assassination of Charlie Kirk, a peaceful American conversationalist, reprehensible & heartless public servants can not restrain themselves! They have been publicly spewing hatred & support for the murder of a father and husband because he did not agree with their views politically! His diversity (in thought) does not equal conformity.

This is about children feeling safe in their classrooms! If the people justifying the death of a man based on political or religious beliefs, then kids with those shared beliefs will no longer feel safe to learn from them. That means they’re no longer qualified to teach that student. As an educator, there is an obligation to make sure that each student feels safe in their classroom. There’s no way to feel safe if the educator is celebrating the death of someone who might share the same views as them! While they are constitutionally protected to say those abhorrent, morally repugnant words of hate, they are still responsible for the consequences.

Original article can be found here.3

This Delaware reprobate, a paraprofessional in Milford's Morris Early Childhood Center has said many reprehensible comments against those who differ in thought. Celebrating an American political assassination is a bridge too far! Milford school district has taken the cowards way out.

Milford Social Media Policy

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This is Milford School District's "Electronic Communication and Social Media Policy"

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Milford School District is stone-wrong! The safety & well being of students and staff is most certainly in question! Psychological and sociological factors that drive this behavior of vocal hatred and volatile hostility towards others who have a differing point of view is clearly a threat!

In his vile video "ALL SKINFOLK AIN'T KINFOLK," this race-baiting Marxist coward Dion brands Dr. Ben Carson a "House N*gger." Dr. Ben Carson—the brilliant trailblazer who, amid Jim Crow's suffocating grip of institutionalized racism, was raised by an illiterate single mother who instilled unyielding values of hard work and family. Through sheer tenacity, raw grit and unbreakable will, Dr. Ben Carson shattered every obstacle to rise as one of the world's premier pediatric neurosurgeons, saving countless young lives.

Dion, your venom isn't born of some twisted fear that Carson bows to a "white master." No—you despise him because he demolishes your Marxist playbook, proclaims the Gospel with fire, and crisscrosses America championing the sacred bedrock of the traditional family. That's the real heresy you can't stomach.

These are a posts from former Red Clay teacher Mike Mathews, a disgraced former teacher's union president who is in a relationship with school board member Jose Mathews (who supported policy 8005 which kept SECRET sex transitions from PARENTS!)

The hated is abundant & pervasive. These are people who are so emotionally unhinged that they can't help but to spontaneously post their vile evil thoughts! The gaslighting & projection will only get worse before it gets better. Thankfully more Americans are starting to think critically, not emotionally like these scoundrels.

The following are all unhinged & unempathetic posts from educators. There are many, so please be patient while the images load.

The abusers prey on the weak mind, untrained of critical thought. This is likely how these vile creatures became so utterly corrupted by Marxist ideology. It is a classic case of the abused becoming the abuser.

Alexithymia4 - difficulty recognizing emotions; sometimes seen along with depression, autism, or brain injury, among other conditions.

Timestamped to the video montage of the lunatics in our broken education system

I am going to conclude my list here, as it is ever growing and mind numbing. These grotesque humans speaking with glee over the death of a husband & father on our tax payer dime must be called out! Charlie died because he went on offense and spoke to the people directly, finding reason & common ground in the values we share- without ridicule. Be that person. Live not by lies.

Do not be weak or afraid. Be bold, yet humble.

Much of today's hateful rhetoric spreads through the propaganda media's incestuous ties to divisive Marxist ideology, amplified by the cesspool of online social platforms - spaces largely stripped of context and genuine critical thought.

I encourage you to do your own research, but below you will find a few examples of contradicting truth to the lies & hate pushed by those mentioned above.

✰Be Like Charlie✰

2

The Natural Law Theory of Thomas Aquinas

4

Concerned citizens, parents, community members of Delaware and beyond, thank you for subscribing to the Schooling Delaware newsletter. I understand your time is valuable. Even when a post is Delaware based, I try to surround it it with valuable information suitable for a wider national audience. It means a lot that this newsletter has grown beyond the boundaries of the “small town” of Delaware. I appreciate you giving this newsletter your time. There will be some times where a Delaware specific post is necessary, such as this one based on a recently released school district audit, because after all, it is Schooling Delaware, but sure I hope you will stick around. It is through perseverance, civil discourse, aligned values, and a righteous indignation which will preserve this nation.

🗽 Freedom is where true unity lies! 🦅

The next post just needs some editing / formatting and will be on Restorative Justice, & other behavioral programs replacing traditional discipline.

I can be contacted at schoolingdelaware@substack.com

Thank you.

✰✰✰Sign the Petition✰✰✰

Delaware school districts have been in shambles! From single digit proficiency. high school drag shows, hiding sex changes from parents, ousting superintendents in the wee hours of the morning, to Delaware’s award winning schools grappling with a dire crisis in academic proficiency, Delaware government schools are failing!

Appoquinimink Audit (Special Inquiry) 2025

Appoquinimink School District Special Inquiry

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A special inquiry into the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend-area school district culminated in a 14-page report published by State Auditor Lydia York on Wednesday that reveals “failures in budgeting, reporting, and review that have resulted in Appoquinimink running large deficits for several years running.”

I recently learned from a real estate agent on the WDEL Rick Jensen Show that Appoquinimink teachers were giving s seniors (students 18+) extra credit for voting for the Appoquinimink referendum! If this did happen, it would likely violate Delaware election laws1 or school policies against using public resources to influence votes.

