A public school in Indiana is giving parents the option to opt their children out of learning about Black History Month. pic.twitter.com/L1QxmH9lRm
— Kolleen (@littlewhitty) February 16, 2022
I clicked there from the WaPo article, "An Indiana school planned Black History Month lessons. A letter sent to parents allowed them to opt out."
I read the letter. What exactly is the proposed lesson? It may take place during Black History Month, but it's not a lesson in black history (or, as the tweeter ineptly puts it, a lesson about Black History Month).
It's something else. I'd need to guess exactly what, but the lesson comes from the "school counselor," who signs his name with the letters "LSC" and "M.S.Ed," which I believe stands for Life Sciences Communication and Master of Science in Education. [ADDED: Here’s a list of things LSC can stand for, including light switch cover and licensed school counselor.]
The words of the letter suggest — vaguely — that the children will receive some sort of psychological training in cross-racial relationships. I suspect that the school officials wanted to extract consent from the parents: "If you would like your child to receive these lessons in class, then you do not have to do anything." It's hard to opt out both because it will be stigmatizing and because it's so hard to understand what the lesson is.
But those who are sharing this document are pushing you to think it's a history lesson. I would like to give them a reading lesson.
Posts
84 comments:
Ann, you are on a roll today!
I wouldn't read it as a history lesson. It also ties the lesson to Valentine's Day. Learn the beheading of the Christian martyr? But the school administrators are probably paranoid about the revolt against CRT.
Yeah, you may be right profesor, but this is the right kind of misinformation. The kind an imperfect ally would not make.
Um, Ann...
With all due respect...
It's not a reading lesson that they need.
They're doing it intentionally.
They know they're lying.
They know that they're presenting this story in an emotionally manipulative way.
They don't care about your criticisms.
They have been doing this, they are doing this, and they will keep doing this.
The only proper response to reading an article at the WaPo, or the NYT, or any other mainstream source, especially on racial topics, is to assume the worst: the author is knowingly lying.
I think LSC stands for "Licensed School Counselor."
The lack of clarity gives the lesson and the teacher, cover. I'd like to see the actual lesson. I'd bet the lesson is not age-appropriate, and probably does the opposite of the promised platitudes. I'd guess the lesson shames and pits groups against each other.... Something children do not need.
The comments there are predictably depressing. Not one commenter that I scrolled by pointed this out. And it's not subtle--the class is about "equity, caring and understanding differences." How is that even a class? But whatever it is, there is nothing in it expressly related to Black History Month, let alone all of Black History Month.
"The flood of laws and proposals aimed at reining in lessons on race and gender has been prompted by conservative opposition to critical race theory, an intellectual movement that examines the way policies and laws perpetuate systemic racism."
What CRT examines is what it presumes to be unquestionably true, which is an intellectual problem and a fundamental objection by its opponents. CRT assumes that "systemic racism" is just a fact that needs to be examined, instead of a conspiracy theory that starts with the premise that racial disparities in a particular arena are caused by ongoing and historical racism by Whites. Since it never questions its underlying premises, all sorts of nonsense flows out of it. In other words, it starts with a lie and proceeds from there.
It doesn't say Black History is going to be taught. You don't need a form for that. You need a form because you're going to be teaching the 97% white kids at this school that America is evil and they're white supremacists.
CRT proponents are required to lie, which is why you get this fundamental dishonesty discussing this opt out form. This is the snowball effect in action. One lie, requires more and more and more. The note states that in honor of BHM, "equity, caring and understanding differences" is going to be taught. These are not innocent terms and they are being used to obfuscate the truth.
Equity is just another word for equal outcomes, i.e., [racial] communism, so that's not something that ought to be promoted in American schools. We can all see where this is going after that loaded word is mentioned.
Who on earth believes public schools can adequately teach about "caring"? Learn about caring in church. Democrats talk about caring in terms of government spending all the time. We see it so often in our politics that caring = taking something from someone who earned it and giving it to someone who didn't. Guess which way that's going to flow in terms of race? White (and maybe Asians and Jews depending on the subject) need to give up something to Black folks.
