Solon Community for Transparency and Accountability

Solon has become a more inclusive environment, thanks to the dedicated parents and those that currently serve our community.

Do we want to reverse that and make things truly not inclusive for our community?

I was a DEI director — DEI drives campus antisemitism I saw antisemitism on a weekly basis in my two years as a faculty “diversity, equity and inclusion” director.

If you check her page, you will notice the below questions were deleted. Fortunately, we were able to get a screen shot before hand.

Is there a reason why you aren’t responding, Stephanie?

There are parents that have concerns that don’t appear to have a response yet. Your page has seemed to turn off commenting. Is there a reason why you have not responded publicly to the questions asked?

Stephanie for Solon School Board, is there a reason why you have not yet responded to the parent asking questions? And is there a reason why their question was deleted?

Stephanie for Solon School Board thank you signing . You are showing that you care very much for the community.

Who are these “extremism groups” that you will help defend the community against? Is Solon under attack? If so, how? What do Solon residents need to know in order to make an informed decision?

Parents are asking questions. One has not been responded to in a few days. Another was responded to privately.

Stephanie for Solon School Board, you use buzz words, but when asked for specifics you don’t respond, or appear to do so privately.

What is your response to these questions?

In 2020, the PTA put together controversial material for the high school students and purposely withheld it from parents, despite several requests to review the material. Parents were never told when the presentations would be. This was admitted to a parent by both the HS principal Erin Short and the Superintendent Fred Bolden.

In 2021 a group of Solon parents shared their concerns with the board, and after several meetings of showing the board the materials (which were posted on the school website in May 2021), they agreed that parents need to be able to see the material, as well as know when it will be presented, so that parents can opt out. Fall 2021 the PTA got Michelle Barksdale elected to the board, who supported the controversial material. This year, another Solon Parent, supported by Brooke Bernstein Zelwin who got Barksdale on the board, is looking to join the board.

The question we should ask is, “Dr.Stephanie Abramowitz, will you support transparency to parents? Or are you another social justice warrior trying to promote social activism in our schools?

3 Solon school board incumbents face challenge from newcomer Four candidates are vying for three seats on the Solon Board of Education in the Nov. 7 election, as incumbents Julie Glavin, Leanne Jones Moses and Kevin Patton will be challenged by Dr. Stephanie Abramowitz, a first-time candidate.

An example of Social Emotional Learning in math and how it can be used to direct certain conversations.

The Theft of Education New Discourses Bullets, Ep. 26 Education is being stolen from our kids and our society. In fact, for the most part, it has been stolen already. The way it's ...

Student newspaper endorsing candidates for one party only.

Women’s rights Ohio voting cheat sheet With the upcoming election fast approaching, I believe it is important for students to understand just how imperative it is and how every single vote counts. With women’s rights on the chopping block due to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it is imperative to know which candidates will preserve the...

In case anyone is interested in learning more.

Parents: this survey may be sent to your child. Keep in mind you have a right to opt your child out, even if the school doesn’t tell you.

https://ohyes.ohio.gov/Portals/0/assets/Downloads/OHYES-Fall-2022_Standard-110-items_4-7-22.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3LlgzcwiZnOgHNRGxutwHLVQJcZLuxknhTSHRZ0Werd9x4VpeWXNGa2gs&fs=e&s=cl

ohyes.ohio.gov

During the May 9th Board of Ed Meeting for Solon District, members of the PTA advocated for more resources to implement what may be similar to Social Emotional Learning. The idea sounds nice, but studies are finding that the practice may cause more issues.

https://www.aei.org/research-products/testimony/the-trouble-with-social-emotional-learning/

The trouble with social emotional learning | American Enterprise Institute - AEI Four major concerns regarding a burgeoning education industry

Not confirmed in Solon, but occurring in local schools districts here in Ohio, including Cuyahoga County. When someone talks about “comprehensive s*x education”, take the time to ask and get information on the materials. If materials are not being openly shared, that may be a red flag. If something is purely educational then it shouldn’t be a secret.

https://youtu.be/5lHcctKzyzs

Pornhub in Ohio Schools - John Stover testifies to State Board of Education 04-12-22

The Solon High School’s 2020/2021 DEI program discussed the US as a systemically racist society, yet did not discuss the problems with that thinking. To teach critical thinking skills, one must be presented with different ideas and have a respectful discussion. When respectful dialogue is taken out of the equation and only one view is being taught, with shunning those that think differently as being “racist”, that is the textbook definition of “indoctrination.” By teaching only one side as truth, and preventing discussion to better understand why someone thinks the way they do rather than labeling them, are we really teaching critical thinking skills to the students of Solon? Why wouldn’t this video be shown to students?

https://youtu.be/zOtVDwnFTzw

Coleman Hughes: The Empirical Problems with Systemic Racism It takes a lot of effort in order to provide added educational value by selecting the videos for this channel, philosophyinsights. Usually, it takes me hours...

