As we gear up for the 2024 elections, there is no shortage of big issues of on voters’ minds: the economy, the border, the Ukraine War, education.
Underlying all of these issues is one that we can’t directly see in our cities or feel in our bank accounts.
Free Speech.
How can we even have a conversation if our speech is policed?
When so many of us self-censor because we fear being canceled?
What does this mean for the futures of our children who only know a world with such a narrow window of acceptable discourse - they can’t know what they don’t know?
This is happening across every age group, in and out of school, among parents at school pick up, and certainly in high school and college campuses around the country (see Fire.org’s 2024 list of college free speech rankings — warning: it’s bleak).
CLICK HERE to join us for a conversation on Spaces via X.com at 8pm EST tonight (Thursday, September 28th). Don’t worry if you can’t tune in- we will release the recording next week!
As we gear up for our event featuring three high school students who have experienced censorship at their debate competitions, I wanted to share the conversation we recently had with Angel SanMartin, a Florida middle school teacher, whose video calling out the indoctrination he sees taking place in schools went viral.
The video now has over 377,000 views.
Previously, Angel had been anonymous, but ultimately decided it was long past time for him to break his silence on what was happening in our schools.
Yes, even schools in Florida.
Like hundreds of thousands of others, I watched the video.
Angel’s message resonated with me, a teacher who has also publicly taken heterodox positions.
I reached out to Angel and he agreed to do this interview with Natalya and me.
In our conversation, we discuss how schools push a one-sided political agenda, datamine students under the guise of social emotional learning (SEL), and systematically undermine the primacy of parents in children’s lives.
Although we discuss many examples of the problems in our schools, we also take comfort in the fact that more people are taking notice and asking questions.
Indeed, courage begets courage.
I’m sure there are many out there who saw Angel’s video and were inspired to take that next step or push themselves to share heterodox opinions. The more we see others publicly talking about difficult topics and taking unpopular positions, the more it signals that this is acceptable and good.
For some people this means talking to family, friends, and neighbors. For others, it may be talking to community groups, city officials, or posting online. Everyone has different comfort zones, all good.
Ask yourself, how can I do a little more today?
Now, it’s up to you.
Just do it!
Hope you can join us for our Incubate Debate chat tonight.
-Stephanie
Sorry I can’t make it tonight! Hope to be at your next event, such an important topic!