Critical race theory and elections

[Vol423]

Loudoun County parents required to sign type of NDA to view CRT-affiliated curriculum

What do you think of this?

I'd give them a very graphic depiction of exactly where they can stick their NDA.

 

[AM64]

I can see both sides; yours, that no one in education appears to have their education as the priority, and otoh those that think - with some justification or hope - that at least a majority of teachers share your sentiment and attempt to at least teach essentials within the classroom and mitigate bureaucratic malfeasance.

I'd like to believe that you're wrong and they're, in the main, right. On one hand it's easy to extrapolate the many, but relative handful, of radical teachers who've been exposed recently to be the norm and dismiss your claim. But are the radicals an exception? It'd be some comfort, but I'm not so sure.

It may have been a T. Sowell article or talk that made a point I constantly reiterate to people who confuse social spending with socialism. The left, for example, will brazenly talk about the 'socialism' of Nordic countries when tacitly advancing actual socialism via a never-ending advocacy of increased social spending. The right will tend to label any expansion of social spending as socialism when it simply isn't, just as there are no socialist Nordic countries. Though socialism features social spending as an ideological plank, it's foundation is popular control (via the benevolent state or direct by citizen cooperatives) of all aspects of the economy; it is an economic system first, from which devolves a societal model.

As the author remarked, the very real danger of course, is that social spending has a tipping point at which the confiscation of personal earnings is so great that you have de facto socialism. A slowly boiled frog.

On your side, to assume the vast majority of teachers who've passed through the collegiate gates are dedicated to the functional and intellectual education of children may be wishful thinking. It's equally plausible that older school, 3Rs-oriented teachers have been mostly supplanted by successive generations of radically infused teachers who dominate the landscape. Certainly, it is inarguable that national and state teachers unions can be considered radical, and the majority of administrative bureaucracy who leverage downwards into the classroom appear aligned with the radicalism.

Also, is the fact that achievement has not only flatlined for decades, but is punctuated by decline, with any gains driven by the upper tier of achievers. 'No Progress' Seen in Reading or Math on Nation's Report Card in a nation which outspends per capita more than just a tiny handful of nations. Yet, the 'progressive' do not admit the failure but push for more of the same, more money and more autonomy from those that pay their salary. The same decline is observed in the black family - and successive generations of Hispanic/Latino immigrants (and every racial/ethnic group) - as the good of the Great Society era shovel has been forged into a societal excavator by the left. Fully half to nearly 2/3rds of Democrats in any poll have a favorable view of socialism.

At some point, one has to conclude this is not just economic and societal stupidity, but rather it is the ***** plan.
I know there are good teachers who want to deliver a balanced, objective education that will produce solid citizens of conscience AND rationale. I'm not convinced they are a majority or can sufficiently swim against the bureaucratic tide to offset the Marxist corrosion.

Our youngest son is well into his mid 30s now, and we were fortunate to be faced with educational choices a while ago and found some acceptable solutions without the private school route, but it wasn't an easy or pleasant experience until that happened. We were fortunate and challenged because both sons were well above average intelligence. When I was in school, tracking was the thing - segregating students by aptitude - pushing students to their level of ability. The big shock first hit us when our older son was still in elementary school, bored to death, and becoming troublesome in class. The school had done the IQ tests etc, so there should never have been a question about the problem - they decided on supplemental classes for "gifted" students.

Now the big issue was they didn't put those kids in a different English or math or whatever class - they added periods while other kids had recess. Doesn't take a genius to figure out how that would work out. We went in and had a discussion about it - one which we weren't about to win. Things really went off the rails when I said something like "you know, classes used to be segregated by student ability". The answers made it clear that education then and moving forward isn't at all about teaching kids to the best of their ability to learn. It is simply a bureaucratic processing system where it's all about following the process and the results be damned. We are forcing this country to mediocrity, so any future thoughts of American exceptionalism won't be troubling any liberal minds in the future.

 

[AM64]

lol......
If that's true, why don't more freedom loving Americans go into education?

My older son did that. After teaching freshmen at UT, he decided he could perhaps make a better impact on HS students. He found out the hard way there was absolutely no way; his students did significantly better on college entrance exams ... not coached to pass the test, but actually taught the subject. I won't even begin to go into the crap that happened because he dared challenge the system ... probably a bad character trait we passed along. In the end he earned his PhD and is now back at the university level trying to teach new topics and repair the damage kids suffer from public education.