This is reminiscent of a May ‘23 Delaware bill HB 962, a bill that would have allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections, but was tabled in a House committee . The bill was sponsored by none other than Representative Eric Morrison.3

Should 16-year-olds be able to vote in school board races?

This Special Inquiry report by Delaware State Auditor Lydia E. York investigates a $4.9 million budget shortfall announced by the Appoquinimink School District in July 2025, attributed to “accounting errors”. The district responded by raising current expense taxes by 10%, a unique provision allowed during the year of a reassessment.

It was not just Appoquinimink who took advantage of the max 10% tax increase. 98-year-old Lewis resident Carol Orr saw her tax bill increase by a whopping $4,379.62, $4.6K of that tax bill being for Cape Henlopen and Sussex Technical HS!

From $842 to $5200; 98-year-old Lewes neighbor sees bill jump after Sussex County property reassessment4

Between the reassessment and school property taxes, many Delaware residents are seeing their tax bills increase by $1,000+

The inquiry provides actionable steps, split into governance and financial reporting:

- Governance: Establish internal controls, document approvals, train staff/boards, implement review processes for reports, document FAC meetings, and use clear formats.

- Financial Reporting: Collaborate with DOE for stability, adopt standardized budgets, present reports earlier, reconcile to FSF, add automated features, review before submission, and ensure timely DOE filings with change explanations.

This delayed disclosure of the shortfall (warning signs like low reserves were evident months earlier), has damaged public trust and "blindsided" residents with the massive tax hike. It is the people's responsibility to hold the government accountable!

We should act on the report's call for a statewide examination!

Delaware Representative Bryan Shupe (R) of District 36 lays out a concise, easy to understand assessment
🚨AUDITOR’S REPORT ON APPOQUINIMINK SCHOOL DISTRICT

The State Auditor has released a Special Inquiry into the Appoquinimink School District’s $4.9 million budget shortfall—and the findings are deeply concerning.

Here’s what happened:

• Last year, the district announced during a School Board meeting that they had a $4.9 million deficit, blaming it on an “accounting error” that supposedly went unnoticed in prior financial reports.

• To fill this gap, the School Board used a loophole in Delaware law that allows districts to raise property taxes up to 10% after reassessment—and they voted to do just that, putting the burden directly on taxpayers.

📑The Auditor’s report revealed:

• The Superintendent allowed errors to accumulate unchecked and failed to meet obligations for fiscal stewardship, accurate reporting, and transparent communication.

• The CFO submitted incomplete reports, excluding critical supporting documents, and failed to compare budgets to actual spending.

• This led to large discrepancies between budgeted and actual expenses for three consecutive years—errors hidden from the public.

• The School Board failed to warn the community, even though warning signs like dangerously low reserves were evident months earlier. Instead, families were blindsided with a 10% tax hike.

The Auditor concluded:
➡️“By delaying disclosure, they not only blindsided families with a 10% increase of the prior year expense tax rate, but also damaged the public trust.”

⚠️This was a failure at every level—Superintendent, CFO, School Board, and even lawmakers in Dover who left an antiquated law in place that lets school boards raise taxes by 10% after reassessment, even when their own mistakes created the problem.

👉Accountability must be demanded.
The Superintendent, CFO, and School Board must answer for their actions—and lawmakers who voted to keep this loophole open must explain why they continue to give districts the ability to cover up mistakes with more of your money.

Delaware families deserve transparency, accountability, and protection from reckless financial practices.

Kevin Caneco (D); New Castle County Council District 12 has been a resonating voice in calling for an audit of the Appo School District and the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Matt Burrows, even putting out a July 9 press release titked “Quick and Dirty: The High Cost of Appoquinimink School District's Bail Out”

Below is Appoquinimink School District's officially response to this special inquiry.
Communication was sent on September 3, 2025 to all ASD families:

Dear ASD Families,

Today, the Delaware State Auditor’s office released their Special Inquiry report regarding the budget situation we’ve faced this summer.

I want to start by thanking the State Auditor and the team who dedicated their time and attention to this report.

Please know, as a district, we do not take this situation lightly. Since information was first shared regarding this situation, we’ve been focused on understanding what happened and creating a plan to ensure it does not happen again

The auditor’s report echoes the same findings we’ve been sharing with our families and community throughout this summer

Those findings include:

• Expenses were understated in financial reports (including employee costs, payrolls, summer school, etc.)

• Expenses that were reported did not match the state’s financial reporting system

• Financial Position Report errors

• Financial Advisory Committee meetings need more detailed documentation

Throughout this summer, we’ve been highly focused on our path forward to ensure this does not happen again. The work we’ve already undertaken aligns with the State Auditor’s recommendations, including:

• Welcoming our new finance director, who joined the district in August

• Working with outside financial experts to thoroughly review our documentation and processes to date to provide detailed reports and guidance for the future

• Increasing financial training for various groups, including our School Board and Finance Advisory Committee teams as well as team members who oversee finances

• Adding additional Financial Advisory Committee members with specialized school finance backgrounds

• Creating a centralized location for all Financial Advisory Committee documents

We are committed to continuing our work with the State Auditor’s Office alongside our outside financial experts to ensure all recommendations are implemented in our district.

While the State Auditor’s report indicates that the district was aware of financial shortcomings for some time, we have and will continue to be clear on the timeline of when the district leadership and School Board became aware of budget concerns.

As we shared with families in July – information regarding the district’s carryover balance was first discovered near the start of summer.

• In late May, concerns about forecasted or projected expenditures were first shared with district leadership.

