What is the subject?
A contentious town hall meeting on “critical race theory” hosted by three Republican-appointed members of the Prince William Racial and Social Justice Commission drew more than 50 attendees to Patriot High School Tuesday evening, with people on both sides of the issue expressing their feelings about the topic.
Continued => Critical race theory debated from both sides during contentious town hall | News | princewilliamtimes.com
Is if fake news? That can be difficult to discern, but it is a cinch the news media should not be trusted. So, let’s consider some other sources.
- UPDATED: Critical Race Theory in Schools Discussed at ‘Unsanctioned’ Racial Social Justice Commission Members Town Hall | Bristow Beat
- UPDATED: Racial justice commissioners’ town hall appears to violate bylaws, FOIA | Headlines | insidenova.com
Since InsideNoVa did not have a reporter present at the meeting, we really have only two reports. Were these reports biased? Consider this statement from the Prince William Times.
The town hall ended with a question-and-answer session in which the commissioners fielded questions from the audience. They were asked on several occasions to show the audience how critical race theory is being taught in Prince William County schools but appeared to struggle to provide any tangible evidence in the school’s curriculum.
“I don’t have the answers … All I can say is that with my three kids, they’ve all experienced something being taught to them that I would label as not okay within this realm. I don’t know if it’s critical race theory,” Tredinnick said.
Critical race theory debated from both sides during contentious town hall | News | princewilliamtimes.com
Think about the silliness of that observation: “they appeared to struggle.” Why would they appear to struggle?
- We know that the schools have yet to offer courses labeled as Critical Race Theory.
- We also know that our schoolteachers are being indoctrinated in Critical Race Theory.
- We know that the teachers unions are promoting this nonsense, Unions Double Down on Inserting Critical Race Theory Into Education | The Heritage Foundation and Teachers’ Unions Vow to Defend Members in Critical Race Theory Fight (edweek.org).
- We know the teachers unions don’t use the expression “Critical Race Theory” anymore, Teachers’ Unions Vow to Defend Members in Critical Race Theory Fight (edweek.org). That is because the expression, “Critical Race Theory,” has become a hot potato for school boards and educators.
- We know the teachers unions have not given up. Consider their own website: We Need to Teach the Truth About Systemic Racism, Say Educators | NEA, Teaching with an Anti-Racist Lens | NEA, and Teach Truth: Know Your Rights FAQ | NEA.
What is the problem? Too many of our teachers think it is is their job to be activists, that they have to teach our children to be activists, but most parents just send their children to school to learn the 3 R’s, not to be frothingly angry anti-racism activists. Yet the teacher of any course can introduce personal opinions even if those opinions have nothing to with the formal content of the course.
Furthermore, textbooks and instruction plans can based upon ideas and concepts that are not explicitedly mentioned. To teach “Critical Race Theory,” nobody has to use the expression “Critical Race Theory.” It is the ideas that matter.
The core idea is that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies.
What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? (edweek.org)
What about a subject like history? Well, there is no question that systemic racism has existed in the USA, but that is also true of ALL other nations. Human beings have fought against each other and abused each other all throughout human history. So that they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, we need to teach our children both what is bad and what is good about our history. That includes what we know about warfare and slavery from time immemorial, but that also includes what we know about the struggles of our ancestors to be free and to be kind to each other, regardless of race, sex, or creed. Don’t we want our children to understand that there is both good and bad in all human beings? Don’t we want them to learn how to nurture that which is good in both themselves and in others?
Therefore, consider the basic issue with respect to “Critical Race Theory” or what now passes for instruction in what we might call equity issues. Do parents really want the teachers of their children to indoctrinate their children in the belief that the USA is still systematically racist? Are white men and white women always to be the enemy just because they are white? Is that not a racist belief? Doesn’t an educational system that insists upon constantly focusing upon race and “equity” issues promote division? When government sponsored systematic racism is ILLEGAL and those laws are enthusiastically enforced, what is the point of insisting the USA is still systemically racist, except to promote racism against whites?
Admittedly, there is no easy way to teach history, English and American literature, and many other subjects without making subjective choices. That’s why we should support school choice and let parents decide. Unfortunately, we still have politicians deciding for us. So, we have to hold them accountable, and our news media is not much help. Too many reporters are activists posing as supposedly objective reporters.
Therefore, one additional conclusion. The three Republican-appointed members of the Prince William Racial and Social Justice Commission who held that town hall should have videotaped the event and posted the video. Instead, the big story now is that when the three Republicans hosted a public discussion they violated some obscure rule.
Never, ever count upon the news media to accurately report what Conservatives believe.
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Well, you finally amazed me, Tom… and no sarcasm there. Your paragraph…
“What about a subject like history? Well, there is no question that systemic racism has existed in the USA, but that is also true of ALL other nations. Human beings have fought against each other and abused each other all throughout human history. So that they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, we need to teach our children both what is bad and what is good about our history. That includes what we know about warfare and slavery from time immemorial, but that also includes what we know about the struggles of our ancestors to be free and to be kind to each other, regardless of race, sex, or creed. Don’t we want our children to understand that there is both good and bad in all human beings? Don’t we want them to learn how to nurture that which is good in both themselves and in others?”
I had to re-read that, thinking it might have been a quote, link, whatever. One of the most objective and concise statements you’ve made… and one in which I can fully agree.
Having acknowledged that, your local debate on critical race in schools is not for me. One thing I find totally lacking in all these school debates across the country is a presentation to simply compare.. “this is what we were teaching before.. and this is what we want to teach now” but both sides are simply screaming and no one is listening because it’s turned political..
@Doug
Thank you?
When America’s public school system first started, local politicians ran it lock, stock, and barrel. The people at that time regarded local politics as important and shared similar values, and teachers unions did not exist. So, locals managed to run the public schools with less controversy.
Unfortunately, we now have local school boards, local government, state governments, and the Federal Government all involved in trying to run our schools. That is a management nightmare. We also don’t share similar values nationally, and our local communities are often heterogeneous. Therefore, we spend too much time quarreling.
The obvious solution is school choice, but important interest groups, like the teachers union hate the idea. Therefore, we are in for many long, drawn out battles.
Reblogged this on boudica.us and commented:
H/T Citizen Tom
Thanks for the reblog!