A couple of individuals spoke out tonight at the BOE meeting. Both referenced the diversity program. https://youtu.be/Q0N4HoF74RY

Board of Education Meeting 2/28/2022 Solon Board of Education, Regular Meeting, February 28, 2022, 6:00pm

https://abc6onyourside.com/news/crisis-in-the-classroom/your-voice-your-future-town-hall-crisis-in-the-classroom-02-17-2022

Your Voice, Your Future Town Hall: Crisis in the Classroom In tonight’s Town Hall we discuss parents' involvement in their children’s education. How badly has COVID disrupted the classroom with remote learning, wearing masks? Is Critical Race Theory being taught in our public schools? Armstrong Williams hosts this interesting discussion. Caption...

https://www.aflegal.org/resources/pupil-rights

America First Legal — Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment As the Supreme Court has repeatedly said, parents have the ultimate authority over their children’s education. And yet schools often ignore parents’ rights. School systems, administrators, and teachers often treat parents with contempt and disdain simply for asking what their children are learni...

Based on feedback from the students and teachers sharing how the 2020/2021 DEI lessons were highly controversial and sent a wrong message, the Solon PTA agreed the lessons were rolled out poorly and were not done well; they allowed the students to take over and dictate the lessons. Not surprisingly, racism didn’t make the top 5 things that students wanted to learn about for 21/22 school year, based on student survey.

The Solon school board committed to transparency moving forward, and also acknowledged that not sharing the information ahead of time, despite several requests from parents, caused a level of distrust and was not the best approach.

The school began to share when the lessons were being done, sent a link of the lessons being taught, and made the parents aware of their right to opt out if they did not want their child(ren) to be a part of the audience.

Below is the link of the Identity portion. In this, focus was more so on how we make people feel when we act a certain way, versus giving the impression that minorities are oppressed and don’t have a chance to succeed in this country.
https://www.solonschools.org/cms/lib/OH01814653/Centricity/Domain/11/Identity%20Activity%201-22.pdf

www.solonschools.org

Photo taken from a student in a Solon High School Psychology class. The question reads: “When Trump said, ‘I wouldn’t lose any voters even if I walked down 5th Avenue and shot someone’ he knew voters suffer:
1. Belief Perseverance
2. Mental set
3. Confirmation bias
4. Functional fixedness”

Submitted by a student from Solon High School.

Board meeting from earlier this week. The first speaker talks about their family’s frustration with the district with regards to getting an ASL translator for their deaf daughter. They are so frustrated that they have stated they plan to move out of Solon. This is a district that boasts diversity and inclusion, yet according to the parent, the district isn’t being very inclusive of the needs of the deaf community.

https://youtu.be/atmLjl4q6_Q

12/13/21 Solon Board of Education, Regular Meeting 12/13/21 Solon Board of Education, Regular Meeting

A student sent this to someone to post for them so that they remain anonymous.

“To try to prevent misinterpretation, I am NOT saying that this is worse than any other race, I am NOT saying that this is harder or more complicated than what any other race deals with, and I am NOT saying that it is hard or complicated in general. All I am trying to say is that it exists.

“As a white, there is zero margin for error in what we say or do. Even before we say or do anything. One misinterpretation, one moment of misspeaking or not thinking, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time can put us in the white stereotype of racist, s*xist, homophobic, etc.

“Just because I am white, doesn’t mean that I don’t struggle with racial problems and stereotypes too. It also doesn’t mean that I don’t want to talk about racial issues. I do want to talk about racial issues, and I do recognize the struggles that minorities go through. However, I also know that if I do speak on the topic of racial issues, I could be risking putting myself in the white stereotype.

“When we talk about race issues at school, some comments make it seem like they think whites don’t struggle with race - or have problems in general - at all. That is something that the DEI lessons don’t portray. Whites have problems too. We’re still people, the color of our skin doesn’t change that.

“I know that I can’t say this at a school board meeting and I’m sure no one else would want to risk saying it on my behalf.”

Students were recently asked to analyze this speech in an English class at Solon High School. While the message sounds amazing at first, the last part of the message is praising a political candidate. If anyone has anything from the Republican side that would show both sides are represented, making it more balanced, please send.

A parent asked another person to read this statement to the Solon Board of Education on their behalf. They also sent the video that was shown to their child’s history class (shown below).

"The sins of the father must be passed down to the son because the wealth of the father, which was accumulated through his sins, was passed down to the son. Therefore the sins must follow."

Recently my child was exposed to this statement in their history classroom.

I want you to know that when I heard the word "indoctrination" I thought that it was strong, almost too strong but then my child came home and said this statement to me.

