FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 10, 2021 Contact: Shannon Adcock, Founder/President, Awake Illinois shannon@awakeIL.com
Area Parents Inspired by Virginia Election Results
“Educate, don’t indoctrinate, our children!”
(Naperville, IL) - Concerned parents across the nation watched intently last Tuesday as Republican Glenn Youngkin, a political newcomer, defeated the former blue-state governor Democrat Terry McAuliffe and was elected the next governor of Virginia.
According to Shannon Adcock, founder/executive director of Awake Illinois, “The Virginia election was a stunning victory for parents who had made their children’s education one of the central issues of the campaign. It was a deafening call to school systems across America that parents have a right to be involved in their children’s education.” She explained, “Parents are concerned about many issues – school closures, masking, critical race theory, mandated vaccinations of their children – and they are alarmed and speaking out.” Why is this message important for Naperville and other communities? It is because many of these issues affected children during the pandemic, and because the tenets of critical race theory are being taught in our schools. Many parents have recently become aware of this racially divisive and anti-American indoctrination of our children. The words equity (not equality), inclusion, and diversity now permeate the curriculum, focusing attention on differences between races, casting some as oppressors and others as victims.
School districts are paying thousands of dollars to Panorama Education to test students’ attitudes about race and collect data from them while at school. In Naperville School District 203, parents were notified on October 19, via the “Talk 203” online newsletter, that “students in grades 3-12 will complete the 15-20 minute Panorama Student Perception Survey during the school day between October 25-November 19.” Parents were also told, “If you wish to opt-out of the Panorama student survey, please complete this Panorama Survey Opt-Out form by 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21.” That was two days’ notice for parents to learn about Panorama and opt out!
School District 203 is not alone. School District 204 has also contracted with Panorama Education for surveys and project management. A November 4 article in the Will County Gazette exposed the fact that Plainfield District 202 paid $142 thousand to Panorama Education in 2019, 2020, and 2021 combined. In fact, Panorama Education has contracted with 23,000 schools in the United States and has raised $76 million from investors, including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Of concern, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who recently sent a memo to the head of the FBI to investigate parents at school board meetings at the request of the National School Boards Association President Viola Garcia, is the father-in-law of Panorama Education co-founder and president, Xan Tanner. In Congressional hearings last week, Garland was questioned about his possible conflict of interest.
Although District 203 denies that critical race theory is being taught in the schools, the
community first became aware of its presence when a Federalist article was published on March 5, 2021, entitled “Illinois teachers shamed for color of their skin in taxpayer sponsored anti-racist training.” It was part of the district’s taxpayer-funded Equity Institute training day. It included a session led by highly paid “anti-racist” consultant Dena Simmons. One slide shown during the presentation included a “white supremacy” pyramid describing forms of overt and covert white supremacy.
Since that Federalist article appeared, Naperville area parents have formed Awake Illinois, attended school board meetings, and addressed the board members in public meetings. One parent sent each school board member and the superintendent a resource packet presenting bios of numerous minority speakers, such as Thomas Sowell and Shelby Steele, who could address racial issues and offer a balanced view. Another parent suggested that children’s greatest need at this time is to address the challenges and emotional stress resulting from the pandemic, not indoctrination and division.
Adcock encourages parents and other community members to become involved in the schools and take an active role in the education of children. She recommends several actions that parents can take, suggesting parents read the District 203 Equity Plan, monitor what their children are being taught, review reading lists and instructional materials, be alert to any teaching that divides students by privilege or inferiority based on skin color, educate themselves about critical race theory, and speak up.
Awake Illinois was launched by parents in May 2021 to build a grassroots movement of fellow parents and citizens who are committed to protecting our children, our liberties, and our American way of life. The non-partisan 501(c)(4) helps parents and community members engage their communities with current and relevant information that will empower them to be involved volunteers and advocates. Its first chapter was chartered in Naperville and currently has 30 chapters throughout the state. For more information, visit www.awakeil.com.
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