• In June, the district brought in subject matter experts. Those experts made the district aware of the full impact of the budgeting errors – including underestimated employee costs.

• At the June 25, 2025, School Board Workshop, it was confirmed by outside expert analysis that the district carryover would be $3.1 million – which was less than the anticipated carryover and also less than the state-required $4.2 million (two payroll cycles).

In July, the school board voted on the tax rate (also called tax warrant) for the upcoming year, utilizing the one-time 10% operational tax increase that’s allowable by state law the year of a reassessment. As a reminder, school taxes have four components: operating tax, tuition tax, debt service tax, and match tax. This one-time 10% increase applies only to the operating portion of the school tax rate.

The one-time operational increase was utilized only in conjunction with $2.5 million in spending reduction for the next fiscal year. As a district, we focused on reductions that will have the least impact on our staff and students, aligned with our core value of always doing what’s best for every student.

The key areas where reductions have been implemented are:

• Department budgets

• School building budgets

• Staff reassignments

• Program/initiative/position reductions

On August 14, 2025, the district held a Community Information Night to share details about the budget situation – including the timeline, the path forward, and our commitments. You can watch the recording of that meeting here.

On August 21, 2025, the school board voted on a revised tax warrant based on new state legislation (passed on August 12, 2025) that allows school districts to split tax rates between residential and non-residential properties. You can watch the recording of that meeting here.

As a reminder, School Board Meetings in our district take place on the second Tuesday of each month. We share meeting reminders on our website, social media, and newsletters. All families and community members are welcome to attend in-person or watch the livestream on our Appoquinimink YouTube channel​​​​​​​. In addition to the regularly scheduled School Board Meetings, School Board Workshops also take place periodically throughout the year. These meetings are also shared on our website, social media, and newsletters.

Please know that we are committed to the path forward, which includes frequent communications with our families and community. We understand that we must rebuild trust with our community, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that happens.

Respectfully,

Matt Burrows

Appoquinimink School Board Meetimg Tonight!

🔗Appoquinimink Public School Board Meeting; Tuesday Sept. 9

• Marion E. Proffitt Training Center (formerly the Appoquinimink Training Center) located at 118 South Sixth Street, Odessa, DE.

• Meeting will begin promptly at 7:00 PM

Appoquinimink had years of financial errors, auditor finds5
September 3, 2025 | SpotlightDelaware

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

3

Imagine my surprise when I came across Malcolm Clark's post on 𝕏!

Yes, it's true - The Trevor Project has finally closed down! This has been long overdue! They claim they were a “LGBTQ+ Suicide & Crisis Lifeline" when they were nothing more than a Trans-Queer exploitation and grooming project with the insidious nature of connecting 13 year-olds with 24 year-old adults to discuss sexuality, means of deception, running away, genital mutilation, “glitter” families & fetish.

As Gays Against Groomers has said, TrevorSpace is a pedophile's paradise!

TrevorSpace: A Pedophile's Paradise1
August 3, 2023 | RADAR

The above post is just the first of an incredible 14‐post 𝕏 thread made by Malcolm Clark.

You may know Malcolm from his newsletter “The Secret Gender Files”2 where he has written about Delaware's very own “Sarah" McBride.

• The State of Sarah McBride3

  • Is it an accident that the first trans person in Congress represents a state that's a byword for money-laundering and tax-evasion ...and is run by a tiny, secretive and corrupt elite?

• America's Biggest Bathroom Bully4

  • Delaware's trans-identified Congressman Sarah McBride is keen to appear moderate. Yet it was he who pioneered the trans lobby's assault on women's single sex spaces and free speech.

The Trevor Project - boy do they have a few skeletons in their closet…

Two of Baltimore’s most prestigious private schools, McDonough and St. Paul’s, invited their middle school students to attend “Belonging in Gender and Sexual Identity” conference.

12 and 13-year-olds will “build secret queer language… and reflect on queer spaces…” Cross-dresser Chris Bright (she/they) of The Trevor Project will be presenting.5

Just recently Beth Bourne6 callled The Trevor Project's suicide hotline - here's how it went…

Today I called the @TrevorProject Suicide Hotline number posing as a 15-year-old girl who believes she is a transgender boy.

I told the Trevor Project crisis counselor that my mom misgendered me and made me feel unsafe at home. I asked if moving into my softball coach's house was a good idea as he promised to help me get online “T” (testosterone) and my breasts removed (top surgery).

The Trevor Project counselor said it sounded like a great plan.

Brenda Lebsack Shares What She Witnessed at the National Education Association's Recent Convention | YouTube

Sam Brinton, Biden’s ex- Energy Department nuclear waste official who was fired & facing prison time following luggage theft7, who between 2017 and 2020, was head of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project, helped a nonprofit group craft a model school policy adopted in several states that tells schools to hide alleged gender identity or sexual orientation changes from "unaffirming" parents.8

New Delaware bill seeks to include asexuality and pansexuality under sexual orientation9

January 22, 2024 | Delaware Online

…Someone who is pansexual may be attracted to more than one gender or all genders. The word “pansexual” is sometimes used interchangeably with “bisexual,” according to the Trevor Project.

Take notice of the 🔍 magnifying glass next to the photo of McBride. TrevorProject - a sponsor of Dylan Mulvaney's “365 Days of Girlhood”⁶

TrevorSpace is was a “resource” in many of our schools - even some elementary schools!

Take a moment to read the names and descriptions of these private chatrooms, where a thirteen year-old child can privately chat with a 24 year-old adult!

