One Parent Stands Up.
The Brearley School is an elite K-12 grade schools for girls located at 610 East 83rd street in New York City, AKA "the upper east side." Like many elite schools it has drifted left and it's administration has become totalitarian. American society is going through a period of leftist control and indoctrination very similar to what went on in China during the "cultural revolution." Most citizens and even corporations have been intimidated by the left, but at the Brearley School one parent has stood up. His name is Andrew Gutman. He removed his daughter from the school and submitted the following letter:
Dear Fellow Brearley Parents,
Our family recently made the decision not to reenroll our daughter at Brearley for the 2021-22 school year. She has been at Brearley for seven years, beginning in kindergarten. In short, we no longer believe that Brearley's administration and Board of Trustees have any of our children's best interests at heart. Moreover, we no longer have confidence that our daughter will receive the quality of education necessary to further her development into a critically thinking, responsible, enlightened, and civic minded adult. I write to you, as a fellow parent, to share our reasons for leaving the Brearley community but also to urge you to act before the damage to the school, to its community, and to your own child's education is irreparable.
It cannot be stated strongly enough that Brearley's obsession with race must stop. It should be abundantly clear to any thinking parent that Brearley has completely lost its way. The administration and the Board of Trustees have displayed a cowardly and appalling lack of leadership by appeasing an anti-intellectual, illiberal mob, and then allowing the school to be captured by that same mob. What follows are my own personal views on Brearley's antiracism initiatives, but these are just a handful of the criticisms that I know other parents have expressed.
I object to the view that I should be judged by the color of my skin. I cannot tolerate a school that not only judges my daughter by the color of her skin, but encourages and instructs her to prejudge others by theirs. By viewing every element of education, every aspect of history, and every facet of society through the lens of skin color and race, we are desecrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and utterly violating the movement for which such civil rights leaders believed, fought, and died.
I object to the charge of systemic racism in this country, and at our school. Systemic racism, properly understood, is segregated schools and separate lunch counters. It is the interning of Japanese and the exterminating of Jews. Systemic racism is unequivocally not a small number of isolated incidences over a period of decades. Ask any girl, of any race, if they have ever experienced insults from friends, have ever felt slighted by teachers or have ever suffered the occasional injustice from a school at which they have spent up to 13 years of their life, and you are bound to hear grievances, some petty, some not. We have not had systemic racism against Blacks in this country since the civil rights reforms of the 1960s, a period of more than 50 years. To state otherwise is a flat-out misrepresentation of our country's history and adds no understanding to any of today's societal issues. If anything, longstanding and widespread policies such as affirmative action, point in precisely the opposite direction.
I object to a definition of systemic racism, apparently supported by Brearley, that any educational, professional, or societal outcome where Blacks are underrepresented is prima facie evidence of the aforementioned systemic racism, or of white supremacy and oppression. Facile and unsupported beliefs such as these are the polar opposite to the intellectual and scientific truth for which Brearley claims to stand. Furthermore, I call bullshit on Brearley's oft-stated assertion that the school welcomes and encourages the truly difficult and uncomfortable conversations regarding race and the roots of racial discrepancies.
I object to the idea that Blacks are unable to succeed in this country without aid from government or from whites. Brearley, by adopting critical race theory, is advocating the abhorrent viewpoint that Blacks should forever be regarded as helpless victims, and are incapable of success regardless of their skills, talents, or hard work. What Brearley is teaching our children is precisely the true and correct definition of racism.
I object to mandatory anti-racism training for parents, especially when presented by the rent-seeking charlatans of Pollyanna. These sessions, in both their content and delivery, are so sophomoric and simplistic, so unsophisticated and inane, that I would be embarrassed if they were taught to Brearley kindergarteners. They are an insult to parents and unbecoming of any educational institution, let alone one of Brearley's caliber.
