North Carolina’s largest school district held a conference where administrators told teachers to “disrupt” whiteness by not letting parents stand in the way of social justice instruction in the classroom, Discovery Institute scholar Christopher Rufo reported Thursday.
In February 2020, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) reportedly held a conference called “#EdCampEquity,” which include lessons on “whiteness in ed spaces,” “microaggressions at work,” and “trauma-informed yoga,” Rufo reported. More than 200 public school teachers in North Carolina attended the conference, which was reportedly introduced by WCPSS superintendent Cathy Moore.
Freelance reporter A.P. Dillon provided the documents, which were obtained through a public records request, to City Journal.
One document from the conference shows a chart describing a “critical race theory model,” which claims teachers hold hidden stereotypes and biases that compel them to “have different expectations and hold Black students to a different standard.” A key tenant of critical race theory (CRT) also challenges the claim that public education is colorblind and provides equal opportunity, the chart says.
SCOOP: North Carolina’s largest school district launches a campaign against “whiteness in educational spaces”—and encourages teachers to subvert parents and push the ideology of “antiracism” directly onto students without consent.
Here’s the story.????
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
Last year, the Wake County Public School System, which serves the greater Raleigh, North Carolina area, held a teachers’ conference with lessons on “whiteness,” “toxic masculinity,” “microaggressions,” “trauma-informed yoga,” and “applied critical race theory.” pic.twitter.com/3gvR5luxRc
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
Critical Race Theory (CRT) holds that America is fundamentally racist, yet it teaches individuals to view every social interaction and person in terms of race. Its adherents pursue “antiracism” through the end of merit, objective truth and the adoption of race-based policies.
Teachers at the conference were first told to make a “land acknowledgement,” which means they had to recognize that white North Carolinians are inhabiting stolen Native American land. “Land acknowledgements” are staples of similar critical race theory trainings that have reportedly taken place at numerous other public schools. Seattle Public Schools and the San Diego Unified School Districts included a similar “acknowledgment” as an introduction to “white privilege” trainings.
The conference began with a “land acknowledgement,” a ritual recognition suggesting that white North Carolinians are colonizers on stolen Native American land. The conference leaders encouraged educators to form “equity teams” in schools and push the new party line: “antiracism.” pic.twitter.com/DpJ6isTMrR
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
At the first session, school administrators claimed that “(White) Cultural Values & Habits” include “my comfort is more important than yours;” “polite, compliant;” “punishment;” “linear, one-dimensional thinking.”
Notes from the session detail teachers’ claims that whiteness perpetuates the system” or injustice and that the district’s “whitewashed curriculum” was harming students and educators, Rufo reported.
School administrators claimed that “(white) cultural values” include “denial,” “fear,” “blame,” “control,” “punishment,” “scarcity,” and “one-dimensional thinking.” They told white teachers they must “challenge the dominant ideology” of “whiteness” and “disrupt” white culture. pic.twitter.com/rVQnx2BJxE
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
On the other side of the document on “white cultural values” is a list of “Transformational Cultural Values & Habits,” which includes “emotional honesty,” “curiosity,” and “learning from mistakes.” The group encourages teachers to “challenge” whiteness by using the transformational interventions.”
The conference facilitators reportedly claimed that parents were an obstacle to social justice, and encouraged teachers to ignore parental concerns about their child’s education in order to teach “antiracism,” Rufo reported.
“You can’t let parents deter you from the work,” the facilitators reportedly said. “White parents’ children are benefiting from the system” of whiteness and are “not learning at home about diversity (LGBTQ, race, etc.).”
The session leaders said any pushback from parents was due to fear that “they are going to lose something,” and it is hard for white parents to “let go of power [and] privilege,” Rufo reported.
The district claims that parents are an impediment to social justice. They said that “white parents’ children are benefiting from the system” and are “not learning at home about diversity (LGBTQ, race, etc.).” White parents find it “hard to let go of power [and] privilege.” pic.twitter.com/3gZnretTxd
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
The school leaders directly encourage teachers to subvert parental authority. When one teacher asked, “How do you deal with parent pushback?” the answer was clear: “You can’t let parents deter you from the work.” Teachers must “disrupt” whiteness and override families. pic.twitter.com/IWVZpqJBBe
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 18, 2021
WCPSS did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the school’s website, the district holds “cultural proficiency training” for teachers, administrators and support staff on the “systemic impact of race and racism on student achievement.” The district’s Office of Equity Affairs, which heads such trainings, was launched in 2013.
Numerous public schools across the country have reportedly held “antiracism” trainings for teachers and even elementary school students.
R.I. Meyerholz Elementary School, part of the Cupertino Union School District in San Jose, Calif., reportedly held a lesson on “social identities” during a math class for third-grade students where the teacher asked students to deconstruct their racial and sexual identities in order to understand “power and privilege.” (RELATED: REPORT: Public School Instructs Third Graders To Deconstruct Their Racial And Sexual Identities To Understand ‘Power And Privilege’)
In Arizona, the state’s education department announced in early March it was conducting an internal review after it was revealed the department’s “equity toolkit” suggests racism develops in children as young as 3 months old.
