Across the country, conservatives are mobilizing against the inclusion of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 education. There is just one problem: CRT is a complex theory developed by law professors and included postgraduate education. It is not taught in K-12 schools
This business about SEL is the definition of a bogeyman. The Republicans don't even care about being remotely plausible with their conspiracy theories and it legitimately scares me.
Wasn't the lack of SEL part of why these exact people were pushing me to physically send my kids back into the classroom last year? The argument being that children were missing out on SEL when they were stuck at home behind a computer screen? Now these exact same people want me to believe that SEL (the thing they argued for) is bad for my kids? Maybe if these people had been taught to think critically as children it wouldn't be so easy to suck them into each new republican political strategy aimed at dividing people and ginning up controversy where there is none. Shouldn't these people be busy warning us about the fake dangers of Halloween candy or posting racist Minions memes to Facebook or something?
Think of the many advantages to right-wing scare-mongers if kids grow up to be adults who are ignorant, anxious and depressed....endlessly vulnerable to messages of fear and resentment, with an expanded willingness to scapegoat and marginalize the Other-of-the-month.
Here's a very popular reply posted last month on our neighborhood listserve, responding to a Fox news junky who posted an initial demand to see how our local schools are teaching "CRITICAL RACE THEORY":
I don't think critical race theory needs to be capitalized except by Fox news, which intends to rally White people to protect ourselves for another few years against talking about how our laws have historically been applied to Black people.
White people don't talk about our accrued wealth from centuries of slavery. Critical race theory does. Critical race theory talks about how our laws have excluded Black people from voting (as in modern-day Georgia), and from owning property ("red-lining" by banks), and from the GI Bill after WWII, which raised millions of White people into the middle class -- but was not opened to Black people.
Now that it is clear that rich White people in power simply give all the tax breaks to rich White people, it doesn't work for them to argue "economics" to voters anymore.
Now with police on tape across the country brutalizing and killing Black people with a heritage of impunity passed down from the lynching years, it doesn't work to argue "crime" to voters anymore.
Now that hundreds of White people are getting misdemeanors for overrunning and looting the capitol -- some trying to murder capitol security -- it doesn't work to argue "law and order" to voters anymore.
So rich White people in power turned to an old academic term which White people have never paid attention to before. As such, critical race theory could be redefined and re-labelled as the new, worst-imaginable nightmare from the closet of White fears. And until critical race theory is known for what it is, this strategy should temporarily work on White voters in up-coming elections.
Thanks again for raising a historical issue which needs the present light of day.
p.s.
There are still organic strawberry runners left from my previous posting.
They hear “critical thinking” and associate Critical Race Theory. The fact that so many totally unqualified republicans were seated in Congress is a scream for major change. But it would also help if media reported on what Democrats are trying to achieve and muzzle the psychopathic nut cases we give so much air time to.
But then again, that means we need to address the fact that every major media conglomerate is owned by the far right.
Without addressing this, we will not be getting through to people who need to hear facts.
It's absolutely astounding to me that republicans are able to take a term, completely change the actual meaning, and then convince their constituents that it's a problem. It's incredible how gullible and uneducated republican supporters can be. They are so easily conned it's mind-boggling.
I was NOT taught how to manage my emotions or how to think critically. I've suffered the consequences of not having these abilities for many years. I was not able to reach my full potential either in a career or in personal relationships. I finally had to teach myself these things much later in life. Because of this, I am convinced teaching critical thinking and how to manage emotions are THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS that should be taught to school children.
To answer both Patricia and Ellie, she responded very positively! She shared one part of the Panorama Education's survey with me and I could then see what it is that triggered her and her group. All but a few of the original group of parents are immigrants with fairly important-to-them religious views (not Christian but like devote Christians in their approach) and the surveys ask for gender identification from the students. the students may choose not to answer, but most do answer because it's anonymous. It looks to me that the progressive agenda and views of liberals and progressives about equality simply crosses the line for many people. It all makes more sense that they have become a good group to frighten and manipulate. One of her colleagues, Harry that Judd mentioned last week, I'm not sure he shares those views, but he easily might. I wrote back and told her about two chapters in my forthcoming book about gifted children grown up and what we can learn from them, and one was about gender issues and another was about viewpoints and how we get them and how they can trip us up. Since I'm a high intelligence specialist and they know it and trust my high intelligence credentials, I have at least got their attention. We'll see where that goes. I'm hopeful.