I object to Brearley's vacuous, inappropriate, and fanatical use of words such as "equity," "diversity" and "inclusiveness." If Brearley's administration was truly concerned about so-called "equity," it would be discussing the cessation of admissions preferences for legacies, siblings, and those families with especially deep pockets. If the administration was genuinely serious about "diversity," it would not insist on the indoctrination of its students, and their families, to a single mindset, most reminiscent of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Instead, the school would foster an environment of intellectual openness and freedom of thought. And if Brearley really cared about "inclusiveness," the school would return to the concepts encapsulated in the motto "One Brearley," instead of teaching the extraordinarily divisive idea that there are only, and always, two groups in this country: victims and oppressors.
l object to Brearley's advocacy for groups and movements such as Black Lives Matter , a Marxist, anti family, heterophobic, anti-Asian and anti-Semitic organization that neither speaks for the majority of the Black community in this country, nor in any way, shape or form, represents their best interests.
I object to, as we have been told time and time again over the past year, that the school's first priority is the safety of our children. For goodness sake, Brearley is a school, not a hospital! The number one priority of a school has always been, and always will be, education. Brearley's misguided priorities exemplify both the safety culture and "cover-your-ass" culture that together have proved so toxic to our society and have so damaged the mental health and resiliency of two generations of children, and counting.
I object to the gutting of the history, civics, and classical literature curriculums. I object to the censorship of books that have been taught for generations because they contain dated language potentially offensive to the thin-skinned and hypersensitive (something that has already happened in my daughter's 4th grade class). I object to the lowering of standards for the admission of students and for the hiring of teachers. I object to the erosion of rigor in classwork and the escalation of grade inflation. Any parent with eyes open can foresee these inevitabilities should antiracism initiatives be allowed to persist.
We have today in our country, from both political parties, and at all levels of government, the most unwise and unvirtuous leaders in our nation's history. Schools like Brearley are supposed to be the training grounds for those leaders. Our nation will not survive a generation of leadership even more poorly educated than we have now, nor will we survive a generation of students taught to hate its own country and despise its history.
Lastly, I object, with as strong a sentiment as possible, that Brearley has begun to teach what to think, instead of how to think. I object that the school is now fostering an environment where our daughters, and our daughters' teachers, are afraid to speak their minds in class for fear of "consequences." I object that Brearley is trying to usurp the role of parents in teaching morality, and bullying parents to adopt that false morality at home. I object that Brearley is fostering a divisive community where families of different races, which until recently were part of the same community, are now segregated into two. These are the reasons why we can no longer send our daughter to Brearley.
Over the past several months, I have personally spoken to many Brearley parents as well as parents of children at peer institutions. It is abundantly clear that the majority of parents believe that Brearley's antiracism policies are misguided, divisive, counterproductive and cancerous. Many believe, as I do, that these policies will ultimately destroy what was until recently, a wonderful educational institution. But as I am sure will come as no surprise to you, given the insidious cancel culture that has of late permeated our society, most parents are too fearful to speak up.
But speak up you must. There is strength in numbers and I assure you, the numbers are there. Contact the administration and the Board of Trustees and demand an end to the destructive and anti-intellectual claptrap known as antiracism. And if changes are not forthcoming then demand new leadership. For the sake of our community, our city, our country and most of all, our children, silence is no longer an option.
Respectfully,
Andrew Gutman
https://www.newsweek.com/what-andrew-gutman-letter-brearley-school-decrying-anti-racism-policies-said-1584918
"The letter had been sent to nearly 600 families whose children are enrolled in the school, urging them to speak out against the college's "misguided" anti-racism policies and "cancel culture that has of late permeated our society."
The Brearley School never really gave a response to anything to the letter, but a school spokeswoman called it "offensive."
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Today's profile in courage.
As usual Vanity Fair has a better take than on the issues involved than this cherrypicked 'profile in courage' that took zero courage to seed.
Piss-poor when you go immediately on the attack against the seeder.
bad form, sport!
[deleted]
I think you need help in determining the topic.
pro tip for you:
The topic isn't Vic.
[Deleted]
50 or 60 years is not enough time to end racism. It is barely 3 generations.
There are many millions of racists in the US. Many. Just look at how protective they are of statues of traitors such as Lee and Jackson and Davis.
