There are three main tools GHAPS has used against citizens concerned with the education of Grand Haven children. These are tools used against those who ask questions. Why do you have sexually explicit books in the school libraries? Why are you teaching implicit bias? Doesn’t that really work to divide people? Why does my child have to wear a mask despite what the evidence shows? These people are called abusive and book banners. Some view them as ignorant and racist. These citizens are the resistance. Here are the tools used against the resistance.
Silence
Discredit
Root out/Replacement
We talked about the silencing technique in part 1.
Discredit
When silence doesn’t work, GHAPS leadership who believe they know what’s best for everyone’s children move onto discrediting. In doing so, they don’t hesitate to lie about those who care about education. In Part 1: The Resistance: Silence, we referenced the podcast:
Powerful Podcasts: Episode 4, A Modern Day Book Burning (April 7, 2022)
If you listen to the entire podcast, you will easily identify numerous lies made up about parents who oppose this institutional overreach. For example, at the 46:46 minute mark, the interviewer says, “It’s hard for me to wrap my head around a parent not wanting their child to learn.” This podcast is filled with numerous mischaracterizations used in an effort to discredit parents.
Here are some additional examples of how GHAPS has used discrediting against parents.
Board Member Mark Eikholt Discredits Parents on Social Media
Jen Stuppy was discredited by the students in the Bucs Blade, the Tribune and on local news.
Calling All Comrades – A group of activist community organizers and students were called in to speak at a board meeting in an effort to discredit parents speaking about books. This email shows some of the pre-planning discussion.
The podcast, A Modern Day Book Burning, included above contains further evidence this was an orchestrated effort. At the 17:54 minute mark Curriculum Director Mary Jane Evink discusses requesting community activists speak against parents. She states: “So the book banners had been at multiple board of education meetings and finally we said ‘Let’s call our friends in’ and ask if they would be willing to come to the next board of education meeting, and we had 137 members present and probably 127 of them were in support of the libraries as they currently exist. We had seven students speak up in favor of books, so eloquently. We had another seven adults speak in favor of libraries as they currently exist and we had four people speak against them. And as you would guess, the students were the most eloquent of all the speakers.”
One thing that’s ironic is that the host of the podcast, Mary Jane Evink and numerous students who spoke at the “Calling All Comrads” board meeting continually refer to us as Book Banners, despite the fact we have made it clear we want a ratings/permission system implemented to protect children from material they are not emotionally mature enough to handle.
Emails to board members are another way community activists try to discredit parents. Here is an example of one such letter.
Here’s an email from the GHAPS curriculum director thanking the community activist for writing this letter.
Isn’t it ironic that school administrators who supposedly answer to parents (see Michigan School Code 380.10) are thanking community activists that speak out against parents?
Root out and Replacement
The final tactic used against those who resist indoctrination is rooting them out. When people are rooted out or key positions require replacement, activists strive to fill those positions with allies who agree with their ideology. This year alone three key GHAPS positions required filling. School Board President John Siemion resigned. GHAPS Superintendent Andy Ingall resigned and GHAPS Assistant Superintendent and Technology Director Brian Wheeler was arrested for embezzlement. Is it a coincidence that all three of these key positions were filled with members from the DEIB Committee? (Marc Eickholt became a board member, Jason Reinecke became the Assistant Superintendent, and Scott Grimes became the Superintendent.)
It is not a coincidence! Here is an email showing how GHAPS activists along with community activists worked together to ensure the vacant school board seat was filled with an ally.
As soon as John Siemion’s resignation letter was received, activists began strategizing. This continued up through voting on the new board member. The article “Vacant Board Seat” explains how the board manipulated the votes in order to select the DEIB candidate.
Ben Rogers is a hero and casualty of the GHAPS administration. He stood up against their agenda and faced retaliation for his efforts. Although he removed himself by his own accord, this was a victory for GHAPS leaders because they successfully rooted out a problem teacher.
Members of the resistance are heroes. They are parents, teachers and community members who have stood up and told the GHAPS leadership that they are out of line. The resistance is not a group of abusive people or book banners, but the opposite. They are patriot heroes fighting the activists. We are in an information war. We are fighting for the hearts and souls of our children. You can help by talking to your friends and neighbors about what is happening at GHAPS. Share articles and videos from Restore Ottawa on social media. Attend board of education meetings, and review books and assignments your children bring home. These efforts are already having positive effects on GHAPS and they are growing rapidly. The more people that voice similar concerns, the more like the administration will make significant changes.