#5SmartReads - April 26, 2023

Dr. Kate on voter suppression, not performing motherhood, DEI officers gathering

Dr. Kate Slater is a professor at the University of New Hampshire and the National Director of Post-Secondary Pathways at BUILD. She researches white identity formation, critical whiteness studies, and institutional white supremacy. She has two decently adorable red-headed children, a thing for scotch, and an intense love for a gallery wall. You can usually find her in leggings from Old Navy nursing the cold dregs of her morning coffee.

When Voters Vote, They Vote For Abortion—So Republicans Want To Make It Harder To Vote (Ms. Magazine)

Voter suppression is nothing new and is one of the most historically damaging tools in the fight against progressive policies. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year, numerous states have introduced ballot measures that address the extent of reproductive rights, and overwhelmingly, the popular vote has swung in the direction of enshrining access to abortion for all.

As Rebecca Traister points out, “Abortions win elections.”

But rather than change their policies in response to this majority sentiment, the GOP has instead pushed forward measures that would make it more difficult to vote, therefore further limiting the impact of the popular vote. Despite America’s democratic origin story - governing by the people, for the people - we have for some time been operating under minority rule with the GOP.

This article gives further context around the minority rule over abortion and reproductive rights.

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Too Much To Learn' - Schools Race To Catch Up Kids' Reading (AP News)

The severity of the COVID-19 learning loss in K-12 schools cannot be understated enough. And the impact of pandemic schooling policies and virtual classes on reading and literacy has been particularly devastating.

The ripple effect of the declining reading and literacy rates impacts student mental health, family support, and the communities at large. And with a national teaching shortage adding to the crisis, this literacy learning loss is widening into an even more complex problem with a dearth of solutions.

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We Don’t Perform Motherhood for Our Kids (The Cut)

In the middle of a circa-2020 COVID spiral, Sara Petersen refers to the grudging jealousy she felt fora motherhood influencer that she follows “whose life is, according to Instagram, well-lit, her countertops are always clean, and her maternity is serene”.

The subsequent come-to-Jesus moments around Petersen’s own childhood and her mother’s complicated and exciting personality, as well as the ways in which we are tempted and coerced to ‘perform’ motherhood, ground this excerpt from Petersen’s book “Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture”.

This excerpt cut me to the quick - the notion of ascribing meaning to our parenting through the gaze of others is something I wrestle with on the daily.

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‘Below Deck Sailing Yacht’s’ Daisy Kelliher Is the Best Chief Stew (Rolling Stone)

In a complete tonal about-face, lemme give you this hot hot heat. My most cherished nighttime ritual is sitting with my partner, pouring a wee dram of Ardbeg with two ice cubes, and catching up on Below Deck: Sailing Yacht. I fully blame Angel Jones for this obsession, but I mean, Y’ALL. THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING. Drama! Friendship! Hot hot lovemaking! Australian accents! And all this mess under the cool, calm leadership from Captain Glenn.

But without question, the Slater family stans Daisy, the chief stew now on her third season. And honestly, this interview with Rolling Stone made me love Daisy even more. She’s just… so…. unflappable.

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At Gathering of DEI Officers, Fear, Anger, Joy, and Solidarity (Chronicle of Higher Education)

“By 2021 a fatigue set in within the higher-education institutions which had been so publicly fighting for racial equity in the wake of Floyd’s murder.... many of the universities who made very vocal commitments to the racial reckoning have gone silent in Russell’s estimates. “Where are those voices that in 2020 spoke of their commitment then?” Russell said. “The kind of righteousness that was being displayed then, you’re not seeing that now.””

Charles reports from the annual meeting for the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and in particular the exhaustion and fears of DEI officers at public universities in states that have passed anti-DEI / anti-CRT legislation. There's been quite a bit of attention (rightfully so) on the impact of anti-DEI legislation on K-12 public education, but less so on how it will impact public universities. And given the fact that DEI roles in higher education are often poorly-resourced, a combination of hyper-visible and invisible, and result in high rates of burnout, this crisis needs more attention.