I would just put it like this , as long as so many people want to judge non whites by the color of their skin there are going to be "woke" initiatives.
Why is the father in the letter so obsessed with race? If he can afford to send his children to a grammar school that costs 54,000 dollars a year he should have better things to do than obsess about race.
We did it!
Really? So there's no more racism anymore?
Show me where I said that?
That's not the issue here. It's Critical Race Theory being taught to our children.
So teaching children actual history is bad? I know some tighty righties are get their panties in a wad anytime anyone ever mentions the darker side of US history, but those who don't remember it are doomed to repeat it.
Was that the complaint? Did you read the letter?
Read those objections.
I was replying to you with a question.
Nope. EDIT: Okay I skimmed it, but cannot comment since I can't cross reference the complaints with the actual school curriculum.
I'm more interested in your objections since you seeded it and we can discuss these with each other directly.
Your question had little to do with the complaint. We all want history taught, but not by extremists who teach white is inherently evil.
Nope. EDIT: Okay I skimmed it, but cannot comment since I can't cross reference the complaints with the actual school curriculum.
So, you don't buy it.
I'm more interested in your objections since you seeded it and we can discuss these with each other directly.
I think my objections in the era of the left are well known and often discussed.
Your comment is , of course, absurd. Why doesn't that bother you?
How is it absurd? America's progress in defeating racism has been exceptional. The entire third world is trying to get in. Jussie Smollett proved it by having to invent a hate crime. Eric Holder proved it when he was forced to abandon his preconceived idea about the Michael Brown shooting. Barack Obama proved it by being elected twice.
So who is being absurd?
Your reply to John implies you ended racism.
You are delusional.
Do you know what kind of people suggest that there is no more racism in America because Barack Obama was elected?
I'd tell you but I dont think you would like it.
You're being absurd. While this country has made progress against racism, it's far from being defeated. Thinking racism has been or is close to being defeats amounts to keeping one's head buried in the sand.
hmmmm.. Unless you can show me the curriculums of these schools and point out where it teaches that "white is inherently evil" your comment says more about your biases.
I didn't say that. I said can't comment on the guy's complaint without judging it against the material he's complaining about.
Yes, your partisanship is well noted. Opposing everything "liberal" as evil is as doomed as those opposing everything "conservative" as fascist. Alas, I seem to be howling into the wind trying to get people to think more critically around here. That's my failing.
His objections are moronic. I feel sorry for his children.
An honest answer to that question would get deleted.
I was never taught about the Dakota war of 1862. An integral piece of history of my home state. 38 Dakota men were hung in one day and buried in a mass grave. The why, the how and the aftermath are important historical topics.
There will always be some racism - emanating from all races.
I know that racists and progressives like to declare factual statements as "racist."
Vic, the basis of racism does not come from non white people. You need to get over that confusion.
Non whites that are 'racist' are so because of the way they have been treated by whites.
The only "black superiority" messages that developed came about as a retort to white supremacy.
Those are just words.
You're being absurd.
And You're being extremely ideological.
Show me the racism that requires the occasional hoax?
Our countries history is bloody and complicated. To boil it down to whites were evil or whites were good is super dishonest and glosses over so, so much.
Yet I just did in the above article. You know, the one you admitted that you didn't read.
. I said can't comment on the guy's complaint without judging it against the material he's complaining about.
He is telling you of his personal experience. The school can't refute it. They simply dismissed it with newspeak.
FALSE.
It is taught in our schools. Whatever parts of our great history is left out - that is not.
Maybe, you're getting it.
Every single one of the first 63 Miss Americas was white. Still we had people asking "why do they need a Miss Black America? why can't we have a Miss White America ?"
They have had them for all of those 63 years and more.
I disagree. Many are indoctrinated. As I have said before, I want to see a SAT test for college level students.
Their hypocrisy meter is fine tuned as they are wired to push boundaries and question authority.
That was the 60's when the left was on the outside looking in. Today there is no questioning allowed for the hateful tripe being taught.