Then, question why there would be a “quick exit" to hide these conversations from parents! 🤔

The predatory website features various “clubs” that kids can join, where they are able to discuss their sexual identities with hundreds of other kids and adults.

One of these clubs is called “Furries”, designed for people who are attracted to anthropomorphic animals.

Another is called “Littles", a fetish where grown men & woman wear diapers & desire to be attended to as a toddler.

There is even a “Chosen Family" club, otherwise known as a “glitter family”, where young impressionable children are coerced into leaving their “bigoted, religious, non-affirming” family (going “no-contact") and find a “new family”.

In conclusion, while the closure of the Trevor Project marks a significant victory, we must remain vigilant! Predatory behavior, though pushed back for now, persists in the shadows, lurking, waiting for opportunities to exploit vulnerable children. Parents and communities must stay proactive in protecting our youth.

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

By Gaetano

“The left doesn’t want free speech if it means letting ideas they dislike compete in the marketplace. They want control over what’s said and taught.”
–Thomas Sowell

I urge you to take the time to read this post all the way through. There is a critical piece of legislation that is being presented to state legislators throughout our Nation, which without context, sounds like a reasonable bill. It even had a Delaware pastor duped.

Here is a video titled “Harriet Beecher Stowe and Censorship” to help illustrates that point:

INDEX:

• The “Freedom to Read” bill

• Delaware's HB119

• A Parent's Plea of Public Opposition to the “Freedom to Read" act

• A Coordinated Campaign to Force Obscenity

• The Marxist Underbelly of the American Library Association

• ✰ My Proclamation to Parents ✰

The “Freedom to Read” bill

It's a fugazi! 🤌

No state is immune to the insidious framework of this bill - which aims to strip local control away from parents & their local school boards, placing control into the hands of an unelected, unaccountable board. (Provisions would shield them from federal & state obscenity laws)

“The Bible doesn’t hold significant meaning for me, and given everything that has occurred in the last couple of years, the banned books, they do mean something to me at this point.”1
-Karen Smith; Central Bucks School Board President

Other states have already signed egregiously restrictive & similarly deceptive bills into law.

• New Jersey Freedom to Read Act legislation text

• California Freedom to Read Act adverse legislation states

• Illinois Freedom to Read Act press release

• Maryland Freedom to Read Act education legislation

• Minnesota Book Ban Prohibition House member news

• Washington State Book Ban Prohibition bill summary

• Colorado Freedom to Read Act signed into law article

*Some states, like Michigan, have proposed similar legislation (e.g., the "Michigan Freedom to Read Act"), but as of June 4, 2025, it has not been passed, according to the Michigan Library Association. Rhode Island and Vermont were considered, but research indicates their proposed acts (e.g., Rhode Island SB238) are still under consideration, with no confirmation of passage by the current date. North Dakota and Georgia were mentioned in X posts, but without official legislative confirmation, they are excluded from the list.

This “Freedom to Read" template is being shopped around to every state in our Nation, including Florida!2

Delaware's HB119

Delaware's “Freedom to Read” act, House Bill 119 (HB119)3 passed out of committee on 5/22 with 27 YES votes, 18 NO votes, & 4 representatives absent. View vote roll call4

Amendments for oversight & accountability were defeated during that committee.

• Amendment HA65 (defeated)

  … a mechanism for “local education agencies” (i.e., school districts, vocational-technical schools, and charter schools) to consider objections to library materials. It also includes an appeals process conducted by local elected school officials to review these decisions. These officials are answerable to the citizens of the districts they serve…

• Amendment HA5 (stricken)

  This amendment seeks to include subsection (4) in Titles 14 and 29 cited in this bill, to clarify that the bill is not intended to restrict the removal of age-inappropriate, obscene, or pornographic material as defined under existing state and federal law.

I find Amendment HA5 to be truly disturbing, as this text was stricken from the bill, meaning it was in the original language - then removed!

This reminds me of Red Clay school district's “Transgender” policy, where in the dead of night during a short holiday school week, the board secretly met with Trans-Queer activists groups and had stricken the verbiage of “shall notify parents" from their policy!!

• Amendment HA3 (defeated)

  This amendment would make the following changes to House Bill 119: 1. Require school library materials under review to be briefly removed from student access during the review process. School staff would continue to have access during the review period. The review would be required to be completed within 30 days of the initial receipt of the objection. 2. Limit the review of any specific school library material by requiring a one-year period between the end of the review process and the filing of a new objection. This change would prevent bad actors from seeking to keep targeted material out of circulation by filing repeated challenges. 3. Expand those with standing to file an objection to school library material to include school district residents. The current language of the bill would exclude potential objections of most school district residents and taxpayers. This aspect of the amendment seeks to correct this inadvertent oversight by including these stakeholders.

• Amendment HA2 (defeated)

  Require the brief removal of public library materials under review during the review process. 2. Expand those with standing to file an objection to library material to include the taxpayers of library districts. Kent County residents pay to use libraries in certain incorporated areas, but may not be residents of these municipalities. The current language of the bill would exclude potential objections of these stakeholders. This aspect of the amendment seeks to correct this inadvertent oversight. Kent County is the only county with this hybrid financing arrangement. 3. Allow an individual to file up to five objections at one time. This change would be more efficient, preventing the need to file and review similar objections to related material in a serial fashion. 4. Limit the review of any material by requiring a one-year period between the end of the review process and the filing of a new objection. This change would prevent bad actors from seeking to keep targeted material out of circulation by filing repeated challenges. 5. Limit the review period to no longer than 30 days after the initial receipt of the objection.