My child was upset because we have no wealth that we've accumulated, we have worked for everything we have ever had. We are not privileged.
At one time, We lived off of the animals we hunted, because if we didn't, it meant we didn't eat.
Everything we have, we have worked so hard for, we didn't win it by race, color or creed.

My children should not ever accumulate my sin.
My child said "I'm so tired of feeling guilty for something I've never done, why am I supposed to answer for the sins of my ancestors? I didn't do anything."

As a parent, I want you to know that based on the shift of the school, I've specifically told my child not to talk about their true feelings in the school. Why? Because I fear for my child's safety. I don't believe the school is a safe learning environment anymore for a conservative household. So how is that an environment built on tolerance and inclusion?

It is inappropriate for teachers to promote politics in the school and to share their viewpoint on who to support and not support.

My child is not yours to raise and my child will not be indoctrinated by your political activism.

When will YOUR SINS as a school board and Superintendent Fred Bolden be accounted for?

That statement doesn't feel good does it? Imagine how some of the children felt in that class when they heard that statement?

https://youtu.be/JvEGIM0zEgs

Looking Back At The Tulsa Race Massacre A Century Later Next Monday, May 31, marks 100 years since the beginning of what’s become known as the Tulsa Race Massacre: a deadly and coordinated attack on an African-Ame...

There are 2 seats up for Solon School Board of Education and 3 candidates: Caryne Urbank, Michele Barksdale, and John Heckman (incumbent).

We do not endorse any candidate - please see the candidates and understand their position regarding why they want to run.

Caryne Urbank - Facebook “Urbank for Solon”

Michele Barksdale - Facebook “Michele Barksdale for Solon School Board”

John Heckman - no page found

This letter was sent to HS parents in June 2020 - this was sent submitted from several parents.

See the email below. The administration committed to having information weeks in advance, with materials to review, and an opt-in AND opt-out form. According to this email, that did not happen. Also, we don't even know if the board reviewed and approved the material/panels.

From: SOLON CITY SD
Date: Fri, Sep 17, 2021, 7:58 AM
Subject: Solon High School Assembly on Mental Health 9/22
To:

A message from SOLON CITY SD

September 17, 2021

Solon High School Parents and Guardians,

Next Wednesday, September 22, Solon High School will be holding an all-school assembly for our students focusing on Mental Health Awareness. As I have communicated in parent meetings and through opening letters this fall, we have heard from our student body the need for greater awareness and education in the area of mental health. In addition to the mindful minute we are asking our teachers to implement to begin their daily classes, we also want to provide our students an opportunity to learn from local mental health professionals.

To accomplish this, we will be hosting a panel discussion presented in an assembly format in our auditorium for 9th and 10th graders during second period and 11th and 12th graders during 3rd period. As has been the practice throughout the year, we will be spacing students throughout the auditorium and masks are mandatory district-wide. The panelists will share their personal experience with mental health struggles, remind students of the importance of finding balance in their lives, discuss warning signs and highlight available resources and practical self-management skills for students struggling with mental health issues.

There is nothing more important to us than the mental well-being of each of our students. I am excited about the positive impact this assembly will have in support of our ongoing efforts to create an environment where students feel comfortable reaching out to trusted adults for help and assistance. Families are encouraged to visit our School Counseling site at the link below to access additional mental health resources for families and students. Should you ever have concerns or questions about your child’s well-being, please reach out to me, your child’s counselor or assistant principal.

SHS SCHOOL COUNSELING WEBSITE: https://www.solonschools.org/Page/5007

Sincerely,

Erin Short, Prinicipal, Solon High School

School Counseling / Social-Emotional Support National Su***de Prevention Lifeline1-800-273-TALK (8255)  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Crisis Text LineText 741741  https://www.crisistextline.org/Cuyahoga County Su***de Prevention, Mental Health Crisis, Information and Referral Hotline216-623-6888  http://adamhscc.org/ 24-hour Chi...

Did you know?

State Board Statement on Curriculum Recommendations
Pursuant to ORC 3301.079(B)(3) and 3313.60, it is the responsibility of Ohio’s local boards of education to vet and approve curriculum and educational materials for use in the public schools within their district.

The use of any materials posted or linked to on the Ohio Department of Education website, including materials within Ohio’s Learning Standards or Appendices or any state model curricula or other educational resource material, is entirely up to the discretion of each local board of education.

http://education.ohio.gov/State-Board

State Board of Education | Ohio Department of Education Pursuant to ORC 3301.079(B)(3) and 3313.60, it is the responsibility of Ohio’s local boards of education to vet and approve curriculum and educational materials for use in the public schools within their district.

Solon Community for Transparency and Accountability updated their website address.

Solon Community for Transparency and Accountability updated their business hours.