When we realize that responsibility, that is when meaningful change will finally occur
The only meaningful change will occur when we put down this cultural revolution.
Did you read it?
So progressives want retribution?
John, are you an NBA fan? If someone was a race obsessed progressive they might say, this doesn't seem fair, yet those athletes happen to be the best basketball players in America. It doesn't always work out to a precise or equal representation. For the time being we are still a society based on merit.
Nope you have one guy's interpretation of the curriculum not the curriculum itself. FAIL.
I should always follow the opinions of some rando on the internet why?
Again, unless you can show me where IN THE CURRICULUM where it shows "whites are evil" because they are white I'll do the same.
You have an opportunity to change my mind, but instead so far you double down on one guy's opinion that reinforces yours. Show me where you are right and that I should oppose this teaching.
It actually sounds to me that the school wants to skim over our darker history without putting any real depth into teaching such atrocities. I could be misinterpreting it and I don't know what the school it pushing necessarily; I'm just speaking to what's in the seed.
I personally think that everyone that lives here needs to learn about our dark history. You can do one of two things with history... learn from it or doomed to repeat it.
That's quite a statement.
Non whites that are 'racist' are so because of the way they have been treated by whites.
You mean it's a form of resentment? Easily inflamed by liberal whites? Got it!
The only "black superiority" messages that developed came about as a retort to white supremacy.
Sorry John, I don't engage in Newspeak
That's why I have purchased history books in my home that do teach that and my kids have been taught about those things. Sometimes, it's our jobs as parents to teach beyond what a school teaches. Although, you're right... those things SHOULD be taught in school.
I find that most adults try to make children believe that no questioning is allowed... that's occurred FOREVER. This is not something new. There's a reason the saying, "Children are to be seen and not heard," exists and it's certainly not something new.
It is at the university level.
How do you reach that conclusion based on one guys opinion? He could be correct, you could be correct, but I don't have enough information to base any conclusion on.
I think the good, the bad, the ugly and the heroic all need to be taught.
But we're not discussing university level. This article is regarding K-12.
That's why I pointed out that I don't know what the school is actually teaching and that I was basing my thought on just this seed.
I agree.
There are things here that I agree with throughout the commentary [and the seed], but there's also things I disagree with on the same accounts.
I am agreeing with you that basing things off of one guy's account is not a full picture.
So there were no beautiful non white potential Miss Americas for 63 years in a row? lol.
Next we'll hear there was no prejudice against black baseball players for many decades.
Yes, I know.
No, John, there was no "non white" Miss American winners in 80+% white America for 63 consecutive years. I wouldn't let it bother me too much John.
Next we'll hear there was no prejudice against black baseball players for many decades.
John, we are talking about today when white America is bowing from the ankles. How far do you want to go? Camps for whites?
I find it a shame that so many adults [yes, some of my friends and family are that way] expect children to simply obey. In my opinion, that is potentially harmful. I encourage my kids to ask questions, to question authority, because sometimes it is necessary. They have a level of trust in me that I will back them up when their question of authority is called for; I'm often poo pooed for my parenting style. Sometimes that's from those that have kids that come to me for advice rather than their parents... just sayin. And yes, I tell my kids [or others that come to me] when they're in the wrong, but I also explain WHY they're in the wrong.
The WHY is important regardless if the assumption is right or wrong.
Did anyone claim that?
There are times to question authority (as in professors) and times to respect it (as in law enforcement). That's the lesson.
Oh, I completely agree with that statement. I know what I'm required to do if I'm pulled over and I've told my kids what I have to do when pulled over.
It's so simple. We all get to file our complaints, if any, at the proper time.
Words which you seem to prefer to ignore or dismiss, not to mention fail to refute. Now that's absurd.
And you're attributing someone else's words to me, which is also absurd, as I never said you were being ideological.
Then racism has not been defeated, nor does it seem immediately likely to be. So your statement is inaccurate at best.
It has.
What needs to be defeated now is the ideology of the left
When compared to other countries that openly support racism, perhaps.
