Canadian courts factor in race when sentencing
Also: Maryland students can't opt out of Pride books.
👋 Good morning, and welcome back. In Canada, justice is not blind. When sentencing convicts, Canadian judges can—and in some cases, must—take into account how “systemic racism” affected offenders of color.
Today the team is covering:
✏️ Maryland parents can’t opt their children out of LGBT education,
🇨🇦 Canadian courts factor in race when sentencing convicts,
📚 Texas passes a bill targeting sexually explicit books in schools,
➕ And everything else you need to know.
Today we’re also recommending The Reload, an award-winning weekly newsletter that covers the Second Amendment in America with coverage and analyses you won’t see in other news outlets. Stephen, the founder, is truly an expert. More on The Reload later.
—Ari
EDUCATION
Parents sue Maryland schools because of mandatory LGBT education
What’s happening: A diverse group of Maryland parents, encompassing Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians, has launched a federal lawsuit against the Montgomery County Board of Education. The reason? The mandated inclusion of storybooks promoting "extreme ideology" about gender identity and sexuality for students from pre-K through the eighth grade.
The books: The board introduced these "inclusivity" books last fall, focusing heavily on contentious concepts like transgenderism and children's romantic emotions. One book aimed at 3- and 4-year-olds includes a task involving the words "intersex flag," "drag queen," "underwear," "leather," and the name of a renowned LGBT activist and sex worker. Another book pushes the notion that a child's decision to transition doesn't have to "make sense," suggesting that sex identification at birth is merely a doctor's "guess.”
No opting out: Despite initial promises from the school board that parents could opt their children out of these books and would be warned beforehand, the board reversed its position and made the books mandatory for all elementary students. Allegedly, one board member responded to parent concerns by saying that opting out simply provides “another reason” for children to harbor hate.
Between the lines: The media, politicians, and activists on the left have framed these efforts by concerned parents as “book banning,” although the books being rallied against are seen as inappropriate for children by the parents. Fully bought into radical gender theory and child transgenderism, those who criticize parents’ efforts to limit these books’ accessibility to children believe these books are not only appropriate but necessary.
Nationwide efforts: In states like Florida, bills to prevent these books from being taught in lower grade levels have been popular. Other states like Texas, Missouri, South Carolina, and Utah have followed suit.
    |
Sober, Serious Reporting on Guns
The Reload is an independent publication focused on bringing you stories about guns in America that you won't find in major media outlets. And it's dedicated to telling those stories with a level of accuracy and understanding only possible because the journalists themselves understand both how guns and our gun laws work.
Run by award-winning journalist Stephen Gutowski, The Reload has broken some of the most significant stories about guns in America--including how the CDC censored defensive gun stats and the troubled history of President Biden's first ATF Director nominee. It is read by staff at the top gun groups, on Capitol Hill, and in the White House.
You should sign up for The Reload's free weekly newsletter today to keep up to date on what's happening with guns in America too! (I read it every week —Ari)
Please support our sponsors!
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
📚 Texas Legislature passes a bill targeting sexually explicit books in schools. The bill, which Gov. Greg Abbott is likely to sign, would require vendors to evaluate a book’s content based on a strict rating system before selling it to a Texas school district. The state Senate passed it on Tuesday after hearing testimony on library book policy in various school districts, which often keep sexually explicit material available to children despite parental complaints. One testimony cited documents publicized by Upward News as part of our investigation into one school district’s policies.
🇺🇦 U.S. authorities believe Ukraine's special military or intelligence outfits are likely behind the recent drone attack on the Kremlin. This covert operation, part of a concerning series of strikes against Russian interests, has disconcerted the Biden administration—Ukraine's leading military aid provider. Beyond the drone strike, officials suspect Ukrainians have orchestrated various incidents, including the assassination of a well-known Russian nationalist's daughter, the murder of a pro-Russian blogger, and multiple assaults in Russian towns bordering Ukraine.
🩺 Texas Children's Hospital announced they will halt the hospital's gender treatment program for minors. This decision aligns with the forthcoming state bill—expected to be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott—to prohibit these treatments. CEO Mark Wallace confirmed the hospitals will guide children to out-of-state alternatives for sex changes and hormone treatments.
