a Biller.
During nearly an hour of public comment on the resolution Monday – which was only on the agenda for discussion, not adoption – several parents criticized the document and the overall work of the Social Equity Task Force, saying it amounted to indoctrination and was pushing an agenda that would divide and not unite students. “I find this resolution also to be offensive, degrading, inappropriate, condescending, and detrimental to all TCAPS students, parents, and community members,” said Darcie Pickren, adding that the “negative rhetoric” of the resolution “imposes toxic assumptions on our children.” Multiple parents worried the curriculum review would force “critical race theory” onto the classroom and said TCAPS should teach students to be proud of their history and focus on what they have in common, rather than their differences.
Public comment was occasionally heated, including a woman threatening to withdraw her students from TCAPS if the resolution passed and another woman using the N-word in its entirety twice, prompting Board Trustee Erica Moon Mohr to interrupt and demand the woman stop repeating the word. Non-white audience members who spoke in favor of the resolution shared concerns over the comments and said they illustrated the need for district improvements.
“Looking around this room, this is something that definitely needs to be put in place,” said Courtney Wiggins, a TCAPS parent. “It isn’t this policy that should be frightening to you. Quite honestly, the lack of care for people of color in this community, in the country at large, it’s quite frightening.” Marshall Collins, a member of the Social Equity Task Force, said the committee’s aim wasn’t to be divisive but rather to provide an educational environment that provided “a sense of belonging” for every student. Change "always causes pushback” from those who are comfortable with the status quo, he said.
The anti-discriminatory resolution is expected to come back to board members in the future for further discussion and revisions, followed by potential adoption. Moon Mohr, who chairs the district's curriculum committee, said that characterizations of the curriculum audit as an attempt to introduce critical race theory to the classroom were inaccurate. “I can tell you as the chair this is not happening,” she said. “We are evaluating exactly what we want to incorporate and we are using (the guidance of) our leaders…on what is the best for our students.” District curriculum changes must go through a review and approval process, staff noted, adding that any potential changes would likely be select updates to aspects of the curriculum and not a wholesale overhaul of classroom materials.
In the meantime, TCAPS librarians are working to provide resources to both staff and students on diversity and inclusivity issues – an effort that has ramped up since the Snapchat incident, but was already underway. TC Central High School Librarian Larissa VanderZee says an ongoing virtual book fair partnership with Brilliant Books, in which customers can use a special link to order any books and 25 percent of proceeds will go to schools to buy diverse titles for their libraries, has already generated 52 orders and more than $600 in credit since starting in September. TCAPS libraries typically add an average of 225-250 new titles each year, VanderZee says; this past year, an estimated three-quarters of titles added have been “representative books” addressing topics like race, LGBTQ+, the chronically ill or disabled, different faiths, and other diverse issues.
Libraries aim to be resources not just for students, but for staff, VanderZee says. In addition to stocking both YA and adult titles that both students and staff can check out, librarians assist teachers with curriculum options – such as creating optional book clubs for students and a diverse variety of “free choice” reading materials – and email academic and news articles to staff for educational reading when incidents like the Snapchat case occur. Twenty TCAPS staff members recently voluntarily signed up to read “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo together, and library employees plan to do a “culturally responsive library walk” this summer in which “we do a full-on evaluation of our materials, our space, our collection, and messaging to see how inclusive we are,” VanderZee says.
What a beautiful day this was. I believe the simple things in life give us the most happiness and for me, this location, the view and the people were just that. This to date, without a doubt, was one of the most beautiful weddings and I couldn't be more thankful to have been apart of it.
The day was filled with so much joy and happiness.
The bride was as sweet as they come. It was her big day and you could just see her beaming with happiness.
She wore a gown designed by the incredible Eddy K - It was jaw dropping! It fit her perfectly. The detail in the dress was glowing. It truly made her the MOST beautiful bride. If you are on the search for a dress that will compliment you in the best way possible, Eddy K just might be the designer for you. You can find this Bridal Gown at Fleurish LA + so many unique others.
The venue was Hilltop at The Summit House in Orange County. It has a view for miles from both the ceremony and reception areas. Just big enough to host a private, inmate wedding. The grounds are very Parisian inspired... I could only dream of having my own wedding here one day!
Last but not least the details... oh the beautiful blush and gold details. The color palette of this wedding was just about as dreamy as it gets. I could photography a wedding with details like this for hours and never get enough! From the white and gold dish-ware, to the blush pink and cream dinner menus - Lauren Saulnier (wedding planner) and My Lady Dye (stationary) sure knew what they were doing!
Thankful for this amazing day and everyone who came together to make it all happen. It really does take a village to bring together a brides vision for her special day. This team did just that and then some!Tips for International Students Attending a College/University Fair in the United States
International students who attend National College Fairs have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with representatives from colleges and universities to discuss admission and financial aid opportunities. The following tips will help you make the most of your fair experience.
Register before the fair. If you pre-register at, you can skip the long registration line once you get to the fair. When you arrive, pick up a map to identify the colleges and universities that you think would best meet your academic and personal goals. This is also a great opportunity to learn about colleges and universities that are new to you.
Explore a variety of colleges and universities. Typically, you will find hundreds of colleges and universities from across the United States, and other countries, at the fair. The colleges and universities will be different in many ways: some offer:
1. What percentage of your student body is international?
2. What countries do your students most commonly come from?
3. What are some of the typical characteristics of students who attend your school?
4. How does your institution support international students? For example, what happens if I get sick? What if I am having a hard time academically, socially, or emotionally?
5. What academic programs are very strong at your institution? Is acceptance into certain academic programs more competitive for international students?
6. How do international students interact on your campus with American students?
7. What are the housing options for students at your school? How many students live on campus?
8. What are the dining options on campus? Are your food service providers sensitive to students with different dietary needs?
9. What do students do when they are not in class? What is life like on the weekends?
10. How will I get from my home country to your campus? For example, how close to campus is the nearest international airport?
11. Can you describe the community or environment surrounding your school? Is public transportation easily accessible? Is there a thriving social scene? Are there parks or areas to do outdoor activities?
12. Can you share success stories of recent international students?
13. Are you able to connect me with recent alumni or current students from my country so I can learn more about their experiences?Is Your Mail Actually Safe in Your Mailbox?
Your mailbox could turn you into a victim of identity theft.
We all know the old saying "The check is in the mail."
In fact, many of us put our paid bills in our home mailbox, so the postman can pick them up. But leaving mail outside your house, could be an opportunity for someone to rip-off your paid bills, and steal your identity.
It happened to Paulette Light of Los Angeles, who always left her bills sticking out of her home mailbox, for her mailman to pickup and take to the post office. But she stopped doing that last month, when she was looking at her checking account online, and noticed two strange checks written on her account.
"I did not write the checks, but they had my signature on them," Light says.
Police believe someone stole her paid bills from her mailbox, then duplicated her checks on a computer, complete with her account number, and her signature, and then started writing checks from her account.
"It's been a big hassle. I've been to the bank about five times, navigating the bureaucracy of the bank, and going down to LAPD," Light says.
The U.S. Postal Service says more than 2,000 people were arrested last year for stealing from mailboxes. But most crooks who do this are never caught and prosecuted.
So Light has some advice for the rest of us.