The Nanny State Take-over of All Children: Birth - 5

Urgent EdAction Alert -- March 29, 2005

The following alert is being forwarded to give notice to other states regarding the system Minnesota is about to implement for all children birth to 5.

It is our understanding that other states are headed down a similar path this year. 2005 appears to be the year for a shocking power grab over our kids.

Pending federal legislation (S 503) is adding elements of this plan through more federal initiatives, expanding "Parents as Teachers."  More will be sent on that federal bill.

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The Nanny State Take-over of All Children:  Birth - 5

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 Legislator contact information may be found at EdAction.org,
Or call the Capitol 800-657-3550 or 651-296-2146.

 
The plan includes the following:

• Government-required curriculum for all children, birth through four -- controversial Early Learning “Standards” (Curriculum) of social and emotional indoctrination that teach the political agendas of gender identity, diversity training, vocations, environmentalism, and social activism. [SF 592 Kierlin; Kubly; Robling; Scheid; Pappas, and SF 1278 / HF 1323 – The Governor’s bill];
• Tests (“screening”) of all children for compliance with the required government curriculum at least once by age three, [SF 906, Kelley; Wergin; Sparks; Nienow; Pappas], including mental health testing, [SF 1365 (Tomassoni; Solon; Hottinger; Anderson / HF 1513 Greiling; Goodwin; Abeler; Slawik and SF 905 Kubly; Hottinger; Kierlin; Pappas; Scheid],  and assigning a Child ID, [S.F. 1278 / HF 1323 – the Governor’s bill, and S.F. 1853 Wergin]; 
• A preschool rating system of public and private child care centers based on the required government curriculum that endangers private and religious options. (Sweden has witnessed this negative impact already.)  [SF 592. See above for authors.]; 
• A transfer of elected authority to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are unaccountable to the voters.  These NGOs with a liberal political agenda will be positioned to replace elected officials to establish, monitor, and market the system of standards and tests for all Minnesota children and set up the rating system for child care centers. [SF 907 / HF 1419 (See above for authors.]

The government required political curriculum (Early Learning Standards) is the core of the Nanny State system. They are primarily state-defined social and emotional outcomes for kids that are deliberately vague, subjective, non-academic, and psychosocial.  They direct care-givers to teach controversial political agendas, such as gender identity, diversity,  homosexuality, career exploration, environmentalism, and childhood activism. Remember that these are three-year old children that are being indoctrinated!
 
Minnesota’s Early Learning curriculum is endorsed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) who publish the radical Anti-Bias Curriculum. The highly politicized
Anti-Bias Curriculum is currently listed as a primary reference for the Minnesota Standards, though that reference will likely be erased to hide from the public its influence on the standards.
 
The following examples of NAEYC’s Anti-Bias Curriculum demonstrate what developers of the Early Learning system will incorporate into Minnesota’s vague outcomes. Minnesotans cannot naively ignore the implications of this covert indoctrination of our children. The NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum is required for NAEYC teacher certification.

·         The MN Dept. of Ed’s early childhood curriculum includes gender identity. It says: "Support children’s developing understanding of their gender and cultural identity.”  The NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum directs teachers to provide anatomically correct dolls for visual aides. “Tell a person a doll story where a few of the dolls ask questions about what makes them a boy or a girl.” [p. 53].

·         The MN Dept. of Ed’s early childhood curriculum requires diversity training. The NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum includes homosexuality in diversity and castigates “homophobia” as “A fear and hatred of gay men and lesbians backed up by institutional policies and power that discriminate against them...” [p. 3]. 

·         The MN Dept. of Ed’s early childhood curriculum includes environmental training. It says: ”[Children will] share responsibility in taking care of their environment.” 

·         The MN Dept. of Ed’s early childhood curriculum includes social activism. It says: “[Children will] participate in activities to help others in the community.” The NAEYC Anti-Bias Curriculum states, “Young children have an impressive capacity for learning how to be activists.” [p. 77]

 The Minnesota Early Childhood Standards (Curriculum) will be the basis for:

1.      Screening, evaluating and labeling all toddlers by age 3;

2.      Rating and ‘certifying’ child care centers;

3.      Training teachers;

4.      Monthly home visiting to all families vaguely labeled “low-income”;

5.      Training parents to teach their children according to the new standards and evaluating parents according to their conformity to                 them.

This Minnesota “Nanny State” take-over is an unprecedented, massive, and expensive
political agenda for babies, toddlers, and families that usurps parental authority
and the personal privacy of all Minnesota families.
 

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