The damage is far broader than teaching teachers to teach. The most severe damage is systemic abuse like inclusionism, teaching diversity, teaching mediocrity. It's the assembly line for education, the parts are flawed, and the management is bent on pounding irregularly shaped pegs into round holes ... or taking regularly shaped pegs and deforming them - no one seems quite sure of the insanity - especially the inmates running the asylum. Although I suspect we may have found where the administrators and their works of art went when those old "public institutions" were shut down.

Do I believe in the old thing about people who can't do teach. No, but I absolutely believe abject failures at the university level are teaching teachers how to teach, and worse they are determining how and what is taught in public schools. That and government meddling in the standards process are the only thing that explain the collapse of a public school system that once worked.

 

[AM64]

But math is racist so how can it be of equal value to 'inclusion and diversity'...? Can VA not put up a non-racist, Democrat gubernatorial candidate, for crying out loud?
McAuliffe for Governor - Shuckin' and Jivin'!

OR, WA, VA are already experimenting with "anti-racist math" and CA is considering. It is based in (primarily) blacks scoring lower in mathematics and that equality must supplant equality. Your child will be dumbed down by lower standards - their potential taken away - to endow others artificially.

This is, of course, being pushed down from the collegiate cesspool:
"Math professors at top college/universities, including Harvard, Univ. of IL and Brooklyn College, have pontificated that mathematics is rooted in “white supremacist patriarchy” and “white social construct”. A professor at Brooklyn College, Laurie Rubel, said “the idea of math being culturally neutral is a “myth”, because 2+2=4 “reeks of white supremacist patriarchy”.

"Two national mathematics organizations are on a mission to prove that math education is “unjust and grounded in a legacy of institutional discrimination.”

The National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and TODOS: Mathematics for All “ratify social justice as a key priority in the access to, engagement with, and advancement in mathematics education for our country’s youth,” the groups declared last year in a joint statement, elaborating that “a social justice stance interrogates and challenges the roles power, privilege, and oppression play in the current unjust system of mathematics education—and in society as a whole.”Math has “been used to educate children into different societal roles such as leadership/ruling class.”

Next month, NCSM and TODOS, along with a few other membership societies for math teachers, will host a free webinar drawing upon the principals noted in their joint statement, inviting any interested members of the public to join in hearing “A Call for a Collective Action to Develop Awareness: Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education.”

[RELATED: Teachers learn to use math as Trojan horse for social justice]



The basic claim is that because white people have been involved in the evolution of mathematics, it is inherently white supremacism. Of course they have to ignore mathematics has origins in various cultures brought together as a science by Greece and remains a universal language. And it gets worse from there: Math (Yes Math) is Racist

These aren't isolated, navel-gazing lunatic tenured; this is actual mainstreaming, academia conflict. 1984 is literally now.

Well, of course, math must be racist. After all, white masters had to keep up with slaves and their output. Slaves just had to work. How would a master know who to beat if he didn't know enough math to track output. Have to say, though, that the racial mastery seems to end when drug production and distribution comes into play ... even seems to bleed over into illegal gun trafficking.

 

[AM64]

Cool. So we can stop denigrating the profession in the forum now.

Ash, it's not the profession we despise; it's the system and the administration we despise. Further, like in most bureaucracies, it's apparent that the fault more often lies in the administration than with those at the working end trying to make it all work. At least, it was that way in the beginning; as we go forward, I think teachers are more the simple objects put in place by a system that teaches and tolerates no individualism or intelligent divergence. What better way to implement totalitarianism than to teach totalitarianism.

What absolutely blows my mind is the liberals with all the talk about "the establishment", the man", "the system" are more regimented and more authoritarian in beliefs than what they replaced. A liberal with an agenda is the least introspective person in the universe.

 

[AM64]

Man I went down every road I could find. Nashville, DC, whatever I could find. Read through laws, etc.

It came down to subjective terminology like “reasonable”. Their reasonable effort was them allowing me to come to the school at a scheduled time to review the test. Which defeats the whole idea of my goal, which is to sit down at our convenience at home and thoroughly go through mistakes and prevent them in the future via repetitive practice.

Yearlong struggle. Went thru every layer of the school system. I gave up. They won.

My mindset has changed. While I worry about grades, I don’t as much as I used to. I view their education mostly as just between my child and me now. School is just something they have to visit everyday now and maybe once in a while they find a good teacher.