• Amendment HA8 (passed)

  In keeping with Delaware bill-drafting standards, in subsections (2) and (3), this amendment seeks to replace the term "should" with the term "may". It also clarifies that nothing in this section is intended to override or negate any provision of state law relating to material that is in violation of Title 11, Chapter 5, Subchapter 7, Subpart C.

Under the bill, individuals could file no more than one challenge at a time. Materials under review would be required to remain in circulation. Library employees and contractors would be generally protected for appropriately maintaining collections.

A removal decision could be appealed, but the bill explicitly gives the state librarian—an appointed position in Delaware—the final say on the matter.

🚨🚨🚨This bill has since passed out of the Senate on 6/18, and voted out of Senate chambers on 6/30, awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Lead sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Krista Griffith (D-Fairfax), made comments during the House action that seemed to concede that the bill’s intent was to disengage libraries from the public influence, placing that authority in the hands of people who are “more qualified for the responsibility.”

“It’s an important protection of our libraries,” Rep. Griffith said of the bill. “What it does is it entrusts the experts with the collection and curation of the libraries. Those who have the master’s degrees in library science, who know how to collect books and how to remove books. You can hear [state librarian] Dr. Norman talk about when she goes into libraries, the titles she is able to find that should have been removed decades ago, from the 1950s, 40s, 30s, 20s, that should no longer be on the shelf. She and her other colleagues are curating that library, making sure that it is up to date, making sure they are following the principles and protocols that they have in place to make sure that library material is correct.”

A Parent's Plea of Public Opposition to the “Freedom to Read" act

Partially speed-read at the Senate hearing when public comment was shortened to only one minute:

Good evening, honorable Senators and Delawareans. As a parent of a school-age child in Delaware, I urge you, as Democrats who champion local control and child safety, to vote against House Bill 119, misleadingly named the “Freedom to Read” Act.

HB119 undermines community governance by stripping elected school boards of final authority over library materials, handing appeals to an unelected Review Committee. Worse, it requires schools to keep challenged materials available during review, with no exemption for obscene content. House Amendment No. 5 would have allowed removing age-inappropriate, obscene, or pornographic material under state and federal law, including Delaware’s §1365 on harmful content. Shockingly, this safeguard was stricken in the House, exposing the bill’s troubling intent to protect explicit materials over our children’s well-being.

As a parent, I support diverse ideas, but not graphic content in our schools. Better Nate Than Ever, in Appoquinimink’s Oliver B. Loss Elementary, uses terms like “fag,” “boobs,” and “stripper,” with references to drugs and suicide. This Book Is Gay, accessible via Delaware state-funded SORA catalog in Caesar Rodney School District, promotes websites for sexual meetups. The Kite Runner, in Red Clay’s Richardson Park Elementary, depicts graphic sexual violence, profanity and gore. “I knew your mother… I took her from behind by that creek.” These excerpts, too graphic for this hearing, can be provided privately. Such content has no place in Delaware libraries.

HB119’s supporters claim it protects “banned books,” but this is deception. “Banned books” displays feature controversial titles, but never Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s abolitionist classic, historically banned for challenging slavery. These displays aren’t about censorship—they promote certain narratives while ignoring true literary history. If a book is available to borrow or buy, it’s not banned; it’s restricted to protect our children.

HB119 betrays parents by sidelining our voices and shielding inappropriate materials. Reject HB119, uphold local control, and protect our children’s innocence. Thank you.

Meet Sora - Delaware’s online library catalog, with minimal oversight!

Every Public School Student Now Has Digital Access To Books6

June 28, 2021 | Delaware.gov

A Coordinated Campaign to Force Obscenity

These Marx aligned Librarians wish to promote anti-American, anti-family, sexually deviant literature to young, impressionable students. They speak in euphemisms preying upon teachers, parents, students, & politicians emotions & ignorance. Thankfully, you 🫵 hold the antidote - knowledge!

Librarians, teachers and others plan day of action to fight book bans and preserve history7

Across the country, librarians, teachers, bookstore owners, civil rights activists and others plan to hold as many as 100 events June 7 as part of Teach Truth Day of Action. The national campaign aims to support the teaching of unvarnished history and to encourage people to read more, including banned books.

It's highly unlikely any of these “BaNnEd BoOk" activists will recommend reading “Uncle Tom's Cabin", the poster child of Banned Books.

In fact, when a bookstore in the south carried “Uncle Tom's Cabin”, it wasn't on a display where you can purchase it. It was usually found in the pile of burnt rubble after the democrat KKK burned it down!! 🔥

I have yet to see Harriet Beecher Stowe’s historic ant-slavery, abolitionist view spreading book on any “BaNnEd BoOk" display, but I have seen innocuous books such as “Hop on Pop" & '“A Light in the Attic” next to abhorrent books which speak of pedophelia,8 graphic scenes of rape,9 & instruct the reader of a multitude of sexual acts, up to & including how to use online hookup sites for “coffee, dinner or sometimes plain, old- fashioned sex.”.10 Mind you, some of these books mentioned are available in Delaware elementary schools!11

A recent Supreme Court victory deals a major blow to trans-queer programming through storybooks! A case brought to the court by a coalition of Maryland Muslim, Jewish & Christian parents. 🤝

💪 ✞☪✡ 🇺🇸

🗽Freedom is where true Unity lies!

Watch the video above as the host reads from the books cited in the Mahmoud v. Taylor lawsuit.