🚹 Alabama's Legislature moved forward to formally define male and female identities under state law. The proposed legislation categorizes a female and a woman as an "individual whose biological reproductive system is designed to produce ova," while a male and a man as an "individual whose biological reproductive system is designed to fertilize the ova of a female." The bill emphasizes the need for clear distinctions between sexes in athletics, detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, locker rooms, bathrooms, and similar settings.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Canadian courts factor in race when sentencing convicts
Brockville Court House in Brockville, Canada
The issue: In recent years, Canadian courts have begun explicitly considering race as a factor when sentencing felons. Black or “racialized” Canadians charged with crimes can file an “Impact of Race and Culture Assessment,” or IRCA, explaining how systemic racism made them more susceptible to committing crimes. Critics argue such sentencing practices violate the principle that justice should be blind.
History of race-based sentencing: In the ‘90s, Canadian lawmakers seeking to curb Aboriginal overrepresentation in prisons updated the Criminal Code, requiring judges to consider how Canada’s colonial history had affected Aboriginal offenders. IRCAs were introduced for similar reasons and based on the premise that systemic discrimination limits black and Aboriginal people’s opportunities and ability to lead law-abiding lives. The first IRCA was filed in 2014.
Examples: One man charged with armed robbery submitted an IRCA and was released after just six months in prison. “I didn’t face racism. It was my only way out of this situation. I took full advantage,” he admitted to The Free Press. Another black man received a reduced sentence for a hit-and-run, as the judge believed he was afraid to turn himself in to the police due to his experiences with racism.
Becoming the standard: In 2021, Nova Scotia’s top court ruled that judges in the province must consider systemic racism when sentencing black offenders. “Even where the offence is very serious, consideration must be given to the impact of systemic racism […] on the offender.” Canada’s liberal government has pushed the same narrative and subsidized IRCAs since 2021.
Comparison: The U.S. has had a similar push for racial justice, especially since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. No race-based policies exist in the U.S. as of now, but Canada’s advancements could serve as a template for U.S. progressives looking to reform the criminal justice system.
| |
FROM UPWARD+
2024: A Forensic Analysis of the Presidential Prospects
Our Upward+ deep dive into the 2024 presidential landscape uncovers a heady mix of announced contenders, undeclared hopefuls, and the hefty war chests being amassed. This is a pivotal moment in American politics, with a rapidly shifting landscape set to redefine future leadership. We're pulling back the curtain on the high-stakes strategies, tracing the battle lines, and exploring how candidates are marshaling resources to fuel their campaigns. Hold onto your hats—the race to the White House is heating up.
🔗 Paid readers can read it here.
📖 Free readers can read it with a 7-day free preview here.
IN THE LOOP
🤥 In a silent edit, The Associated Press has retracted its previously uncredited assertions that Target had either removed or relocated Pride Month LGBT merchandise following "violent confrontations" and "threats to workers," offering no correction or editor's note to readers.
🗳️ Former Vice President Mike Pence, a prospective 2024 presidential candidate, has pledged to reimpose a prohibition on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military, should he win the presidency.
✡️ In a first, the Biden administration has unveiled the U.S.'s inaugural national strategy aimed at curbing antisemitism.
🎓 Surprising the graduating class of Johns Hopkins University, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered the commencement speech on Thursday. He expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its support.
🚔 In a significant verdict related to the January 6 riot, Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, was given an 18-year prison sentence after being found guilty of seditious conspiracy.
POLL
Should courts consider race when sentencing convicts?Poll results will be in Tuesday's newsletter. (Happy Memorial Day!) |
POLL RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
Who would you vote for if Republican primaries were held today?
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 1️⃣ Donald Trump (309)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 2️⃣ Ron DeSantis (430)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 3️⃣ Tim Scott (55)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 4️⃣ Nikki Hailey (32)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 5️⃣ Vivek Ramaswamy (50)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ❓ Other (20)
“President Trump's Supreme Court nominations earned my vote.”
“I think DeSantis has the biggest chance of attracting Independent voters or those with Biden-Regret Syndrome. Trump is divisive. We can't afford to lose the ‘anyone but Trump’ voters again if we want to oust the extreme left.”
“My vote would personally be for Tim Scott. I am in favor of a Christian man who wants to bring morals back to this country. I have felt that Desantis and Trump tend to be too political or divisive to earn my vote.”
✍️ Today’s newsletter was written by Ari, Hudson, and Joanna and edited by Alyssa.
📧 If this email was forwarded to you, sign up here.
🛍 Want Upward stickers, mugs, or shirts? Go to our merch store.
💳 Subscribed to Upward+? Access our premium content here or upgrade.
👋 Respond to this email with some feedback or just to say hello.