If you and your neighbors dragged the one black family in your neighborhood out of their home and beat them to within an inch of their lives, broke all their bones and maimed them then, called their employers and got them fired and forced the school district to expel their children and then, when confronted by law enforcement, said "Okay, we stopped, we're not beating them anymore so don't you dare try to saddle us with their medical bills, don't you dare tell our descendants what we did to them and don't you dare treat them differently or help them get a job or acceptance into college because that would be racist!", would you really be claiming that was "equality" or that the whole incident was "fixed"?
That is effectively what the letter above is demanding. I read the whole letter and it's obvious this parent is attempting to be a superior intellectual and despises anyone or anything that might even hint at the idea that they're in any way responsible for the racial inequities that are blatantly apparent in America. He categorically denies that any systemic racism now exists simply because white Americans were legally prevented from taking out their fantasy superiority on minorities in the 1960's as if the civil rights and voting rights acts magically repaired the centuries old division and hate that millions of racist white Americans had sustained and desperately clung to. Mr. Gutman obviously feels burdened by history and is demanding it be white washed of any potential stain on his ancestors or heritage and vehemently opposes any teaching to our children that might disparage his preferred vision of some pristine fantasy white culture. He gnashes his teeth at the thought that children might grow up being taught the truth about racial divisions in our past simply because he feels he has never personally beaten the crap out of a minority or denied them a job opportunity or crossed the street to avoid walking close to a black American, or that when he did it was somehow totally justified and had nothing to do with race.
This letter is just one long whine from a privileged bigot complaining of what he sees as reverse racism simply because there are those in society attempting to tell the unvarnished truth about our history and the legacy of racial division in America.
If you want to learn something, don't bother listening to Mr. Gutman, try watching "I Am Not Your Negro".
Staying in your "comfort zone" and avoiding discussion of race simply because they're uncomfortable is no different than advocating for and living in a racially segregated society.
You previously said there will always be racism eminating from all races in your post 2.1.19. Now you're claiming racism has been defeated. You're contradicting yourself. Either racism has been defeated or it has not. Which is it Vic?
This isn't a history lesson going on at the school. Seems to me they are teaching white children that they will grow up to be racist because other white people are racist.
Racism can be discussed without belittling and insulting little children.
Nonsense. Simply giving the unvarnished truth about our history is not telling children they're going to be racists, it's informing children of what we need to work hard to overcome in society and teaching them that black lives matter just as much as white lives, no more, no less.
It is not belittling to tell children the truth. The lie that there is no systemic racism and everything is fine and rosy in our society is belittling.
I think what many with deep seated prejudices are saying is that there will always be racism in society and that's okay, especially for those who are on top who see no reason to rock the boat. They also claim that problematic "racism" has been defeated, i.e. open racism like "whites only" signs and because of that there is no longer an openly racist system so no one should be complaining anymore. You can usually tell these persons by how they react to boat rockers. If they lash out at a simple truth like "black lives matter" and demand it be changed to "all lives matter" then they're almost certainly harboring deep seated prejudices and are enjoying the benefits of a society that tilts in their favor. They are also easily identified as persons desperate to conserve the status quo of their privileged position and vehemently lash out at anyone who dares suggest a change, thus they almost always consider themselves "conservatives" and have throughout the history of our nation.
I think there's a significant number of delusional, race obsessed liberals who are so detached from reality that they think racism in the south is as bad in 2021 as was in 1961. They even openly admit it! By buying into the lie, they can justify enacting their racist agenda regardless of reality. In their world it's always 1961. It's easier to live in a simplistic pretend world of good vs evil then face reality.
Is all the truth told or just one side of the truth? Critical race theory teaches children that they are privileged because of the color of their skin and they will use that privilege to promote racism as adults because others of their same race have is no doubt belittling, insulting, abusive, and racist.
These people who promote teaching children critical race theory should be in jail for child abuse.