The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, was brought by a diverse group of religious parents – including Muslims, Jews and Christians, who objected to Montgomery County Public Schools’ decision to force children as young as 3 to engage with LGBT books in its curriculum. The books included terms such as “drag queen,” “queer farmers,” “intersex flag” and “pride puppy,” and discussed “gender-neutral pronouns” such as ze/zir and ey/em.

Supreme Court sides with parents who want to opt kids out of LGBT school books12

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The Marxist Underbelly of the American Library Association

Everything you have read above has been a carefully planned & coordinate assault on the family & American values. At the core of the “Freedom to Read" act, and the infusion of this abhorrent material pouring into our libraries is the American Library Association (ALA).13

Outspoken critic of critical theory, author, and founder James Lindsay has an excellent podcast episode titled “The American Library Association is Queering the Catalog” you must listen to if you are to fully understand the insidious, Marxist influence of the ALA!

The American Library Association (ALA) is a fully captured institution headed by a Queer Marxist organizer named Emily Drabinski. That means it is time to do what we should have done a long time ago: break away from the American Library Association. The state of Montana has already done this at the state level, and other states should follow. Some already are. Local municipalities and districts, including school districts, should do so as well, as soon as possible. In this episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay makes it more clear why. He takes you through an academic paper by Drabinski titled "Queering the Catalog" from 2013, showing you exactly how Drabinski intends to use her American Library Association to make libraries sites of Queer Marxist grooming. Join him and start pushing everywhere for a breakup from the American Library Association.14

Note: Emily Drabinski's reign has come to an end, ushering in a new era of indoctrination, swearing in ALA's newest “non-binary" they/them president .

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Legislators In Four More States Prepare To Ditch American Library Association15

July 21, 2023 | The Federalist

Thankfully, alternatives to the (un)American Library Association do exist.

Dan Kleinman, a man who has spent decades exposing teachers & librarians that intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly expose children to harmful content has founded the World Library Association, a nationwide library association and competitor to the ALA.

New National Association Launched To Compete With American Library Association16

July 24, 2023 | Daily Caller

✰ My Proclamation to Parents ✰

Parents, now is the time to rise with courage and conviction to defend the values that shape our children’s future. Stand firm in demanding integrity from our institutions, and fearlessly engage in open, value-driven conversations about what truly belongs in school libraries. Shatter the stigma of “banned books,” a phrase twisted by insidious Marxist rhetoric to silence dissent. Once we cut through this distortion, free thought will triumph, and together, we’ll reclaim the soul of education for our children. Let’s act boldly—our values, our kids, and our future depend on it.

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

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https://news.delaware.gov/2021/06/28/every-public-school-student-now-has-digital-access-to-books/

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eg Oryx & Crake, Lawn Boy

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New Discourses

The American Library Association is Queering the Catalog

The American Library Association (ALA) is a fully captured institution headed by a Queer Marxist organizer named Emily Drabinski. That means it is time to do what we should have done a long time ago: break away from the American Library Association. The state of Montana has already done this at the state level, and other states should follow. Some alrea…

Listen now

3 years ago · 20 likes · 7 comments · New Discourses

A recent judgement by the Fifth Circuit court represents a significant ruling on the First Amendment’s application to government library book removals.

This lawsuit, Little v. Llano County, was due to the diligence & steadfast resolve of the patriots of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. As a Texas native myself, I embody that spirit as my source of righteous indignation!

Speaking of Mississippi, now would be an opportune time to share Caesar Rodney Institute's latest article:

Delaware Slipping, Mississippi Rising: A Tale of Two States Changing Places1
Once ranked higher in education and income, Delaware now trails in key areas—while Mississippi climbs the ranks

The Fifth Circuit’s en banc decision in Little v. Llano County (Case No. 23-50224, filed May 23, 2025) represents a significant ruling on the First Amendment’s application to public library book removals.

The court reversed a preliminary injunction and dismissed Free Speech claims, holding that library patrons can not challenge a library’s removal of books under the First Amendment’s “right to receive information” and that a library’s collection decisions constitute government speech.

Below are the most notable and memorable excerpts from the majority opinion that highlight the key reasoning and impact of this decision:

No First Amendment Right to Challenge Book Removals

Significance: This sets a clear boundary, rejecting the notion that the First Amendment guarantees access to specific books in public libraries, distinguishing private speech from government-provided resources.

Practical Nightmare of Judicial Oversight

Significance: The court underscores the impracticality of judicially policing library decisions, emphasizing the lack of a workable standard and the potential for endless litigation.

Library Decisions as Government Speech

Significance: By classifying library curation as government speech, the court shields these decisions from First Amendment scrutiny, aligning them with other forms of government expression like museum exhibits.

Historical Context of Library Curation

Significance: The court roots its reasoning in the historical role of libraries as curators, reinforcing that book selection and removal are expressive acts inherent to their function.

Rejection of “Book Burning” Rhetoric

Significance: This sharp rebuke dismisses hyperbolic claims of censorship, framing the issue as routine library management rather than a constitutional crisis.

Libraries Are Not Warehouses

Significance: This vivid analogy encapsulates the court’s view that libraries must curate selectively to fulfill their purpose, not merely store all materials indiscriminately.

Overruling Precedent

Significance: By overturning *Campbell*, the court decisively rejects prior circuit precedent that extended First Amendment protections to library book removals, clarifying the law in the Fifth Circuit.

Availability of Books Elsewhere

Significance: This pragmatic point underscores that library removals do not equate to censorship, as patrons retain access to books through other means.

