by Guy Page
The Essex-Westford School Board voted 8-1 last night adopted its Equity Policy, after hearing one-minute testimonies by both supporters and critics.
The policy will be the foundation for a curriculum that would underscore historical inequities as a basis for promoting educational and social policies of ‘equity’ – equal outcomes for all races and sexual and gender identities – rather than the Constitutionally-protected civil rights and equality of opportunity.
For example, the second sentence of the approved Equity policy reads: “This nation would not have evolved as it has without the genocide of the indigenous people, nor would the economic infrastructure exist as it does without the enslavement of native African people and their descendants.” To redress this historic wrong, the equity policy promises to “inform curriculum decisions, including anti-racist education and LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual+).”
The policy introduces terms new to many parents. The definitions provided at first glance seem to be contradictory – for example, “anti-racist” and “culturally agile”.
Anti-racist: An anti-racist is someone who is supporting an antiracist policy, practices and behaviors through their actions by expressing and acting on ideas that counteract racism and systemic racism. This includes the expression of ideas that racial groups are equals and do not need developing.
Culturally agile: A dual consciousness that understands one’s own culture and cultural assumptions as well as a basic understanding of cross-cultural differences and the ability to adapt or modify one’s behavior to effectively relate to and value culturally diverse others as equal to their own.
To be anti-racist is to affirm that other racial groups “do not need developing.” Does this mean that white people do not need to “develop” in their awareness of their status as oppressors? Is it anti-racist for a member of one race to constructively point out potential areas of cultural, economic, and educational development to a member, or group of members, of another race?
Similar questions were raised in a recent letter by Essex resident Ron Lawrence to the School Board:
“I implore you to slow down in your implementation of this Equity Policy. It is a policy that is dangerously unmeasurable and without limit to the authority to implement. But you seem to simply brush aside the voices expressing concern about this policy. I have to ask, what on Earth is driving you to implement this program so quickly—especially given the opposition that has only recently become apparent?
Superintendent Beth Cobb has said that this program has not been implemented in the schools. Yet, I participated in the special meeting on Monday, June 7th. During that meeting, children of all ages spoke—every one of them in favor of the Equity program. Kudos to those chlldren for their ability to participate and to speak up. But, I’m afraid that the singularity of their messages tells me that this program is already well underway.
The presentation by Xusanna Davis was troubling—to say the least. In her own words, it was her job to depress the audience. Kids really are going home depressed and ashamed of their heritage. Furthermore, the story has been twisted. I am completely onboard with presenting an accurate history; bur for all the talk about this, what has been conveyed seems far from accurate.”
Essex community leaders in opposition to the equity policy say they will continue to fight the policy, which they believe pits racial groups against each other in a victim-oppressor roles. “Passing the policy is just the beginning, the procedure for execution will be next and curriculum will follow. They will lose steam as they got the policy passed, we have persistence and need to keep pushing back,” one parent said.
The one Essex school board member who voted No, Liz Cady, will speak at a Rutland event tonight. Vermonters for Vermont Initiative (V4V) tonight Wednesday June 16 at 6:30 pm will host a public Townhall Informational on public school’s teaching of Critical Race Theory, better known as equity, in the the classroom.
V4V is a organization started in December 2018 to educate all Vermonters on the dangers of Progressives & Democratic public policy plans.
Tonight, six speakers will take to the stage in the Vermont Building at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland for two hours to discuss their experience and knowledge of Critical Race Theory. All of the speakers have direct experiences with the public school teachings and with the introduction of CRT with our children. CRT is also being introduced in many of our public institutions and some businesses.
Proponents claims that it does not harm children, that CRT teaches equity to one another. Opponents argue that CRT is destroying our children and making them think as racist, and pitting race and ethnic groups against each other.
It’s been around since the 1970’s, being taught in many colleges across the nation and it comes from the writings of Marxists.
Speaker for the evening are:
– Cady.
– Todd Filmore; MRUHS Parent Group Member.
– John Klar; VT. Liberty Network.
– Michael Lannon; Public School Teacher.
– Tricia O’Connor; Rutland City Schoolboard Member.
– Rep. Arthur Peterson; R-Rutland 5-2
The event will be facilitated by Gregory Thayer, “Vermonters for Vermont” Initiative. V4V ask that you enter the Vermont State Fairgrounds at the Park Street gates by the Rail Road Tracks across from the Vermont Railways on Park Street.