At one point tests were a measure of where a student needs work - to provide an understanding for where the student is going wrong in solving whatever problem or lesson. For that to happen, you need to see work - simply selecting A,B,C, or D doesn't do that. Perhaps your request points out that their current testing is a flawed concept, that it's simply a rote measure that doesn't necessarily measure anything of merit, that there's nothing to be gained from seeing the test because the test itself and not the results is the flawed element, that administering the test was simply checking a box.

Your experience makes you think they have one of two problems. They know they are failing to teach, or they say "No" simply because they can. In Drill Sergeant speak "It's mind over matter. I don't mind, and you don't matter." Bureaucracies can't stand if you can challenge them.

 

[AM64]

That's 2 posts that you've made in a row that I've liked. One or both of us must be seriously ill.

Ash is very reasonable in most things. You can be opposed politically with him, but he's still generally open to discussion. In the end you may still not agree, but at least you can discuss it in a meaningful way

 

[KB5252]

I wish we could bottle your parenting skills and hand them out to the many in need.

I fail all the time. But as far as schooling goes I'm strict. I was failed by my parents in that respect, they did not hold me accountable and that coupled with a mild learning disability was a real problem. I don't want my daughter to have those challenges. I want her to be in the position to go to college should her desired career require it, otherwise I will steer her to a vocational program or trade school. Right now as a freshman in high school she is leaning toward health care, specifically being a perfusionist.

I'm very proud of her, she is amazing and I think she will get right all the things I got so wrong.

 

[Vol423]

But math is racist so how can it be of equal value to 'inclusion and diversity'...? Can VA not put up a non-racist, Democrat gubernatorial candidate, for crying out loud?
McAuliffe for Governor - Shuckin' and Jivin'!

OR, WA, VA are already experimenting with "anti-racist math" and CA is considering. It is based in (primarily) blacks scoring lower in mathematics and that equality must supplant equality. Your child will be dumbed down by lower standards - their potential taken away - to endow others artificially.

This is, of course, being pushed down from the collegiate cesspool:
"Math professors at top college/universities, including Harvard, Univ. of IL and Brooklyn College, have pontificated that mathematics is rooted in “white supremacist patriarchy” and “white social construct”. A professor at Brooklyn College, Laurie Rubel, said “the idea of math being culturally neutral is a “myth”, because 2+2=4 “reeks of white supremacist patriarchy”.

"Two national mathematics organizations are on a mission to prove that math education is “unjust and grounded in a legacy of institutional discrimination.”

The National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and TODOS: Mathematics for All “ratify social justice as a key priority in the access to, engagement with, and advancement in mathematics education for our country’s youth,” the groups declared last year in a joint statement, elaborating that “a social justice stance interrogates and challenges the roles power, privilege, and oppression play in the current unjust system of mathematics education—and in society as a whole.”Math has “been used to educate children into different societal roles such as leadership/ruling class.”

Next month, NCSM and TODOS, along with a few other membership societies for math teachers, will host a free webinar drawing upon the principals noted in their joint statement, inviting any interested members of the public to join in hearing “A Call for a Collective Action to Develop Awareness: Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education.”

[RELATED: Teachers learn to use math as Trojan horse for social justice]



The basic claim is that because white people have been involved in the evolution of mathematics, it is inherently white supremacism. Of course they have to ignore mathematics has origins in various cultures brought together as a science by Greece and remains a universal language. And it gets worse from there: Math (Yes Math) is Racist

These aren't isolated, navel-gazing lunatic tenured; this is actual mainstreaming, academia conflict. 1984 is literally now.

What the *#&$?

 

[Vol423]

Ash is very reasonable in most things. You can be opposed politically with him, but he's still generally open to discussion. In the end you may still not agree, but at least you can discuss it in a meaningful way

Yeah. I was joking. I actually went on to like more of his posts after that one too. From what I've seen so far, Ash and I agree on almost nothing politically. However, he does seem to be reasonable in discussions.

 

[allvol123]

At one point tests were a measure of where a student needs work - to provide an understanding for where the student is going wrong in solving whatever problem or lesson. For that to happen, you need to see work - simply selecting A,B,C, or D doesn't do that. Perhaps your request points out that their current testing is a flawed concept, that it's simply a rote measure that doesn't necessarily measure anything of merit, that there's nothing to be gained from seeing the test because the test itself and not the results is the flawed element, that administering the test was simply checking a box.

Your experience makes you think they have one of two problems. They know they are failing to teach, or they say "No" simply because they can. In Drill Sergeant speak "It's mind over matter. I don't mind, and you don't matter." Bureaucracies can't stand if you can challenge them.