Understanding differences is a rather innocuous sounding term that probably isn't being used in the seemingly innocent way it sounds. These words are jargon that the Woke CRTists apply specific meanings, all of which are closer to the opposite of the common usage.
The point is do not trust anything these people tell you. Keep them as far away from your children as possible. Not only should the parents of the children who got these notes opt out, they should demand no student in any public school be taught this anti-American racist bullshit and anyone who tries to foist it on them should be fired.
The spinning of this is absolutely typical of how the media are overwhelmingly distorting the pushback by parents and others against race essentialist propagandizing, which has absolutely NOTHING to do with history teaching. History teaching in the schools has for decades focused heavily on the issues of racism, slavery, Jim Crow, and related ethnic history and tensions, and absolutely nothing in the campaigns about CRT propagandizing stands in the way of that in the least. I urge people who doubt this to check out the work of FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism), which I work for, and many other groups such as 1776 Unites, Parents Defending Education, and the many local parents' groups such as those in Loudoun County and Fairfax County, VA, etc. The twisting of this is one of the prime examples of media malfeasance of our day, pathetic as well in that parents are no longer relying on "mediated" accounts to understand what is being done. They see for themselves. Like the truckers in Canada, the vote on San Francisco's school board recall elections ought to be seen as the very initial stages of a pushback that will only intensify as the dishonesty of the elites continues.
"Studies show" . . . Lost me right there.
first of all, it's an off-syllabus ambush. Should be banned on principle
I've scrolled through multiple pages of replies, I finally found this one by "Leonard":
Why is the school counselor giving the lessons? I can count on no fingers how many classes the school counselors taught in my schools.
The others so far have echoed the OP's ignorance and outrage.
A few comments after "Leonard", another commenter "Boudicca Mic" finally responds to the OP:
That’s not accurate. The notice is not about an academic lesson. It’s a psychoeducational presentation by the school counselor. That makes it a counseling intervention, & by most ethical standards people have to be given the opportunity to choose whether to participate.
Seems to me, given the ethics involved, that the default should be to require a positive opt-in.
I’d go with Landing Ship, Carrier or London Society of Compositors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSC
This lesson will prepare the students for any future law-school tests about Critical Race Theory.
(Critical Race theory is not taught in elementary schools.)
"It's hard to opt out both because it will be stigmatizing and because it's so hard to understand what the lesson is."
All non-3Rs type "courses," the ones when indoctrination is the aim, should be OUT IN.
Put the burden of persuasion on the proponent of the course. Of course it's intentional that the lefties don't do it that way.
Maybe they'll be teaching calculus for black history month.
Why should elementary Kids be given lessons in "diversity" or "Black history month"? Crazy. What about the 3 R's? what about American History and patriotism? They can learn about "Diversity" in HS.
And why is the wapo caring what happens in an Elementary School in indiana? Fun to discuss, but completely irrelevant to the powerful people who read the WaPo.
And I'm dubious about these "Studies".
Did the Wapo reporter do any reporting or just check someone's twitter feed?
Pretty whacked shit.
Real American....excellent!
- Krumhorn
(my preferred adjectives: brilliant/awesome)
You are all going to be diverse, or else!
I suggest the parents submit a request to audit the classes. Hilarity will ensue.
Just more lies from the fascists that are running the school system in our country.
Public education needs to have a choice component. These people want to force you to accept the indoctrination and brainwashing of your kids.
The fascists are being forced to say the quiet part out loud now.
They are being forced to use force to maintain their power.
The dumbing down of black kids continues apace. Teaching reading and math ? No, got to get white supremacy taught. No wonder Baltimore school kids are illiterate in high school.
or, as the tweeter ineptly puts it, a lesson about Black History Month
That was my exact reaction. What? They're going to learn the history of how Black History Month came into being? That actually might be interesting.
