by Guy Page
As Barre prepares for its first Town Hall informational meeting tomorrow night at the Canadian Club, consultants for the criticized ‘equity’ curriculum in a Northeast Kingdom school district deny they are promoting racial shame among white students.
“We don’t ever tell or teach children that they should feel embarrassed, guilty or ashamed because of any trait they were born with, or for any other reason – this absolutely includes their racial identities, which absolutely includes white people,” Netdahe Stoddard commented on Rebekah Perry’s Vermont Daily news story yesterday, ‘Teachers tell students parents are wrong about race, NEK students say.’ “We believe deeply that none of us should ever feel bad just for being who we are.”
A central goal of Critical Race Theory and equity teaching is to get students to renounce their ‘Whiteness.’ At bottom, Whiteness as defined by CRT isn’t about pigmentation – Stoddard is right about that – but about the mindset of a majority white culture that allows it to impose its economic and political will and worldview on minorities. Among the false core values validating ‘whiteness’ are individuality and a belief in meritocracy, Robin DiAngelo writes in her influential 2018 book, “White Fragility.”
Critics wonder how well teachers distinguish between white skin color and this academic concept of Whiteness. If so, should teenagers be expected to mentally and emotionally internalize their differences? And should students be told that belief in the power of the individual is just an excuse of racism?
Questions like these will be up for discussion at the meeting in Barre, where schools are adopting an ‘equity’ policy based on CRT.
On Wednesday, July 14, at 6:30 pm five speakers will take to the stage at The Canadian Club on Rte. 14 in Barre for a two hour discussion on Critical Race Theory/Equity teachings in our schools. The event is sponsored by Vermonters for Vermont Initiative. The event is free and open to the public.
All of the speakers have experience with the public schools and with the introduction of CRT to our children. CRT is also being introduced in many of our public institutions and businesses. Proponents claims that it does not harm children, that CRT teaches equity and the true history of our nation. While opponents argue that CRT is destroying our children and making them think as racist, and pitting races and ethnic groups against each other.
Critical Race Theory teaches people that they are either oppressors or oppressed/victims, V4V Initiative founder Greg Thayer said. It’s been around since the 1970’s, being taught in many colleges across the nation and now it is coming to students of all ages. CRT is a byproduct of the writings of the Communist Manifesto works of Karl Marx.
Information about FAIR, Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, an alternative to CRT, will be available at the Barre meeting. Speakers include:
Welcome & Comments by Gregory Thayer; “Vermonters for Vermont” Initiative
Martha Hafner, Former Educator
Alice Flanders, Former Educator
Ellie Martin, VT. Grassroots
John Klar, VT. Liberty Network
Rep. Samantha LeFebvre; (R-Williamstown, Orange)
Speakers are allowed 12 minute presentations. After the last speaker all will come to the front for a Q&A with the audience. The event will conclude at 8:30 pm.