That would be idiotic, it's obviously not as bad now as when we had many openly racist States and cities. But that doesn't mean racism has simply disappeared, many of those same openly racist persons and their descendants who didn't fall far from their trees are still alive today and are the ones who gnash their teeth at the current society they find themselves in where it isn't popular or trendy anymore to be openly racist. They apparently feel their rights are being hampered because they're not able to be openly racist anymore and believe any mention of race or Americans openly racist past is now somehow an attack on them that amounts to reverse racism.
I'm glad you changed your mind in the last few months. There are others here who still argue that it is.
But that doesn't mean racism has simply disappeared, m
And teaching racist ideology in schools and institutionalizing it through the government will ensure it never will. Becoming more obsessed with race and encouraging tribalism is the recipe for making racism worse.
So keep on preaching racism. I'm sure it will play out well over the the next few decades.
I agree with this; I have discussions with people all the time that make most uncomfortable, but the people I'm conversing with know me very well and know that I'm trying to have an open, honest discussion with them about things I'm trying to understand better. Neither of us are trying to convince each other of anything; neither of us are trying to believe just because one or the other hasn't experienced something. I've had fantastic conversations with my therapist, a black woman. Her and I have helped each other understand one another. I absolutely love her, because we can talk about racism and sexism with no judgement from either of us. We're completely comfortable talking to each other about tough issues. She knows she can be honest with me and me with her.
hat would be idiotic, it's obviously not as bad now as when we had many openly racist States and cities
by the same guy who claimed:
"The south hasn't become any less racist"
"There is simply zero evidence that the south has become less racist."
"The history is clear, the south is still just as fucking racist as they were back in the 1960's, "
Having come from a quality background, I try to approach things with complete neutrality; therefore, I'm not teaching my kids judgement one way or the other. When kids are taught only one side of a story, that story is painted to make that one side as "the good guys" and that's not necessarily accurate.
An anecdote of sorts... one of my favorite shows is The Walking Dead. I have often viewed the main characters as the bad guys because of their actions... sometimes they were the ones in the wrong despite the main premise of the show. Putting myself in the opposing character's shoes, if you will, helps me see that other side; too many people have trouble objectively doing so.
"This letter is just one long whine from a privileged bigot complaining of what he sees as reverse racism simply because there are those in society attempting to tell the unvarnished truth about our history and the legacy of racial division in America."
If you want to learn something, don't bother listening to Mr. Gutman, try watching "I Am Not Your Negro".
I Am Not Your Negro
Staying in your "comfort zone" and avoiding discussion of race simply because they're uncomfortable is no different than advocating for and living in a racially segregated society.
The governments, both federal, State and local, have become less racist but many of the people in the south have not which is why I stated "They prefer to hide their racism behind their faux 'southern hospitality'." I do believe there are people who are just as racist today as they were fifty years ago, the only thing that has changed in some places is the laws that once allowed them to openly express their racism in their businesses and public spaces.
It's insane to claim the south is as racist today as it was in the early 60s. That's crazier than any Q-anon belief. All objective evidence shows otherwise.
hard to believe that anyone can't see the difference
You're right, I should have said what I meant in a better way which should have been "The history is clear, many people in the south are still just as fucking racist as they were back in the 1960's". Those folk are just as racist and nasty today as they were then, the only thing that has really changed is that their racism is no longer condoned by the State and local governments as it was back then.
lots of those people from the 60s have died off now.
And lots are still alive. You'd only have to be in your mid 70's today to have been adult back then fully participating in the segregation and racism. And most of the apples that fell around those racist trees are still alive and well waving their confederate flags, protecting confederate monuments, considering themselves conservatives and now voting Republican.
yeah, yeah the usual nonsense about how the racist democrats flocked to the GOP.
LMAO!
I think you got it right. Many people seem quite resistant to progress or change or even outright afraid of it. They like the comfort of their status quo. Unfortunately for them, society progresses and changes over time and they can't seem to deal with it rationally or constructively. Sorry, but this isn't the 1950's or 60's anymore. This is the 21st century. Time to deal with it.