I read what is in that tweet and I have no idea what the lesson is actually about, other than it is apparently being presented during Black History Month. Poor communications. As it says mostly nothing, it's easy to get outraged about it, I guess.
Ann:
You obviously don't have a degree in Life Science Communications. You were only first in your law school class, a federal court law clerk and tenured professor at a top law school for years. You are NO expert on language! Leave it to the experts!
Studies show that students that learn to cook and clean up after have a greater understanding of personal responsibility and demonstrate real world skills practical in getting any job or building lasting personal relationships
Sounds like they plan to give all the white girls a special briefing about the BBC, you know, for Valentine’s Day.
Ann:
Maybe LSC stands for Licensed School Counselor as someone noted above. Regardless, you do NOT have a Master of Science in Education. Let's put aside the fact that you taught law school for over 30 years. You are NO expert on education.
"It may take place during Black History Month, but it's not a lesson in black history."
Althouse, I don't know what the lesson is, nor do you. It could be anything.
I am very doubtful that the parents are getting the straight story from the school. This just in: public school officials LIE (of course, for the good of the children). Lots more explanation needed.
"I would like to give them a reading lesson."
In a better world, that would be nice. In this one, it is beside the point. Texts mean what progs need them to mean, starting with the Constitution and all the way down to school letters.
Of course, the Althouse reading makes the response ironic, since it takes issue with what is, in itself, a prog power move. "Sure, parents, you can opt out. But you don't want to stigmatize little Johnny, now, do you? You're not that deplorable, are you?"
Democracy Dies in Darkness!
It is basic cancel culture. First, they need an outrage to drum up the mob. Anyone can do that task. Twitter rando idiots who lack even basic reading comprehension but are emotionally overwrought are excellent choices. Not that it really matters; if there is no outrage it can be manufactured via hoax or rumor or outright lie. The mob does not really care; basically none of them will check if it is true or not as it is all about emotions. If all goes well, the professional activists, the politicians, and the media will get involved. The media does not care about the truth, just the narrative, so if it is true or not is irrelevant. Heck, a good portion of the time the media play the part of Twitter rando idiots. Typically the target, which was ill-prepared for this and has no idea what the big deal is, will fold in a forced apology. Victory will be declared and onto the next outrage we go.
These are terrible people. Unfortunately, our elites find them useful and often are members of the mob themselves.
This will not end well. It is just a matter of whom it will not end well for.
’… examines the way policies and laws perpetuate systemic racism.’
Petitio principii for the win!
The lesson to students is that Americans stood together and sacrificed blood and treasure to mitigate the progress of slavery and diversity. Don't exercise liberal license to indulge color judgments, class-based bigotry. #HateLovesAbortion
Democracy Dies in Darkness!
That the democratic/dictatorial model is not viable is a good, not bad thing. In order to mitigate the progress of slavery and diversity, our republic was constructed to limit government authority, and affirm majority and minority rights in a universal (i.e. God-given) frame of reference. Demos-cracy, however, is indeed aborted at the Twilight Fringe, in darkness.
"But those who are sharing this document are pushing you to think it's a history lesson. I would like to give them a reading lesson"
They can read. They know what they're doing.
I googled up the Brown County School District administration and teaching staff and - damn - that a lot of white, white, whitey white people. Makes Wisconsin look like South Africa.
An all-white world is foreign to me and I have a very limited respect for the race related opinions of people who live in such areas.
The councilor should bring a black person to the struggle sessions so that the students would know what he was talking about.
If he could find one.
Public school-educated parents display public school levels of reading comprehension.
See dog.
See dog bite.
See dog bite man.
Bite, dog, bite!
“But those who are sharing this document are pushing you to think it's a history lesson. I would like to give them a reading lesson.”
Just how good is Althouse’s reading comprehension? She says, “The words of the letter suggest — vaguely — that the children will receive some sort of psychological training in cross-racial relationships.”
