From the notes of moderator John Hansen:
Our first topic was the proposed changes to the social studies curriculum standards being proposed at the state level. At first blush this appears to be an attempt to marginalize certain groups – African Americans, LGBTQ folks – by limiting reference to their historic struggles. The discussion centered on what gets put in the history books and what gets left out and who decides. Texas seems to play an outsize role here as textbook publishers pay attention to their requirements so they don’t have to publish a different text for each state. I recall someone once said that history is written by the victors. Perhaps that is what we are seeing here.
Susan Shenk took her turn on the stump. Susan is one of three Democrats seeking to represent district two (which includes Webster Township) on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. This is an open seat since Michelle Deatrick, the current occupant is running for the state senate. Stump speeches, as you know by now, are not summarized.
We gave a sitting ovation to the Washtenaw County Road Commission for the beautiful and timely reconstruction of Dexter-Ann Arbor Road.
Paul McCann, our esteemed librarian, gave us a rundown on the summer programs for kids and adults at the Dexter District Library. Our library is a source of community pride and for good reason.
Next we learned a little about spoofing – not the kind we do in social gatherings but the kind that Evil Telemarketers do to us. The ET’s have found a way to have a local number show up on our caller ID’s to trick us into answering when the call is really coming from an overseas boiler room. This unleashed a chorus of general grumbling about robo calls of all sorts. We don’t take positions at the Forum – We Listen and Learn – so our non-position on this subject is that we want it to stop.
The next meeting of the Dexter Forum will be on Saturday, July 7 (There are 5 Saturdays in June so this is three weeks from now) at 8:30 AM at the Dexter Wellness Center on traffic free Baker Road.
The Dexter Forum is supported by the Dexter Wellness Coalition as part of the 5 Healthy Towns initiative to “help connect with others in healthy ways”. The purpose of the Forum is to create an opportunity for interested women and men to gather to discuss important issues facing our community. All are welcome on a drop-in basis. The group meets on the first and third Saturdays of the month.
The Forum is co-moderated by Karl Fink and John Hansen.
