Less than a month after a technically sloppy rollout, Governor Kristi Noem has apparently ironed enough kinks out of her McCarthyite higher-ed hotline to start demanding action from the Board of Regents on anonymous complaints of nefarious liberal behavior:
A “whistleblower” hotline designed to report liberal practices at South Dakota universities has received calls about schools encouraging “transgender ideologies,” promoting race-based teaching and pushing mask mandates, Gov. Kristi Noem said.
In a letter sent Friday, Noem asked the South Dakota Board of Regents to investigate the complaints and advise her office what actions would be taken to address them.
When she announced the hotline on May 26, the Republican governor said it was a response to states allowing “liberal ideologies to poison their colleges and universities” [“Noem Seeks Investigation After Calls to Tip Hotline About Liberal Policies,” AP, 2023.06.16].
Evidently poisonous liberal ideologies include support for Ukraine and public health:
Many of the reports referenced by Noem in Friday’s letter involved Black Hills State University, which is based in Spearfish.
She said callers reported that during orientation, the school encouraged new students to use prescription anti-depressants to cope with homesickness.
Other allegations included requiring students to choose non-white authors for their freshman literature classes; pushing students to wear Ukrainian flag pins; and paying students to take COVID tests [AP, 2023.06.16].
The Board of Regents suggests that Noem’s hotline is both problematic and redundant to existing processes:
…Shuree Mortenson, a spokeswoman for the Board of Regents, said in a statement the board’s goal is to address issues as quickly as possible, as it does with any concerns that students provide through its reporting processes.
“While anonymous complaints can be challenging to verify, we strive to make every student feel welcome at our universities,” Mortenson said. “We are looking into these concerns and will work with the board to determine any necessary action” [AP, 2023.06.16].
Regents, may I suggest that you don’t have to welcome every attitude at our universities? Students who are offended at having to read non-white authors to expand their cultural awareness are missing the point of university. Students who don’t like seeing others get paid for taking covid tests are narrow-mindedly envious and probably hazards to public health. I don’t mind students choosing not to adopt public displays of political activism, but students griping about Ukraine pins smell of Jon-Hansenish Putin-sympathy.
But now that the Governor has elevated perceived slights to her sloganology (to call it ideology is to assume Noem operates on ideas) as crimes against the state, we can expect the same sort of bullies who harass Democrats at the State Fair to flood Noem’s hotline with cranky calls, burden the Board of Regents with witch hunts, and chill the execution of any sensible teaching or management practices at our universities that might bunch the undies of right-wingers on campus.
Another non-existent magat fever dream in search of a non-existent solution. Incredible vacuousness of magatry.
I caught the end of Rep. Kameron Nelson’s comments on a program last night. He spoke out, saying Gov. Noem’s hotline is the last thing that will help enrollment numbers. Nelson is also the only volunteer on the SOS’s secret meetings board who is speaking out against it and deeming it the opposite of election integrity. He is a good advocate for his district and SD.
Too bad SD has the first legislative session in the US because I think if our Democratic lawmakers were able to see how hard other Democratic state lawmakers in the country were fighting back, even while being silenced by colleagues, our Democratic legislators would have had the confidence to have fought like it was their last battle. Maybe next year they will be fearless. Still, Rep. Nelson is hitting his stride and I think he will be a great leader to combat the ridiculousness and yayhooery of the Republican regime next session.
LOL! Is this for real? Good Lord, don’t you have better things to do, Gov Noem and Board of Regents? Ukrainian pins, anti-depressants and covid tests! Oh My! Requesting non-white authors, oh no way! Boo hoo! You hurt my white feelings!
Good grief – get a grip, SD. No wonder you aren’t getting jobs filled and grads are fleeing as fast as they can graduate.
Noem’s efforts seem to fit-in w/ other right wing coordinated efforts to undo the majority vote and an electoral college Biden win of 2020. One such effort was the alternate slates of electors scheme in key red states.
It certainly took awhile for the FBI and Justice Department to prioritize going after the top political leaders of Jan 6. Wapo’s non-paywall article today inconclusively, as usual, exposes the bureaucratic hand-wringing since then in AG Merrick Garland’s Justice and Christopher Wray’s FBI offices. Garland most likely was cheated out of saving SCOTUS by John Thune’s smokescreen under his mentor/owner and chief national traitor Mitch McConnell. They cheated President Obama out of his nomination to replace deceased Justice Scalia.
Thanks for the treason, your 6-3 court packing, John :/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjQ2OTUyMzYzIiwicmVhc29uIjoiZ2lmdCIsIm5iZiI6MTY4NzE0NzIwMCwiaXNzIjoic3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ucyIsImV4cCI6MTY4ODQ0MzE5OSwiaWF0IjoxNjg3MTQ3MjAwLCJqdGkiOiI2YTNiMjNiYi0zMDUxLTRkYzMtYWVjYi00NzAwN2M1Njc3MDgiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbnMvMjAyMy8wNi8xOS9mYmktcmVzaXN0ZWQtb3BlbmluZy1wcm9iZS1pbnRvLXRydW1wcy1yb2xlLWphbi02LW1vcmUtdGhhbi15ZWFyLyJ9.DPvbz6252pZ0M-6JTmclWF2mFkchc6HAooXiDgaGmEs
How very odd. Our State colleges and universities were founded and have operated for over a century as LIBERAL ARTS institutions.