What the letter actually said: “I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences.” It also suggests the lessons will instill “a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”
How is that “psychological training in cross-racial relationships”? I’m sorry but I’m afraid that Ann gets a lower grade than Kolleen on reading comprehension. Now maybe Ann is applying her superior intuition as to the content of the lesson as she does when she says that she believes the letters "LSC" stand for “Life Sciences Communication” - except that it means “Licensed School Counselor.”
"diversity in the classroom" = CRT
"reproductive freedom" = baby's going to get stabbed
The value of multiculturalism is that you pick the best way of doing things among the various ways, not that you celebrate their equal value. If they had equal value there'd be no point to multiculturalism.
Maybe listen to Mozart Requiem in D Minor as I am now. There are violent lyrics and rhyme!
Dies irae, dies illa
Solvet saeclum in favilla,
teste David cum Sibylla.
Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando judex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus!
Day of wrath, day of anger
will dissolve the world in ashes,
as foretold by David and the Sibyl.
Great trembling there will be
when the Judge descends from heaven
to examine all things closely.
"How is that “psychological training in cross-racial relationships”?"
Fits like a glove.
This letter provides more than sufficient evidence to conclude that the person who would teach this lesson is all-in with CRT, BLM, or whatever leftist agenda comes along. You would also have to be suspicious of what is in this lesson that made the school feel it necessary to send this letter. Taken together, it would be reasonable for parent to pass on it.
" rhhardin said...
Maybe they'll be teaching calculus for black history month."
Damn. Like a grenade.
Black History Month has degenerated into an epic, and comic, exercise in condescension.
This is why NO TEACHERS can be allowed to teach anything that has not been vetted and approved completely and openly. Including content. They can not be trusted.
So, they are planning to tell students that in the US, blacks attack members of other ethnic groups at six or seven times the rate members of those other groups attack them? I'm not sure that's something they should be talking about in schools. Might trigger someone. I think white, asian and hispanic parents can be relied upon to have "The Talk" with their own children.
Virtue signalling is a first order indicator of the Quisling phase of Stockholm Syndrome.
Blogger Left Bank of the Charles said...
“But those who are sharing this document are pushing you to think it's a history lesson. I would like to give them a reading lesson.”
Just how good is Althouse’s reading comprehension? She says, “The words of the letter suggest — vaguely — that the children will receive some sort of psychological training in cross-racial relationships.”
What the letter actually said: “I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences.” It also suggests the lessons will instill “a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”
How is that “psychological training in cross-racial relationships”? I’m sorry but I’m afraid that Ann gets a lower grade than Kolleen on reading comprehension. Now maybe Ann is applying her superior intuition as to the content of the lesson as she does when she says that she believes the letters "LSC" stand for “Life Sciences Communication” - except that it means “Licensed School Counselor.”
Scary that post has over 5600 likes. Scrolled through many comments ... doubt any read the letter.
I question the educational value of a lot of stuff that passes as "Black History." If they focused on the history of race relations in the U.S., that would be one thing. But there's a huge component of "Black History" that apparently aims to show that blacks made a significant contribution to America's growth and success as a nation; and that, unfortunately, is sort of ahistorical. If blacks as a group had been especially important as leaders in politics, statesmanship, technology, business, etc., then we probably wouldn't need a separate category of history today called "Black History." As it happened, blacks by and large occupied the very lowest rung on America's social ladder for most of our history. Therefore, they weren't accomplishing much, as a group, other than as agricultural laborers and servants. It's sad and it's tragic, but it's true. But you can't change history by misrepresenting it.
Critical Racists' Theory (CRT) presumes diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment, class-based bigotry), not limited to racism, sexism, and ageism. Whatever happened to calls by "freedom from religion (e.g. morality, its relativistic sibling "ethics", its politically congruent cousin "law")" oxymorons for separation of church and state?
So, they are planning to tell students that in the US, blacks...
stood with people of white, people of red, people of yellow, probably with people of orange, and baby, too, people of a conservative American character, to mitigate the progress of slavery and diversity.
Too me it seems really weird when very far removed people get all fussy about some little thing in some little place.
I don’t blame the technology that spreads this inflammation to folks that have nothing to do w/ the incident. We’re wired to be dumb dumbs that get all worked up when we shouldn’t. It’s our fault that we use the technology in this way.
People are funny.
Blogger Howard said...
Virtue signalling is a first order indicator of the Quisling phase of Stockholm Syndrome.
You should know. Do you do anything else here?
According to the Indy Star:
‘Superintendent Emily Tracy sent out a statement Thursday afternoon saying the letter to Sprunica Elementary parents was “unauthorized by Brown County Schools.”
“To be clear, our District does not permit students to opt out of history lessons — including ones based on historical injustices,” Tracy said in the statement to students, families and staff. “We apologize for the confusion caused by the letter and offer our assurances that Brown County Schools is committed to providing an inclusive educational environment for all students and families."’
In this day and age, I would pull my kid out of Public schools so fast. No way in hell would I want my kids indoctrinated to hate and divide like teachers and professors are doing today.
They don't want a reading lesson. Precision is the last thing they want. Anyone who can write that second paragraph, which is complete crap, has no business drawing a salary in a school district.
@ Howard. Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. Teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences are of necessity feelings-based, and processing feelings-based. Therefore psychological at a real level. If you think that those things don't have anything to do with cross-racial relationships, I would be curious what you think the topic is going to be.
Being cute is not persuasive.
@ Howard - sorry! My bad reading of your including Left Bank's comment. I guess I should be the first in line on reading lessons!
---But those who are sharing this document are pushing you to think it's a history lesson. I would like to give them a reading lesson.
OK, so "those who are sharing this document" -- who are you referencing here? The school district is sharing this document. The tweeters are sharing this document.
You seem to be criticizing the latter. But they seem to be reading much better than you are. They know exactly what that letter is about. In honor of Valentine's Day and Black History Month? LOLOL!
The educrat CRTese is readily recognized by many parents. Equity, diversity... all the usual totems of social engineering are right in there, and then the parents are assured their children will be nicer, smarter, and richer if they make the children submit to it.
If that ugly meaning escaped you, you are the one who needs a reading lesson.
Trump beat Biden by over 30 points in Brown County, Indiana, where this school is located. That’s why the elementary school counselor sent home the opt-out permissions slips, he was afraid not to. You can see why by reading the comments here. There is a good chance he will lose his job.
The Urban Dictionary says that LSC could stand for lesbian sex cult. I'm going with the assumption that it's that one.
Left Bank of the Charles:
You are intentionally refusing to understand the concept- “to instilled understanding of diversity”. The greatest understanding of all.
To be contrary. Is there no common ground? Or is your life’s longing to sow continuous dissent?
Wth is the school board for, anyway? I thought they were voted in to represent parents and mediate between both the parents and the teachers?
… and one more observation:
1) These smart people can read.
2) They are assuming no one else can.
c) Or will. Which is even worse.
Left Back on the Charles said:
What the letter actually said: “I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences.” It also suggests the lessons will instill “a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”
***************
You apparently don't know what EQUITY means to the DEI crowd. It essentially means forcing white people to make "reparations" for past wrongs they did not commit, granting Black Privlege, making whites take the back seat, and ending the "white" concept of meritocracy.
Ditto DIVERSITY, which means "everyone but whites".
Left Bank of the Charles,
What the letter actually said: “I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences.” It also suggests the lessons will instill “a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”
How is that “psychological training in cross-racial relationships”? I’m sorry but I’m afraid that Ann gets a lower grade than Kolleen on reading comprehension. Now maybe Ann is applying her superior intuition as to the content of the lesson as she does when she says that she believes the letters "LSC" stand for “Life Sciences Communication” - except that it means “Licensed School Counselor.”