You nailed my mindset in your first 2 sentences. At this point I think I am too focused on logic and desire to see improvement by my child in a subject. The school system doesn’t understand my nonsense.

 

[luthervol]

While that number might be a little high, it actually doesn't sound too shocking to me. Now, as a teacher, what % of teachers do you believe do a horrible job?

My experience:
Horrible - 3% (and they don't last)
Fair - 20%
Good - 50%
Great - 27%

 

[luthervol]

Not sure what my attitude is but glad you do.

Nothing about your story is relevant to my dealings with my school system. I’ve made requests that I considered rather routine and common sense with regards to improving the educational results for a child. Only to be met with a brick wall of cooperation.

Please take your shot at my crazy request of being able to receive a test after it is taken. Please, using your professional experience in education, tell me the craziness in my request.

Our district gives district wide unit tests that may not be reproduced or released. (Maybe that was the issue)

 

[Vol423]

My experience:
Horrible - 3% (and they don't last)
Fair - 20%
Good - 50%
Great - 27%

As I said previously, I don't really dispute your previous estimate. However, there is NO WAY 77% of teachers are good to great.

 

[allvol123]

Our district gives district wide unit tests that may not be reproduced or released. (Maybe that was the issue)

It wasn’t. Routine chapter (module) tests.

Teacher said she didn’t want to give it back cause she’d have to make a new one for next year to prevent cheating.

 

[luthervol]

It wasn’t. Routine chapter (module) tests.

Teacher said she didn’t want to give it back cause she’d have to make a new one for next year to prevent cheating.

I certainly understand your frustration. That would never fly in our district. Was it an AP class or something similar?

 

[KB5252]

My experience:
Horrible - 3% (and they don't last)
Fair - 20%
Good - 50%
Great - 27%

I think this estimate varies widely based on district. In overall good school districts I can buy this estimate. In my experience many, if not most, are not very good.

My daughter isn't in a very good district but goes to unit school in that district that is pretty good, not great.

 

[allvol123]

I certainly understand your frustration. That would never fly in our district. Was it an AP class or something similar?

Honors class. I laughed when I received her email response (the teacher). Looked at my wife and said we’re emailing the principal about this. And I was on my way to rejection after rejection.

 

[Vol737]

They would have worked their way up into running the Dept. of Education.

Oh, okay.

 

[Vol737]

Some of us do it because we feel called to. We knew about the crumbs going in. It's the disrespect, assumption of guilt, and flat out falsehoods promoted by outside interests that make it hard for many to stay in.

I think most people understand it’s not your rank and file teacher in the classroom that’s the problem, with the exception of a few outliers from time to time that make the news. Overall I feel like I had some really good teachers that taught, did not indoctrinate. Same goes for my kids, for the most part, and they’re not too far removed from high school. It’s the group think at the DoEd and the material being rammed through our local schools that have little to do with education that have people angry. As a result, I think that has given the perceived green light to some left leaning teachers to press their political agenda knowing it’s incredibly difficult to get fired.

 

[Vol423]

It wasn’t. Routine chapter (module) tests.

Teacher said she didn’t want to give it back cause she’d have to make a new one for next year to prevent cheating.

Oh my. She might have to actually work.

 

[allvol123]

Oh my. She might have to actually work.

Yea, exactly. I felt like I was living in some alternate universe when conversing with them on this topic.

She gives 8-10 of these tests a year. I could have rewritten each one in less than 30 minutes. So I am asking you to do 4-5 hours of work so I can get the privilege of studying at home with my child.

 

[Vol423]

Yea, exactly. I felt like I was living in some alternate universe when conversing with them on this topic.

She gives 8-10 of these tests a year. I could have rewritten each one in less than 30 minutes. So I am asking you to do 4-5 hours of work so I can get the privilege of studying at home with my child.

Good grief! When I was in high school, different periods of the same class would take different versions of exams to prevent kids in later periods from hearing the questions on the exams from their friends in earlier classes. I guess we can thank the teachers’ unions for the successful rise of the lazy teachers.

 

[AshG]

I guess we can thank the teachers’ unions for the successful rise of the lazy teachers.

How so? I'm curious on this one.

 

[AshG]

And in Tennessee, it's a moot point. TEA is fairly toothless now thanks to Haslam's elimination of collective bargaining. Under PECCA, the board can walk away at any time and tell TEA, PET, and the unaffiliated representative to kiss off.