Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so be prepared for your Trump-loving, Fox News-watching relative to announce that all San Francisco teachers are indoctrinating students with bad stuff about Donald Trump. Facts say otherwise and, as detailed below, you can set the record straight.
It's a good thing that Fox & Friends makes no pretense about being "fair and balanced," because its latest "Trouble with Schools" segment, an ongoing propaganda series that is a platform for attacks on the public school system, is clearly one sided. Today, Ainsley Earhardt (who openly supports unconstitutional prayer in public schools) advanced the latest right-wing outrage du jour; namely, that San Francisco teachers are, at the behest of the teachers' union, using a lesson plan that addresses questions surrounding Donald Trump's racism and sexism.
Earhardt was almost hysterical in her introduction of the subject: "San Francisco teachers' union is coming under fire for offering an anti-Trump lesson plan for teachers in that district. That lesson, labeling President-elect Donald Trump a sexist and a racist man who, quote, became president by pandering to a huge racist and sexist base." She explained that this was "created by a teacher who says she wants to empower and support students but our next guest is calling it inappropriate propaganda." (Irony Alert) She introduced her guest who just happens to be an RNC committee woman. (no bias there, no sireee....)
Making sure that the audience knew who the bad guys were, Earhardt stressed that it was the teachers' union who posted the plan on their website. She added, "This is a lesson plan for teachers to follow to teach kids about Donald Trump being a racist and a sexist."
Guest Harmeet Dhillon asserted that the lesson plan (Irony Alert) is "one sided" and insulting to those who supported Trump. Earhardt asked melodramatically, "What happened to teaching math and science?" This from a climate-science denying network.
Dhillon expressed her hope that parents would demand that lessons (Irony Alert) be balanced and that all issues, raised by both campaigns, be discussed. She described the lesson plan (Irony Alert) as "propaganda." As an example, she cited Michael Moore's latest film which she clearly hasn't seen, as it is an attempt to reach out to Trump supporters. She also mentioned a lesson on white rage which, sadly, is a reality. Without providing any relevant quotes, she proceeded to make additional claims about the plan which she compared to child abuse.
Earhardt asked what would have happened if a red state asked for a lesson plan on Hillary Clinton "who has been proven to be a liar and has not followed the rules."
Dhillon opined that she would have the same reaction because, "It is not the place for our public schools to be [Irony alert] indoctrinating students one way or the other."
What you didn't hear on Fox & Friends: CBS notes that the teacher who wrote the plan said that she would have treated Obama and Clinton the same way and that pro-Trump students' views are welcome. It was also reported that, "The lesson plan from Mission High School teacher Fakrah Shah (PDF) is not one adopted by the San Francisco Unified School District but has been published in the San Francisco teachers’ union newsletter and on the National Education Association website." It was published as an "optional resource" that is "one of many optional lesson plans being circulated in the wake of the election and not part of the official SFUSD curriculum." As reported by the AP, "It is unclear how many teachers have used the plan." But if you watched the Fox & Friends piece, you would think that this is being used in all San Francisco schools.
Trouble with Schools? How 'bout trouble with Fox & Friends!
Watch Earhardt's propaganda below, from the November 18, 2016 Fox & Friends.