Falsely claiming to be a victim is accurately interpreted as an attempt to manipulate public perception in order to gain sympathy or support. This kind of behavior can damage state relationships with other states and make it difficult to build trust and collaboration.
When Governor Noem manipulates the truth and exaggerates, trade partners in important states perceive South Dakota as untrustworthy or unreliable.
Ultimately, South Dakota’s integrity is based on your Governors ability to be honest and transparent in her actions and communications, and falsely portraying South Dakota as a pathetic victim of “nefarious liberal behavior” compromises that integrity.
What? All of two people called the hotline?
Seriously, how many crybabies have called the hotline? And how many are fake?
Why is your Governor taking such action? What’s the root of her agenda? It’s simple, really.
Your Governor Noem feels she needs to address SD voters who are deeply and desperately afraid of we liberals and the power of our liberal thinking and our ability to persuade.
“When fear is buried in your subconscious it’s then something you cling to.” – Jay Shetty
Goodness……I pay no attention to the race of the author when choosing a book to read. I’m sure in my 76 years I’ve read plenty of “non white authors”, whatever that is. I’ve regularly been tested for Covid over the last 3 years…haven’t caught it yet. And what’s wrong with wearing a Ukraine pin??? I’d love to have a Ukraine pin. The Ukrainians are fighting for their lives and the life of their nation against Godless, Atheist, Communists. Ukrainians are overwhelmingly Christian and insist on being functioning members of Western Civilization. If Mrs. Noem is anti Ukrainian she is pro Communist, Anti Christian, and anti Western Civilization.
sx123- oh you bet more calls have been made than that.. eyebrow-raising up and down, brimming-with-mischief grin. My mom gave me an old, green Army whistle just for this whistleblowing occasion. I doubt it was a coincidence Austin Goss was arrested for phone prank shenanigans just before this hotline opened up. I believe it was a warning. I beg to be taught a lesson by our phony af governor. Ask for whistleblowers-I’ll blow it all over you. Hahaha.
The next test is seeing just how stupid and loathsome the Board of Regents are. Any American with a shred of decency would shove this bullsh*t back in Kristi Noep’s face with a request that she get a mental health assessment.
This kind of Orwellian abuse of power has no place on any university campus of a free country.
Grifternor Kristi Noep thrives on lies. What she’s done with the hotline to undermine our state universities is the same thing she’s done to K-12 public education with the Hillsdale “standards.” She dragged Hillsdale into South Dakota based on lies that Critical Race Theory and “woke” ideology (even Noep doesn’t know what “woke” means) are a problem in our schools. What she’s done is to give crackpots and liars a stage to vent rage and make anonymous accusations without proof.
So, now it’s up to the S.D. Board of Regents and its staff to hunt down lies. And even if any of this has an ounce of validity, where’s the crime? Is there a standard in our state universities that forbids the expression of political thought and personal beliefs that don’t involve hurting or denigrating people because of their race, religious preferences or gender?
The problem, according to Noep, is the expression of ideas or studies that some children may find challenging or uncomfortable. Is that the purpose of education? To reinforce the beliefs and ideas already held by a student from K through graduate school? This sounds more like a babysitting service of mollycoddlers instead of a competent education system.
What the Grifternor has done is to hand megaphones out to an angry, paranoid, narrow minded mob and to grant the mob the ability to twist and wreck South Dakota’s public education system with lies, conspiracy bullsh*t and hate speech. This puts her in control of the mob and gives her the power to give the mob and its lies legitimacy as a participating voice in the institutions of education. Empowering mobs will poison the state’s education system forever.
I really can’t think of a more evil and self-serving thing any governor can do to a constituency.
The witches in this case might be a couple of the Regent fellows themselves.
Woke is the latest in a long list of words haybilly conservatives invented because the word “liberal” scares the sense out of them.
“We’re still here and we still run the show.” lol 😂
e.g. 1. Libtard – a combination of the words “liberal” and “retard,” used to denigrate liberals as mentally handicapped or slow-witted.
2. Snowflake – used to mock liberals as overly-sensitive and easily offended.
3. Cultural Marxist – used to suggest that liberals are attempting to destroy traditional values and culture.
4. Social Justice Warrior – used to diminish the efforts of liberals to create a more just and equitable society.
5. PC Police – used to belittle liberals who advocate for political correctness and inclusivity in language and behavior.
6. Fake News – used to dismiss liberal media outlets and journalists as purveyors of false information.
7. Lamestream Media – used to criticize liberal-leaning mainstream media outlets as biased and untrustworthy.
8. Welfare Queen – used to stereotype liberals as lazy and dependent on government assistance.
9. Tree Hugger – used to deride liberals who advocate for environmental protections as overly sentimental and impractical.
10. Globalist – used to suggest that liberals are working to undermine national sovereignty in favor of a global agenda.
That is a great list, Mr. P.h. You missed “Regressive Left” and “Feminist.”