What's funny is you seem determined to believe that everyone over 70 must have died off in the South and that the white conservative Christians living there today that wave confederate flags, defend confederate monuments, attempt to disenfranchise black voters and vote Republican have nothing at all in common with the white conservative Christians of 60 years ago who waved confederate flags, erected confederate monuments and attempted to disenfranchise black voters but voted conservative Democrat.
what you seem to interpret as my thought is spectacularly wrong.
shocking.
Here we go again.. The trip to bananland where it's always 1963...
nd most of the apples that fell around those racist trees are still alive and well waving their confederate flags, protecting confederate monuments,
Do you think black people are stupid? Or love being discriminated against? How do you reconcile the reality of the black migration to the south from the north in recent decades with your desperate fantasy that the south is as racist as it ever was?
You mean say something completely different than you did before?
hose folk are just as racist and nasty today as they were then
Except for anyone who's not crazy knows that's insane. That's what great about this site. All you have to do is give some people the chance and they'll show their disconnect from reality.
Either you have no concept of how prevalent racism was 60 years ago, or you've never actually been to the south and are just parroting the fantasies that get spewed on far left hate sites.
It's hilarious you responded with this to the guy who claims nothing's changed since 1963. Whoops!
Please tell that to your friends the world has moved past Jim Crow laws. It's not 1963 anymore, a lot of progressives on this board need to realize it.
and likewise for people in the Midwest. east, west, and north.
it's almost like they miss those days!
PROJECTION!
You seem to prefer the more white washed version of history.
I want progressives out of the university.
Well it's a damned good thing that decision isn't up to you!
I'm sure you wouldn't say that if the vast majority of our universities were teaching that Fascism was the correct political system.
Your condemnation should in no way influence what is taught, unless you actually contend that the general populace should determine the curriculum at that level of education.
I think logic and reason and most of all PARENTS should determine what is taught. Not leftist ideologues who preside over most universities.
As if there were not private religious schools filling kids heads with superstitious nonsense!
A private religious school is private - in other words voluntary. One chooses religious instruction.
Looks like you're out of luck then.
One chooses if they want to attend college and which one. Going to any college is voluntary too.
I give you the same answer I gave r.t..b
No, this a school teaching kids racist nonsense. We fought a war against Nazis to defeat the principle that race controls destiny. Now the children of the elite are being brainwashed into believing it.
Then I'll give you the same answer JBB gave you.
More racism will surely end racism.
We have now the largest wealth gap in America since pre World War 2.
The writer of the letter sends his daughter to a very expensive private school on the upper east side of Manhattan. She is in 4th grade mind you. Why isn't this kid going to public school where she might learn something about how the other half lives?
In a capitalist economic system there are victims and oppressors, it is the nature of a system where workers must be paid the lowest possible wage. Capitalism brings society as a whole great material benefit through new products , innovations,etc, but it also oppresses people at the bottom.
I assume the writer of the letter is very well off financially therefore he has benefited. He probably thinks he built everything himself.
-
There was a news story the other day about a white Army sergeant who told a black guy walking down the street to get out of "his" neighborhood. There are many many millions of white people just like that sergeant, although perhaps without the nerve to actually act on their feelings. This is not racial equality.
You mean equity, right? Control the language! It's right out of 1984.
1984 is not a bible, nor was Atlas Shrugged, but some out there try their hardest to turn them into a religion and a sad sack one.
What it is happens to be a nightmare come true. It's almost like a playbook for the left.
Only in a feverish imagination.
White privilege, which is not something all white people are afforded.
To an extent I agree with him, because for one thing I disagree with affirmative action - we live in a survival of the fittest world and to me it is oxymoronic to cherish sports wherein winning is desired and praised, but to discard the more qualified from educational institutions in favour of those who are lesser qualified. I recall "quota systems" for admitting only limited numbers of "certain" students from professional education, but isn't that still happening in some elite colleges? I don't think I agree with him on his criticism of admission preference to siblings - I would have been dismayed had I not been able to follow my brother to the university we both attanded because he is mensa and I am not. However, elsewhere on this site I have voiced my criticism of the quality of American education anyway.