Categories: Education
CRT THEORY is just That a Theory and UNPROVEN. It is being used to INDOCTRINATE the youth of OUR COUNTRY to Marxist / Communist Ideals. The VOTERS of this once fine state must eradicate by UN electing those preaching such POISON.
Solutions to CRT…Home schooling and/or Chartered schools…Period!
On one day the leftist/statist/collectivist contingent is commiserating about how traumatized the children by the COVID pandemic, the Trump Administration, and climate change. Now they want to make all the “white” kids hate themselves. There is certainly a bright future for the counseling and psychology professions and in the pharmaceutical industry producing all the necessary remedies for OCD and traumatic stress disorders. If this national and regional unhealthy obsession with race does not get cured in the next election, we are in for the full Venezuela treatment by the Biden “administration” (or lack thereof). Elections have consequences.
This point is more significant than it might seem: “equity” is a noun.
Today’s “woke” movement thinks in nouns, rather than verbs or adverbs.
Marxism also sees things rigidly. Arguments are advanced by assertion. Label something or someone and then extrapolate based on rigidly seen characteristics.
Thus society and history can be simplified and genuine insight is avoided.
Glad to see you’re undertaking this endeavor. I hope you get a good crowd. All Vermonters need to learn and prepare to stand for constitutional freedoms being taught in our schools. Do make sure it is recorded so your collective insights can be heard in Bennington, Brattleboro, and Beecher Falls, too.
Critical Race Theory, better known as equity, in the the classroom. Incorrect. Please check definitions. CRT is NOT taught at hight school level. Equity is not CRT. your list of speakers is to say the very least…enlightening….professionals…I do not think so.
John,
According to students that go there they are already teaching CRT in the classroom with or without the voting. The student I personally heard describe this was high school level.
Although equity and CRT are not the same words and have different meanings they are both along the same school of thought often taught together, and both horrible ways to teach children about life. That’s why they are lumped together.
As for not liking the speakers maybe you should show up and give them a listen it might change your mind.
John I don’t care one bit about semantics. You say tomato, I say tomotto. What I do care about is that the school adhere to teaching bland reading, writing, and arithmetic, science and history in grades 1-12. There is plenty of time to pursue morals and ethics classes in college. Public schools have no right what so ever to indoctrinate our students with their own value systems. That subject is the domain of the family and is none of the business of the state school system. People that parse words like you do participate in educational masturbation. It might feel good but is essentially non-productive. When everyone is the same, no one will ever feel inspired. Self esteem comes from strong family values that embrace the character and merit of a child not from a school that focuses on victimhood whether that be emotional, financial or racially based. Sounds like you want to replace our kids identity (that is the purview of parents) with that of the state that gets to mold its new recruits into a cohesive unit to perform a particular purpose. How did that work out for you in Hitler’s Germany? He too thought is was in the best interest of his country to teach what is right to the children of the next generation. Never again is the battle cry of Jews. And I agree with them.
as the great theologian Voddie Baucham has said – “we cannot continue to send our children to Caesar for their education and be surprised when they come home as Romans “.
Parents, wake up, seriously. If you think the 15min you spend talking about their 7hr day of indoctrination is going to impact at all, you are greatly deceived.
Minds are being marinated in this! First by 12yrs of “Discipleship training” followed by 4 of “Advanced Discipleship training” at public university.
Check out the teachers, aids, admin – is that seriously who you want to discipline your kids ?
*discipling that should read.
That should read “discipling “
The Essex Westford School Board is being blatantly disingenuous when its policy states that:
“Educational equity occurs when all students are provided with what they need in support of their academic, social-emotional and career development.”
It’s NOT ‘what they need’. It IS what the school board SAYS they need. All students. Not just those who agree with the policy, but those who vehemently disagree with it. What the Essex Westford School Board is saying to those who disagree is, ‘Let them eat cake’.
As James Madison so adroitly warned us in Federalist #10 and #51:
“From this view of the subject, it may be concluded that a pure democracy, by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”
Vermont’s draft dodgers have spoken.
More to come –
https://www.bitchute.com/video/eh0bFn3TmFd1/
Anyone opposing is to be condemned. 2 enlightening, and very frightening, articles:
https://quillette.com/2021/07/07/how-all-my-politically-correct-bones-were-broken/
https://theintercept.com/2021/07/14/voting-nyc-noncitizens-immigrants/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter