Submitted by John Arbeeny.
The cat is out of the bag… NEA and local teachers unions do a reversal on their denial of CRT.
“Oh no! Our equity policy isn’t CRT!” Oh yes it is and we’ve known it was since the start. Protestations to the contrary by current Clover Park School District incumbent Board members, Superintendent and staff, CRT is alive and well in the CPSD. Call it what it is: neo-racism and its proponents and supporters neo-racists regardless of their skin color.
The other issue is the separation of parents from their children’s education. These pompous CRT sycophants passing as educators see themselves as the arbiters of what children are taught. How often have you heard teachers complain that parents aren’t interested in their children’s education? Too often! But the dirty little secret is that the school district is itself a system and achieves only what it is designed to achieve and nothing more. Indeed it is designed to keep parents in the dark regarding the children’s education and that it does quite well. The most recent evidence of this anti-parent bias is the fact that the CPSD equity policy stake holders only contained 8% of parents and families with the majority being teachers, staff, administrators and community organizations that have nothing to do with education. Here’s an excerpt from a New York Post article 7/5/2021 on the subject:
Over the weekend, the National Education Association (NEA) held its annual Representative Assembly, with delegates from across the United States voting on priorities and allocating funding for the upcoming school year, with the ideology of critical race theory — a form of race-based Marxism — taking center stage.
The union, which represents 3 million public school employees, approved funding for three separate items related to this issue: “increasing the implementation” of “critical race theory” in K-12 curricula, promoting critical race theory in local school districts, and attacking opponents of critical race theory, including parent organizations and conservative research centers.
This is a significant reversal. For the past month, liberal pundits and activists have insisted that critical race theory is not taught in K-12 schools. This was always a bad-faith claim — critical race theory has made inroads in public schools for more than a decade — but the NEA’s official endorsement is the final nail in the coffin.
The last sentence is damning! Their denial of the obvious has been in plain sight of the truth. And these people are teaching our children? I might also add that the NEA has also allocated over $50,000 for “opposition research” against opponents of CRT. It is high time that these incumbent Board members be shown the door in the next election in order to change CPSD’s strategic direction towards what was originally intended: the education, not political indoctrination, of our children, as determined by their parents, to become fully functional adults.
Vote wisely in the primary (8/3) and general (11/2) elections for our children’s and Country’s future.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
At the July 6, 2021, Lakewood City Council meeting, Clover Park School District (CPSD) School Board Director Anthony Veliz was asked by a council member if the district will be teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT). Anthony replied CRT definitely would not be included in the curriculum. So, how do the recent actions of the NEA union, as reported above, not influence or pressure its membership of over three million public school employees to not implement the ideology? Furthermore, the rights of parents and organizations which object to CRT indoctrination are threatened by the NEA union’s allocation of over $50,000 against opponents of CRT. Our basic rights of debate and opposition over what can be taught to our K-12 grade children are threatened.
This past spring Governor Inslee signed four bills passed by the Legislature to require public education employees to receive training in “diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism” as a condition of employment. These terms sound reasonable and desirable, until one becomes aware of the extremes to which the policy is being implemented in other districts in our country. The CPSD Board of Directors is part of the district system which recently reviewed the final draft of its pending CPSD Equity Policy, with the final vote to occur on September 13. It is filled with reasonable sounding words and good intentions. It even states “The voices of CPSD families and the community of Lakewood will be welcomed…” Yet, as Mr. Arbeeny points out the group which the district recruited to review and comment on the document was only comprised of 8% of parents! Now add that to the NEA union’s intention to conduct opposition research to opponents of CRT. The atmosphere for questioning, debate or opposition does not look promising.
If the terms “diversity, equity and inclusion” in any way lead to the indoctrination of political ideology in our children, they become inappropriate goals. Public schools are funded by citizens for teachers to educate students, not tell them what to think or what opinions to hold. That distinction is a slippery slope to negotiate when CRT terminology like diversity, equity and inclusion are included in curricula.
Because two CPSD board of director positions are up for election, these pending primary and general elections in August and November are critical in influencing what information our children will be subjected to in future school years. The elected board of the Chehalis School District has responded to community concerns by passing on June 15, 2021 a resolution banning the teaching of controversial Critical Race Theory in public school classrooms. Question our CPSD board candidates, incumbent and challengers, carefully to examine their positions on the slippery slope on which our community is positioned.
John is spot on about what has been and continues to happen in government schools. While the public school bureaucracy has become increasingly unresponsive to parents it has simultaneously destroyed traditional education curriculum to replace it with anti American and revisionist curriculum designed to remove all vestiges of America’s greatness and replaced it with criticism. The result is that our children are no longer receiving an education but, in it’s place they are being indoctrinated. Make no mistake this did not happen by accident and it has only increased leaving generations of our citizens without a proper education while turning them against their own country. The result of this assault on public education has been increased acceptance of socialist and communist dogma by our uneducated young people.
John, you sound like a q-anon member. Everything is a conspiracy. How sad for you. Life is a beautiful thing when you can also take time to smell the roses. Glad I don’t need to be around you and your negativity.( FYI isn’t known for it veracity either.)
Lol! Don’t cry for me! I don’t even know what q-anon is. Instead of attacking the messenger personally how about addressing the issue: NEA backing CRT; opposition research against those who oppose CRT; and parental isolation from their children’s education. Veracity? How about front page news all over the Country? Is this the best you can do? Want to upset a conservative? Tell them a lie. Want to upset a leftist? Tell them the truth.
John, My quick research tells me you know perfectly well about QAnon; you simply parrot their conspiracy theories almost verbatim and it’s easy to research. It would be dangerous to hand our School Board over to anyone who is intent on making CRT the “big issue”. Far right or left extremists are not known to be good leaders. I like the middle. Voters need to pay close attention to who you endorse.
Oh really? Quick research? Can you provide a citation for your research? I didn’t think so. You know me that well to say that I know perfectly well about QAnon? Lol! I have never looked them up. Don’t know where they stand on the issues and couldn’t care less whether they are far right or far left or even in the “middle”……whatever that means. I think for my self and let reason and logic hold sway over emotions. CRT is already a big issue not just in Clover Park but if you haven’t noticed across the Nation. So rather than guessing who I am how about you say something cogent about NEA backing CRT; opposition research against those who oppose CRT; and parental isolation from their children’s education. Hmmmmm? Cat got your tongue?
If you claim to know about all the headlines how is it you don’t know about q-anon? I’m not attacking you, I’m giving my opinion. Thin skin are you?
Because q-anon isn’t relevant to this discussion nor any others I have had. How can I have a thin skin when you are bringing up something I haven’t even found important enough to talk about. You seem to be the one fixated on q-anon…….not me.
Amen. Anyone that hears the news or knows anything about what happened on January 6th better have heard about qanon. To say otherwise is ridiculous.
John,
CRT is an issue all around the nation because it’s been made into one by ill-informed people who simply spew what they hear without checking facts. There is indeed reason to discuss CRT and how best to find balance, but you and your candidates are using this one emotioal issue to try and scare voters and parents. I see the political motive behind the smear campaign you are conducting; it’s ugly, intentional and coordinated. You’re a political team campaigning to take control of our school district so you can rid a wonderful diverse student population of any talk of diversity and inclusion. I have a student in this district and I don’t want the rich curriculum he has received to be watered down by people incapable of dealing with 2021 facts. This school district and community will be in serious trouble if QAnon or any extremists spread their political chaos and dumbed down critical thinking skills and curriculum into our schools.
I see you endorse David Anderson and Jeff Brown. Good to know as I assume you must share a lot of similar views?
“Race” is Critical Race Theory’s middle name. Any program that defines people by the color of the skin rather than the content of their individual character is by definition “racist”. Take a look at the definition of “systemic racism” used by the CPSD equity program final draft:
“Systemic Racism- policies, practices and programs that exclude or promote groups on the basis of race, excluding racial groups from equal participation in society: economically, socially, politically, academically and/or legally.”
This is a perfect description of the CPSD equity program which itself uses terms like “people of color”, “marginalized” “black and brown” etc. which are all race based and the criteria for participation in or exclusion from various programs. Have you even bothered to read this draft or take a look at the various videos CPSD has posted? Or are you just parroting what you heard someone else whisper in your ear.
I have no problem whatsoever with providing the help required by every individual student necessary for them to succeed regardless of color, ethnicity, economic status, religion, etc. They all deserve the District’s individual attention. Them moment you corral all people with similar skin colors into a racial group and suppose that the lose their individuality because of that skin color you have slipped into the trap that is racism. Groups don’t enroll in school; individuals do and must be treated so. To do otherwise is racist.
John,
You are no expert on defining “racism” by any means. Nor is Tucker Carlson and his guest “experts” on the subject. It’s still fascinating that you echo so much of what far right extremists are currently pitching all across the country in school board elections. Did you know that QAnon followers know their brand is toxic after their attack on our Democracy and that they want to pretend they are no longer associated with the movement?
Perhaps “the cat is out of the bag” as you claim in your latest letter attacking the integrity of our teachers, administrators and school board members. I’m thinking your effort to spread yet another conspiracy theory has raised more red flags about who you endorse.
News FLASH: “Over the weekend, the National Education Association (NEA) held its annual Representative Assembly, with delegates from across the United States voting on priorities and allocating funding for the upcoming school year, with the ideology of critical race theory — a form of race-based Marxism — taking center stage.”
Stick to the topic if you can. This isn’t about some Qanon group or other. It isn’t about me or what I watch or not. It isn’t about some conspiracy. It’s about the news. It’s about CPSD’s own definition of racism (I assume they are the “experts” on racism).
““Systemic Racism- policies, practices and programs that exclude or promote groups on the basis of race, excluding racial groups from equal participation in society: economically, socially, politically, academically and/or legally.”
Stop deflecting. You have yet to comment on the NEA endorsing CRT and its impact on denials by CPSD. All you have done to this point is confirm the vacuous arguments of CRT supporters.
John, whom do I trust on the CRT issue? Certainly not those who claim our current president belongs to a “cabal” of child eating democrats like you inferred in one of your recent posts. Public records say you have donated $1,000 to David Anderson’s campaign. You are busy supporting David Anderson and Jeff Brown. I’m assuming your nearly identical outrages over CRT and your claims that curriculum has been watered down and important subjects have been axed can be proven? My student receives all important and essential required subjects. How do you explain that?
Well who do you trust on the CRT issue and what has that got to do with the NEA endorsement of CRT? Public records show many people contributing to various campaigns which is our right as citizens. Yes, it’s no secret I support David Anderson and Jeff Brown and who do you support? I have my name on my posts and PDC donations; you don’t. I suggest you take a look on the OSPI site for statistics on how dismally CPSD is performing and then make the case that it is performing its mission successfully.
Facts are facts and truth is truth, even when it is ugly. I support teaching the truth, not some whitewashed version that makes some folks feel good. The New York Post should separate their opinion (Critical Race Theory is Marxist) from their news reports. Also, the National Education Association does not set policy for the Clover Park School District. I believe some of the writers on this thread are conflating issues. We certainly have different opinions but we are not as far apart as you might believe by reading these posts.
Perhaps you should read up on the genesis of CRT to understand that it is a Marxist philosophy which replaces class struggle economically with class struggle racially. That is a fact. The NEA is only the largest educators’ union; is tied in with the WEA; and influences policy at all levels of public education. To think otherwise is misguided. Go search their own websites to see to what extent CRT has taken over their professional development programs not to mention the recently passed law requiring teachers to take CRT training during 1 of their 3 professional development training days.
Teaching the previously omitted history is hardly Marxist. While some people believe we should continue to skip over history that makes them uncomfortable, I believe we can learn from the past. Teaching children about poor decisions made in the past may inspire them to make better decisions in the future. The facts are that much of our shared history is centered around racial struggle and denying this only perpetuates the problem.
You need to read up on Marx and the genesis of CRT. History is just that: history. The philosophical framing of history and illogical extension in the the present and future is quite something else. It’s a logical deductive fallacy to claim that 19th century slave holders were white; an individual today is white; therefor that individual too must be a slave holder.
I worked with David Anderson on Lakewood Cares when he stood up and lied about mailing a document to the state in front of a group of citizens. Those of us who found out later he had not mailed it were not happy that he actually lied about it. May seem a small thing to some but to me it showed his character and that ended it for me. I left the group that would allow someone to get away with that. There were a great deal of surprises in that leadership and after seeing qanon I see where they were going.
Hiding behind your handle SUDEE, I can’t ever remember a SUDEE having attending a Lakewood CARES meeting ever. Your anonymous and unsubstantiated charges against David Anderson say more about your character than his.
I’ve discussed it with David before. He of course has no memory of it but then I taped all of our meetings.
And what does this have to do with the NEA endorsement of CRT? Nothing.
I, too, was ignorant of and therefore confused by the discussions about CRT. The following is what I’ve saved as my CRT cheat sheet from an international publication that I trust because it is well researched and written by academic experts who write under their real names:
From The Conversation 6/22/2021
“…but some general principles underpin CRT.
They include:
… race is understood as a “social construct” rather than a biological reality. That is, supposed “racial” differences between groups of humans are founded in our social experience rather than our genetics (this is well supported by scientific evidence)
… “systemic racism” means social institutions and practices unwittingly contribute to and maintain white supremacy. “Invisible” everyday practices perpetuate racial inequality and inequity in health, education and the law
…everyone has multiple, overlapping aspects of their identity which may impact their life experiences. These include race, gender, age, class, sexual orientation, disability and nationality. This suggests many people understand or interpret their life experiences through this “inter-sectional” lens
…critical race theory encourages reflection on normalized ways of doing things, especially to question who benefits from systemic privilege and why.”
The entire article can be read here:
https://theconversation.com/critical-race-theory-what-it-is-and-what-it-isnt-162752?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20June%2030%202021%20-%201988719524&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20June%2030%202021%20-%201988719524+Version+B+CID_5b7698983ac2e2a7ef61d049ef866bee&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm_term=Critical%20race%20theory%20What%20it%20is%20and%20what%20it%20isnt
“This is but one take on the subject of CRT by a race relations philosopher: it is his opinion in support of CRT, not fact. It appears that he is describing a form of “CRT-lite”. There are many other opinions out there as well both for and against CRT. You should read them as well.
But the fact is that those who were most involved in developing the concept of CRT since the 1970’s have been leftist oriented members of the “intellectual elite”, envisioned as they were by WEB Du Bois as the way out of racism through political power and societal change rather than through individual aspiration and excellence as espoused by Booker T. Washington. Fact is that these intellectual elites have already made it without the assistance of CRT at the same time they suggest everyone else depend upon it for success. Fact is that none of these intellectual elite will ever have to live under the thumb of CRT; only the “little people” they are so concerned about will have that “privilege”.
Critical Theory has its basis in Marxism: that is a fact. “Critical” theory derives from the use of the term “critique” by Immanuel Kant in his Critique of Pure Reason and from Marx, on the premise that Das Kapital is a “critique of political economy”. CRT has only changed the name of the game from political economic oppression to political racial oppression. The concept in both cases remains largely the same and its failure is as assured as the collapse of the Soviet Union.
I think the weakest aspect of CRT is the concept of “intersectionality”; that is to say that every individual has a “collection” of overlapping group characteristics, each with their own specific aspect of alleged privilege or discrimination. Old, northern, male, white, heterosexual, Christian, versus a southern, young, female, black, lesbian, atheist….and that’s just the basics!
The problem is that each and every individual has the potential for an infinitely different “mix” of group characteristics which cannot be solved simply through changing society to deal with each and every one of these group characteristics! You’d have to consider 330,000,000 individual sets of characteristics, no two of which are exactly the alike. If that is impossible, then why suggest that approach? Or are we to conclude, as in the old South, that a drop of Negro blood , made you black? Or do we qualify people as quadroons or octadroons to determine just how much oppression one had received. The idea is ludicrous and racist by definition!
Why not rather treat each individual as an individual based upon their individual character, something they can control themselves rather than attempt to pigeon hole everyone by a myriad of possible group combinations somehow to be adjudicated by government? Keep it simple: content of character trumps any combination of other personal characteristics. Dr. Martin Luther King would have understood that.”
Yet another example that belies the fraud that is CRT:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/spelling-bee-champion-zaila-avant-garde-cal-thomas
“Hard work, bravery and confidence. Are these not among the keys to success in life? If they have proven successful throughout human history, why don’t we make them priorities in school and elsewhere instead of the “woke” agenda?
Avant-garde is the left’s worst nightmare. She reached a difficult goal through commitment and tenacity. She studied words with a coach for two years and her prize of $50,000 is likely just the beginning. If she remains on track, she is bound to achieve other goals, which include attending Harvard, playing professional basketball, and working for NASA.”
How could she possibly accomplish this since her skin color is “black”. Maybe because her character is what matters, not her skin color. Now lets see what the CRT sycophants decide to label her. Traitor to her race? Aunt Jemima? Uncle Tom (if she were male) or some other pejorative to discredit her individual achievement? That’s the problem with CRT supporters. They can’t abide the individual success of minorities which didn’t depend on the intellectual elite or virtue signaling supporters for their success. This young lady and people like her are glaring examples that individuals have the ability succeed without the ostensible “help” of racists who think they can’t.
Why would CRT make this leap. The purpose is to educate on the history of the nation. That does not make weak people if they know the history of a country for all people. Why are you so afraid of that history? I don’t get it. It doesn’t make victims out of anyone, it merely shows the truth but God forbid that.
History is one thing and people should be educated about it. However it is quite another thing to blame people today for the history of the past or to teach people to wallow in the history of the past. The former is unjust and the latter self defeating. No one today has ever been a slave master and no one today has ever been a slave. This 14 year old young lady I’m sure understands the past of her race but didn’t let that for a moment affect her achievement in the present or promise for the future. All children, individually, need to have this motivation and that doesn’t happen when they are labeled as oppressed and others as oppressors. Racial groups don’t enroll in school; individual students, regardless of race enroll and must be treated as such.
You sound like a total fool. Neither you nor the other guy running has any idea how policy, implementation, or unions work, for that matter. The NEA can say they support purple elephant teaching in schools across the nations; it means nothing at the end of the day. The unions do not create policies for our schools, neither does WSSDA or the OSPI; they make suggestions. It is up to the board to vote to adopt or even entertain a suggestion. The Clover Park School District already has its policy, and the focus is providing equity to students of all colors and abilities to ensure their needs are met. If a student has not grasped the basics of algebra, this policy would be a tool that allows teachers to meet the student’s needs to ensure they have grasped the concepts needed before placing in Algebra 2. It would prevent setting our children up for failure. Again this is about you supporting the other guy and not about our children. You all are willing to lie, cheat and steal to win. The other guy came to my home, told me all about CRT and the district, and lied to my face. He is lying to people, and, sadly, you all are willing to harm our children to push your Alt-Right agenda while you have no children in the district at all majority of his supporters have no children in the district; go figure. The wealthy and well-to-do support this clown because he pushes an agenda focused on white supremacy, privilege, and bigotry. Marty Schafer gets my vote.
To suppose that the NEA or WEA (or OSPI or WSSDA) only “suggest” how local boards tackle issues is a bit naïve. Those mere “suggestions” have behind them the power and funding of unions and their members to ensure that boards elected are in the unions’ best interest, not necessarily the students’ or parents’ best interests. How about Governor Inslee’s “suggestions”? Do they have same impact as those of the unions? How about the full weight of law, in this case SB 5044, SB 5227, and SB 5228?
I agree that all students of all colors and abilities must receive the educational support to ensure their needs are met. However this is determined on an individual basis, student by student and not based upon the particular racial group with which the student has been arbitrarily labeled. The student’s race is irrelevant. Yet, what the CPSD has proposed is based upon race where the allocation of resources is to the racial group rather than the individual within that group. Big difference.
CRT isn’t the only issue upon which to base a decision to vote for him or any other candidate. Rather the most important issue is the District’s academic performance. Schafer has been on the CPSB for nearly 16 years and President for the last 4 and repeatedly claims a graduation rate of 89%. Yet for example Clover Park High School has only a 61% attendance rate; a grade level achievement of 52% English Language Arts; and less than 18% for math and science. Yet Clover Park High School’s graduation rate is 85%. The District’s ranking trend most recently (2018-2019) is most alarming. The District overall dropped 23 places. Lakes High School dropped 55 places and Clover Park High School dropped 69 places relative to other school districts and high schools.
The question is “who exactly are we graduating”? Answer: students unprepared educationally for adult life. That is Schafer’s legacy to the future.
And just how do you know that supporters of David Anderson and Jeff Brown have no children in the District? Did you conduct a survey? Many of these supporters have children, had children, will have children in the District not to mention grandparents who are concerned for their future generations.
By the way: when you launch ad hominem attacks upon people you disagree with by calling them “fools” or “white supremacists” or “clowns”, or “bigots” or “privileged” you destroy any credibility you might have had in your argument. It says more about you than the people you disagree with.
Back in September of this year, while there were major upheavals going on across the US, and especially the Pacific NW, I felt compelled to write an article entitled, “On Racism”.
Now we have an another troubling circumstance relative to Race/Racism, and, now, I feel compelled to resurrect that article. One word of advice….make darn sure you also read the comments, especially the last one.
Here it is: https://thesubtimes.com/2020/09/10/letter-on-racism/
Dear Eric Chandler,
I am sorry not to have seen your September 10, 2020 letter in the SUBURBAN TIMES, sorry not to have seen the opinions expressed abroad in it our community. That the offering was set in your own experiences in the military, drawing credence from them, made your opinions expressed there stronger and grounded more firmly in the greater human experience.
For its opening point echoes down our human history for any of us who will take care to see and believe their eyes and the notions that are reflected behind them: That is that all humans are racist. Our inclinations are to prefer ourselves and those who we know best— their color, their smell, their habits, their beliefs, even their food, certainly their prejudices. Look around you. This is a characteristic that grew up in all of us as families developed, and as these grew into tribes, indeed into nation states. It is made more intransigent when one group is the dominant one, making the mores and the laws in a society seem infallible. It takes much exposure, much practical experience, and some honest education to unlearn such deeply held prejudices. And a good deal of patience with each other. That and a dab of forgiveness. For I have stated that all humans are racists— regardless of our race— and I restate it. We hang onto what is familiar and comforting.
Also, we humans beings are slow learners. It takes opportunities recognized and seized— time and time again. So we better get on with the exposure, the experience, and the honest education— not forgetting the patience. Your earlier letter and this follow up helps us along this way. Thank you for them.
James Baldwin:
“History, as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do. It could scarcely be otherwise, since it is to history that we owe our frames of reference, our identities, and our aspirations.”