Well P., there may be a certain amount of truth and credibility in your list,
but according to recent election results, quite a lot of South Dakota voters
have not yet noticed how persuasive liberals can be. I know you may say that
I am just a stubborn old German seeing only the negative, but it’s hard to
ignore the obvious.
@ EDwin … But, South Dakota.
Kristi Lynn is nuckin’ futs. She’s the Queen of the Dumbed and a fitting and suitable “leader” for the majority of South Dakota voters.
Liberals On Parade: Remember the early morning TV show “Industry On Parade”? Yeah. I’m old, huh? lol
South Dakota collects more revenue than planned for and refuses to give it back where it came from. i.e. The taxpayers!
~ Colorado, your liberal oasis, has no problem respecting its voters and citizens.
Colorado taxpayers will be sent even larger refund checks next year than expected after state tax revenues finished the fiscal year much higher than budget analysts predicted. The state may now have to refund nearly $1 billion more than originally expected, increasing refund checks by hundreds of dollars per person. But exactly how large those Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refund checks will be remains in flux. – ColoradoSun
Arlo, FWIW, Putin is a huge advocate for the very conservative Russian Orthodox “Christian” church, and they are huge supporters of his conservative anti-gay, anti-liberal policies. So, it is NOT a Christian vs. atheist war. It is a “conservative” Christian theocratic against liberal democratic (no-particular-religion preferencing) war.
P. Aitch, I do indeed remember “Industry on Parade”. It was my favorite TV show as a kid in the early 50’s – even preferred to cartoons!! “Dirty Jobs” and “Holmes on Homes” are more recent echos of it
Mr. Schriever–I disagree…Putin wears a Russian Orthodox cross often and opines on the “old Morality” but he is not a Christian and never was. He is an old KGB agent and he loves misrepresentation and misinformation especially to try to maintain a political base among older Russians who have remained, for the most part, religious. He wants to reestablish the Stalinist era Russian empire. He doesn’t care what it takes, he’ll do it.
Meanwhile, in New Mexico.
https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-abortions-health-care-hotline-a3c93a49a66b26db442f87cc5098b1bf
My good friend Lar likes the immigrant influx, it makes him warm and jiggly, but as much as grudznick supports the abortion clinics I don’t want to create such an influx.
grudznick is a bit of an isolationist. Like George Washington, the fellow whose likeness is carved leftmost on the demonic altar in front of the witchy portal.
grudznichts is never lonely. He hears voices telling him what to do and think. Oh, my! 😳
I’ll say it again: there will ALWAYS be a liberal sway in education institutions because conservative bumper sticker/talking points will be held up to intellectual scrutiny and DO NOT weather such scrutiny. In places where evidence and facts do matter, conservatives have a much harder time advancing their blather. Not being allowed to advance untruthfulness is NOT a political matter; it is a factual matter above political warrants. In the land where truth and facts matter, liberal thinking hold up FAR better.
Say it again, Mr. O.
Here ‘ya go, grudznichts. Just off the top of my head.
– Liberal thinking, often associated with progressive beliefs, tends to hold up better under factual scrutiny due to several key reasons:
1. Evidence-based decision-making: Liberal thinking places a strong emphasis on gathering and analyzing factual evidence to support its positions. This means that policies and ideas are often rooted in scientific research, empirical data, and expert opinions. By relying on facts, liberal thinking is more likely to withstand scrutiny, as it is built upon a solid foundation of evidence.
2. Embracing pluralism and inclusivity: Liberal thinking values diverse perspectives and seeks to include marginalized voices in decision-making processes. This approach enhances fact-checking and promotes critical thinking by welcoming various perspectives and challenging biases. Through open dialogue and engagement with different viewpoints, liberal thinking encourages scrutiny and ensures a more balanced and informed analysis of facts.
3. Adapting to new information: Liberal thinking is characterized by an openness to change and a willingness to reassess and update beliefs based on new evidence. This flexibility allows for adjustments in policies, ensuring that they remain aligned with the latest factual information. By being receptive to new information, liberal thinking demonstrates an ongoing commitment to factual scrutiny.
4. Focus on social justice and equality: Liberalism often seeks to promote equality and social justice. These values demand rigorous examination of existing power structures and systems that may perpetuate inequality. By critically evaluating societal structures, norms, and policies, liberal thinking engages in fact-based analysis to identify areas that require change and improvement. This commitment to social justice strengthens the credibility of liberal ideas when subjected to factual scrutiny.
5. Application of critical thinking and skepticism: Liberal thinking encourages critical thinking skills and skepticism toward authority. These attributes drive individuals to question assumptions, critically analyze information, and seek evidence. By fostering a culture of critical thinking, liberal thinking naturally aligns with a fact-based approach and is more likely to withstand scrutiny.
– While it is important to note that no ideology is immune to factual scrutiny, liberal thinking’s emphasis on evidence-based decision-making, inclusivity, adaptability, social justice, critical thinking, and skepticism collectively contribute to its ability to hold up better under factual examination.
Did I just get a “Hallelujah” from grudznick?
grudz spends 70% of his blog time with liberals vs 30% with the connies at PeePee’s blog. He knows how boring and backwater they can be.