These excerpts capture the core of the court’s reasoning: libraries have broad discretion to curate their collections as government speech, and patrons lack a First Amendment right to demand specific books remain on shelves. The decision is framed as a defense of local control and practical governance, dismissing alarmist rhetoric and setting a precedent that limits federal judicial oversight of library decisions in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

The dissenting opinion references Dwight D. Eisenhower & his opposition to "burning books", but as one can clearly see from the majority ruling, this dissenting opinion is clearly misrepresented & out of context.

The complete 97 page judgement can be viewed here.

In fact, it was democrat President Woodrow Wilson who replaced African American historian William Cooper Nell's 1855 book "The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution" with "History of the American People", which gave a nod to the democrat KKK.

Here is a video I made of the great William Cooper Nell for my YouTube channel "Songs of the Unsung"

William Cooper Nell - A Pioneer of Equality

My friend Dan Kleinman has been under attack by means of legal warfare from the (un)American Library Association - headed by a literal self-proclaimed "Marxist lesbian". Dan needs our help! If you are able to, please donate to Dan's legal fund. Any help will be greatly appreciated. He is fighting for your children!!🙏

https://www.givesendgo.com/LegalFundForParents

In my following post I will discuss Delaware house bil HB119, euphemistically titled the “Freedom to Read" act. I will break down the insidious nature of this bill, and the good intentions by some of the sponsors, overshadowed by the deciet that has prevailed.

Help support my efforts in creating a program calling out inappropriate content in government school libraries by testing out & providing feedback on the new book scanning program I have been working on - B.L.O.C.K.A.D.E., an acronym for the longer, more appropriate title "Blocking Lustful Overzealous Content, Keeping Away Depravity and Extremism from children"

https://github.com/SchoolingDelaware/B.L.O.C.K.A.D.E.-Book_Scanner

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

NOTE: The opening & presidential quotes were provided by Grok Artificial Intelligence. The list of fallen heroes was taken from my extensive list of unsung heroes I’ve been curating to create videos for my “Songs of the Unsung” YouTube channel, which can also be found in the Schooling Delaware toolbar.

Origin of Memorial Day:

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, began in the United States after the Civil War to honor the soldiers who died in that conflict. The war, fought from 1861 to 1865, left over 600,000 dead, and communities sought ways to commemorate the fallen.

The practice of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers emerged in various places, but the formal establishment is often tied to May 30, 1868, when General John A. Logan, leader of the Grand Army of the Republic (a Union veterans’ group), called for a nationwide day of remembrance.1 He chose May 30 because it wasn’t tied to a specific battle, and flowers would be in bloom across the country.

Waterloo, New York, is recognized by Congress as the official birthplace of Memorial Day due to its 1866 event, where businesses closed, and residents decorated graves of fallen soldiers. Over time, the holiday expanded to honor all American military personnel who died in any war. After World War I, it became a broader tribute, and in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved it to the last Monday in May, creating a three-day weekend.

Notable Presidential Words on Memorial Day:

1. Abraham Lincoln (1863, not explicitly Memorial Day but foundational):

Though Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address wasn’t delivered on Memorial Day, its words shaped the holiday’s ethos:

This set a tone for honoring sacrifice through national unity and purpose.

2. Ronald Reagan (1982, Arlington National Cemetery):

Reagan emphasized the personal stories behind the fallen:

He highlighted the ongoing duty to preserve the freedoms they died for.

3. Bill Clinton (2000, Arlington National Cemetery):

Clinton spoke of unity and shared sacrifice:

His words called for national cohesion in memory of the fallen.

4. Barack Obama (2011, Arlington National Cemetery):

Reflecting after the death of Osama bin Laden, Obama connected past and present:

He framed Memorial Day as a bridge between generations of service.

5. Donald Trump (2017, Arlington National Cemetery):

Trump focused on the personal loss of families:

His remarks centered on the human cost and gratitude.

These quotes reflect recurring themes: sacrifice, freedom, unity, and the responsibility of the living to honor the dead through action and remembrance. Presidents often use Memorial Day to reinforce national values while acknowledging the profound personal losses behind the holiday.

Below is a list of unsung American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for the United States of America, focusing on lesser-known heroes whose contributions are often overlooked.

1. Salem Poor (American Revolution, 1747–1802)

Salem Poor, a freed African American, enlisted in the Massachusetts Minutemen and fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. His bravery was noted for his marksmanship, reportedly killing British Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie. Despite his heroism, Poor’s contributions were overshadowed due to racial biases of the time. He continued serving in several battles but died in poverty, his sacrifices largely unrecognized until later historical efforts.

1. https://teamrwb.org/blog/10-unsung-heroes-of-american-revolution

Sacrifice: Poor risked and ultimately gave his life’s potential, serving through hardship and dying destitute, embodying the unrecognized cost borne by many African American Patriots.

2. Margaret Corbin (American Revolution, 1751–1800)

Known as “Captain Molly,” Corbin accompanied her husband to the Revolutionary War, taking his place at a cannon during the Battle of Fort Washington in 1776 when he was killed. She was severely wounded, losing the use of one arm, and became one of the first women recognized for combat valor. Her story was largely ignored until recent decades, despite her pioneering role as a female combatant

1. https://aptww.org/program/Unsung-Heroes-The-Story-of-America-s-Female-Patriots

2. https://www.mpt.org/stationrelations/unsung-heroes/

Sacrifice: Corbin gave her health and livelihood, suffering lifelong disability and poverty after her wartime injuries, with minimal recognition in her lifetime.