You have literally dismissed affirmative action as unfair and in the next breath supported nepotism of a sort through college admission preferences to siblings.
Yikes.
I didn't say affirmative action was unfair, I said I disagreed with it, and the reason I disagreed with it is because it contributes to the dumbing down of America. The reason I agree with sibling preference is because it has nothing to do with the dumbing down of America but contributes to family cohesion.
Yikes.
Your comment is nonsense Buzz. Affirmative Action has been a tremendous benefit to America.
The only reason I wouldn't agree with the sibling preference is if the sibling is dumb as rocks... and yes, that happens.
So ... how does this den of woke iniquity rank?
That is a completely false and, frankly, totally ridiculous statement. If anything, that statement is very similar to the type of indoctrination that went on in China during the "cultural revolution". Do the reactionary culture warriors want to send teachers to perform slave labor like the Maoists did?
I stopped reading right after that. Agree with you 100%.
At least you read 3 sentences.
And that was a complete waste of time!
Oh that's quite a counter argument/s
When an article is as pathetically ridiculous as this one is, nothing further needs to be said.
Have a good one!
Without reading the responses...
That has been happening as long as I can remember; albeit, in public schools. My former school district even turned their heads or put their blinders on regarding kids being bullied, regardless of race.
That deserves an article of it's own. Not long ago I befriended a woman who was for many years a school teacher. She told me that teachers of middle school would observe the incoming students on the first day of school and note to one another; "some will become bullies and others the bullied." Which tells us all that teachers weren't getting involved. Lives of the bullied can be cut short or ruined, yet teachers stay out of it?
A much different issue MsAubrey.
I witnessed the handful of black kids in my school being bullied just as I was bullied because I was the "freak" auto shop girl [and short to boot]. So... sometimes, it is about being a minority in a school. I was a minority for being a tomboy and they were minorities because they were in a school full of white kids. I was friends with the rejected, because I was rejected myself.
I can honestly say, the school district that my kids are in currently... those teachers DO get involved.
I had a best friend who went to elementary school with me and we went to the same high school. He was very intelligent. He looked like Franky Valli (The Four Seasons). He was very short (kind of a runt) and very sensitive about it. In high school he took a lot of shit about his height. It's too bad I didn't pay more attention at the time. I saw what it did to him. By the time we graduated he had a monster inferiority complex. It was kind of hard to believe. I heard he died a few years ago.
That will happen. "Napoleon Complex" does not develop overnight, nor are we shorties born with that thought.
I suppose my blessing is that on my mom's side... we're ALL short.
hey, my short sister's always claimed to be giants among pygmys!!
I hope the school's liberal door hits his rightwing ass.
You mean normal or decent.
Isn't it great we live in a country where we don't have to force our children to be indoctrinated by state run propaganda.
This is a from a teacher at one of these racial indoctrination schools:
"But right now, my school is asking me to embrace “antiracism” training and pedagogy that I believe is deeply harmful to them and to any person who seeks to nurture the virtues of curiosity, empathy and understanding.
“Antiracist” training sounds righteous, but it is the opposite of truth in advertising. It requires teachers like myself to treat students differently on the basis of race.
My school, like so many others, induces students via shame and sophistry to identify primarily with their race before their individual identities are fully formed.Students are pressured to conform their opinions to those broadly associated with their race and gender and to minimize or dismiss individual experiences that don’t match those assumptions. The morally compromised status of “oppressor” is assigned to one group of students based on their immutable characteristics. In the meantime, dependency, resentment and moral superiority are cultivated in students considered “oppressed.”
All of this is done in the name of “equity,” but it is the opposite of fair. In reality, all of this reinforces the worst impulses we have as human beings: our tendency toward tribalism and sectarianism that a truly liberal education is meant to transcend."
What the hell is a 'racial indoctrination school'?
Try dictionary.com
Let me know which word gives you trouble and I'll see if I can help
"I'll see if I can help"
That will be a cold day in hell . . .
"One Parent Stands Up."
He needs to shut up and sit down now.
LOL!