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Sen. John Schickel defends ‘Teaching American Principles Act’ as panelist on podcast


Senator John Schickel, R-Union, primary sponsor of 2022 Senate Bill 1, also known as the ‘Teaching American Principles Act’ recently served as a guest panelist on the Courageous Conversations About our Schools podcast. Schickel defended Kentucky law and presented the case for an educational system focusing on traditional classical curriculum.

The Courageous Conversations podcast says it brings together people with diverse perspectives for respectful conversations about the day’s most contentious issues. Podcast host Ken Futernick believes America’s political polarization is taking a heavy toll on public schools due to fear and confusion on new school policies. The podcast will bring together education stakeholders to speak from the heart, listen to one another and engage in vital conversations about their visions for public education.

Sen. John Schichel

Robert Pondiscio of Cleveland Ohio, a Special Education Teacher and English Arts Teacher who also serves as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute joined Schickel on the guest panel.

Additional guests included two high school social studies teachers, Emily Glanker of Austin, Texas and Monte Bourjaily of Alexandria, Virginia.
 
Senate Bill 1 notably gives important school governance issues, such as decisions on curriculum and principal selection, back to Kentucky residents in the Commonwealth. Superintendents, who are hired and fired by elected members of local school boards, will now have the authority to make these decisions rather than a small group of individuals who are unaccountable to the voters at large.
 
Additionally, the bill upgrades history standards and reflects concerns from educators and parents alike. It incorporates references to key people, events, struggles, challenges and continued successes that have cemented the American principles of equality, freedom and individual rights. Through studying 24 original primary source core historical documents recommended by the Ashbrook Center, students will learn to think critically about the founding of our nation, teaching them how to think rather than what to think.
 
The Teaching American Principles Act was enacted into law on April 13, following a gubernatorial veto and legislative override of that veto. The law requires instruction in social studies to align with a list of core concepts and primary source documents central to American civics.
 
The latest episode of Courageous Conversations About Our Schools is available now on most podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

Visit legislature.ky.gov for more information on Sen. Schickel. For more about the Courageous Conversations About Our Schools Podcast, please visit this link.
 
Senator John Schickel (R-Union) represents the 11th District in northern and central Boone County. Sen. Schickel is chair of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee and also serves as a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Judiciary, Banking and Insurance, Natural Resources and Energy, and is a liaison member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary.


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