Acronyms are tricky. A few years ago, "BLM" was unambiguously "Bureau of Land Management." Hell, a few years before that, "SRO" was routinely indicated in crosswords as a sign of a Broadway hit. Now "Standing Room Only" is the third meaning, after "Single Room Occupancy" and "School Resource Officer." Signs of the times :-(
But Ann's gloss on the letter looks fine to me. What is "equity, caring, and understanding differences" and "a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and in the outside world" but psychological (necessarily) training in cross-racial relationships? The only snag I can see is that Ms. LSC is probably talking about women and gays and trans people as well as race. But obviously she will be talking about the people on the other side of such boundaries from yourself.
God bless you and thank you for the clear-eyed evaluation of what is demonstrably unclear thinking. Thanks, again.
When I read these type of stories I always think of the HR professional in Miracle on 34th Street who wants to practice half-assed psychotherapy on the employees. Santa hits him with his cane and is sent to a nursing home as a result.
Left Back on the Charles said: "What the letter actually said: “I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences.” It also suggests the lessons will instill “a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”"
Yeah, and ANTIFA was formed to fight fascism. I mean, it says so right in their name.
Saddest to me- we’re all diversity.
No one looks e/other in the eyes, anymore?
Would it be OK for me to say:
"An all-black world is foreign to me and I have a very limited respect for the race related opinions of people who live in such areas."?
Asking for a friend...
This is battle space prep.
They want to know who will cause problems.
“I will be coming around and teaching lessons related to equity, caring, and understanding differences."
A religious (e.g. morality in a universal frame, it's relativistic sibling ethics, its politically congruent ("=") cousin law) education.
“a great understanding of diversity in the classroom and the outside world.”
Diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment, class-based bigotry)? Or diversity of individuals, minority of one? #HateLovesAbortion
Will they present "Baby on Slab" in the modern model of a crucifixion?
I could go with that.
Equity is the red flag here. CRT in disguise. Black History Month is a squirrel - who apart from a racist would opt there child out of a Black History Month lesson?
Conrad said...
"It's sad and it's tragic, but it's true. But you can't change history by misrepresenting it."
Of course you can. After all, "If a lie is only printed often enough, it becomes a quasi-truth, and if such a truth is repeated often enough, it becomes an article of belief, a dogma, and men will die for it."
Left Bank of the Charles said...
According to the Indy Star: Superintendent Emily Tracy sent out a statement Thursday afternoon saying the letter to Sprunica Elementary parents was “unauthorized by Brown County Schools.
“To be clear, our District does not permit students to opt out of history lessons — including ones based on historical injustices...”
“We apologize for the confusion caused by the letter..."
Obviously it's not a history lesson the school counselor is teaching, then, as the original letter clearly was an opt-out form. And the "confusion" caused by the letter was probably by intent. So I'm going with Ann's assessment that "it may take place during Black History Month, but it's not a lesson in black history (or, as the tweeter ineptly puts it, a lesson about Black History Month)."
Hey, Jon Burack @12:00
The Editor-in-Chief of the SF Chronicle in the lead editorial today:
"Despite the best efforts of Twitter pundits and the national media to shoehorn a meta narrative onto San Francisco's school board recall, Tuesday's vote was not, in fact, a broader referendum on progressive politics...." heh
1. This nsp is a piece of crap every day - a testimony to its commitment.
2. He used 'meta' but forgot the ™.
Why self-identify as “white” in the first place? I raised my daughter to identify as American and to resist anyone identifying her otherwise. She’s now 35. Seems to have taken. Although the last time I asked her about it—10 or so years ago—she said she considers herself a “citizen of the world.” Eh… okay.
"Virtue signalling is a first order indicator of the Quisling phase of Stockholm Syndrome."
Resident Nitschke scholar chimes in to once again demonstrate what an insufferable twatwaffle he is.
This is the ploy for DIE lessons: claim it is just about slavery and such when really it is about claiming that whites are racist (and you can't prove you aren't), the country is founded on racism, nothing has gotten better, all shootings of blacks are "oppression" (even when the victim is shooting first), all disparities in outcomes are due to systemic racism, and so on. It is bait and switch.
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