3. Joseph H. De Castro (Civil War, 1844–1892)

   

A Hispanic American from Massachusetts, De Castro was a Union Army corporal who earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. He captured a Confederate flag under heavy fire, a significant act of bravery. As the first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient, his story is often underrepresented in mainstream Civil War narratives. He died young, likely from war-related health issues.

1. https://lulac.org/news/pr/Honoring_the_Heroes_Who_Sacrificed_Everything

Sacrifice: De Castro risked his life in a pivotal battle, and his early death reflects the long-term toll of his service, with his Hispanic heritage rarely highlighted.

4. William Harvey Carney (Civil War, 1840–1908)

Born enslaved, Carney escaped and joined the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a famed African American regiment. During the 1863 Battle of Fort Wagner, he carried the Union flag through intense combat, sustaining multiple wounds but refusing to let it fall. Awarded the Medal of Honor in 1900, he was one of the first African Americans so honored, yet his story remains less known than white counterparts.

1. https://www.amazon.com/American-Civil-War-Heroes-Resilience-ebook/dp/B0CVS6LB1X

2. https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B0CVS6LB1X/ref=zg_bsnr_g_5011_d_sccl_6_cr/000-0000000-0000000

Sacrifice: Carney endured severe injuries and lifelong health struggles from his wounds, with his heroism underappreciated during his lifetime due to racial prejudice.

5. Mildred Manning (World War II, 1911–2013)

One of the “Angels of Bataan,” Manning was an Army nurse captured by Japanese forces in the Philippines in 1942. She endured brutal conditions as a POW, providing care to fellow prisoners despite starvation and disease. As one of the last surviving female POWs from WWII, her resilience was remarkable, but nurses’ sacrifices are often overshadowed by combat roles. She survived but carried the trauma of her ordeal.

1. https://www.mpt.org/stationrelations/unsung-heroes

Sacrifice: Manning sacrificed years of her life to captivity and suffering, risking death daily to save others, with her story rarely spotlighted in WWII histories.

6. Members of the 761st Tank Battalion (World War II, 1944–1945)

This African American tank unit, known as the “Black Panthers,” fought in Europe under General Patton, notably helping liberate Nazi death camps. Facing both enemy fire and racial discrimination, they achieved remarkable victories, yet their contributions were downplayed for decades due to segregation. Many members died in combat, their names often absent from mainstream WWII accounts.

1. https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-America-Soldiers-Unsung-Heroes/dp/034545961X

2. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-America-Soldiers-Unsung-Heroes/dp/034545961X

Sacrifice: The 761st’s soldiers gave their lives fighting for a nation that denied them equality, with their collective sacrifice underrecognized until posthumous honors years later.

7. Cpl. Benito Martinez (Korean War, 1931–1952)

A Hispanic American soldier in the U.S. Army’s 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Martinez was killed in action on September 6, 1952, near Sataeri, South Korea. During an enemy assault, he continued firing on advancing North Korean forces despite being wounded, halting their advance and allowing his unit to regroup. His selfless actions earned him the Medal of Honor posthumously, one of the few Hispanic Americans so honored in the Korean War.

1. https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/page/1?s=Benito%20Martinez

Sacrifice: Martinez gave his life to protect his comrades, his heroism as a Hispanic American soldier exemplifying the courage of those who fought in the often-overlooked Korean War.

8. Staff Sgt. Jimmy G. Stewart (Vietnam War, 1942–1966)

Stewart, a U.S. Army soldier, single-handedly defended his position against a platoon-sized enemy force for four hours during a 1966 battle in Vietnam, protecting his fallen comrades. His actions earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor. Despite his extraordinary bravery, his name is less familiar than other Vietnam heroes, reflecting the war’s complex legacy.

1. https://x.com/DeptofDefense/status/1843411230771286108

Sacrifice: Stewart died shielding his unit, his ultimate sacrifice ensuring others’ survival but receiving limited public recognition amid Vietnam’s divisive history.

9. Crispus Attucks (Boston Massacre, 1723–1770)

Crispus Attucks, a Black and Native American sailor, was the first to die in the Boston Massacre, shot by British soldiers during a tense confrontation in 1770. His death galvanized colonial resistance, sparking the American Revolution. As a man of mixed heritage and possible former slave, Attucks’ role as a patriot was long overlooked in early American narratives.

1. https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/crispus-attucks.htm

Sacrifice: Attucks gave his life in the opening act of the Revolution, his death as a minority symbolizing the fight for liberty but receiving scant recognition for centuries.

These heroes represent a cross-section of America’s diverse fabric—African Americans, Hispanic Americans, women, and others—who gave their lives or health for freedom, often without due recognition. Their stories, drawn from historical records and recent scholarship, underscore the broader, often untold sacrifices in U.S. military history.

One of my new-found favorite American has to be William Cooper Nell, an African American abolitionist, journalist, historian, and civil servant based in Boston, Massachusetts. Nell authored pioneering historical works, including Services of Colored Americans in the Wars of 1776 and 1812 (1851) and The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution (1855), highlighting African American contributions to U.S. history.

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Past Memorial Day Posts":

Schooling Delaware Newsletter

State of Delaware Education

This Tuesday, May 13 will be Delaware's government school board elections - let Delaware's failure inspire you to do better.

It's hard to win when you aren't even in the game!

The Importance of School Board Elections1

May 1, 2025 | A Better Delaware

✰✰School Board Elections should be everyone’s priority!✰✰

[click here to skip past the local politics]

Subscribe to “Citizens for Delaware Schools” for all the latest on your local school board candidates!