I practiced my reasonableness, my critical thinking skills, and my "take action" approach after reading this entire piece to write an email to someone: "Because we recently worked together so hard and so well, I still care about how things are going for you and your group. I was troubled to read that there is some apparent misunderstanding of social and emotional health issues and the importance of surrounding children (gifted or not) with tools for self-regulation, getting along with others, setting goals, etc.
Because I know you are very smart and well-intentioned (may I assume that?) and I remember when my own children were younger and I totally did not get the importance of social and emotional issues (and got angry and dismissive with those who brought it up when I was focused on the academic achievement side of things at that time), I've taken the liberty to reach out to you privately - sister to sister.
Here is an excellent post that gives links to research on SEL. Lots of it for the past twenty years. It has nothing to do with indoctrination or CRT, for one thing. And, I am going to cite it in my book because the outcomes of gifted children when they grow up is very much related to their social and emotional health.
Share it with anyone you want, or ignore it. But I encourage you to use your voice to make a difference that will be good for you, your son, and others who want healthy, maximally achieving people from our actions and support.
stuff and nonsense. SEL is such a good idea. Especially for kids who spend too much time on social media or have difficult parenting. For a lot of kids it's the best thing they learn, because without it they can't really learn.
Obviously we are dealing with those who SEL did not work for in school. They don't even recognize their conflicting statements between CRT and SEL. Example:"...if you have a book on the Holocaust, you must also have a book opposing that viewpoint", and then objecting to asking a student, "...how carefully do you listen to other people's point of view..."
Just throwing @#$% at a wall and seeing what sticks. Looks disgusting. Is disgusting.
Judd, you are my hero! This info about education is so important. The only way the GOP and worse can continue is by cheating and failing to educate our populace. Thanks for shedding light on their continued assault on these two areas.
The dark money feeds the right wings like Tucker who then feed the uninformed conservative viewers, who immediately & without review or question, begin to rant & rail against it. What a well-honed process!
These groups become nearly terroristic, running after children & parents on school grounds. The lack of effective response or consequence to these paid actors (some have IMBD profiles) & unbalanced zealots is leading to more aggressive tactics. Someone is going to get hurt or worse!
What’s the connection between David Koch (as in the David H Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, home to the American Ballet) and the Koch dark money behind this travesty?
This business about SEL is the definition of a bogeyman. The Republicans don't even care about being remotely plausible with their conspiracy theories and it legitimately scares me.
Wasn't the lack of SEL part of why these exact people were pushing me to physically send my kids back into the classroom last year? The argument being that children were missing out on SEL when they were stuck at home behind a computer screen? Now these exact same people want me to believe that SEL (the thing they argued for) is bad for my kids? Maybe if these people had been taught to think critically as children it wouldn't be so easy to suck them into each new republican political strategy aimed at dividing people and ginning up controversy where there is none. Shouldn't these people be busy warning us about the fake dangers of Halloween candy or posting racist Minions memes to Facebook or something?
Well said!
Think of the many advantages to right-wing scare-mongers if kids grow up to be adults who are ignorant, anxious and depressed....endlessly vulnerable to messages of fear and resentment, with an expanded willingness to scapegoat and marginalize the Other-of-the-month.
Here's a very popular reply posted last month on our neighborhood listserve, responding to a Fox news junky who posted an initial demand to see how our local schools are teaching "CRITICAL RACE THEORY":
I don't think critical race theory needs to be capitalized except by Fox news, which intends to rally White people to protect ourselves for another few years against talking about how our laws have historically been applied to Black people.
White people don't talk about our accrued wealth from centuries of slavery. Critical race theory does. Critical race theory talks about how our laws have excluded Black people from voting (as in modern-day Georgia), and from owning property ("red-lining" by banks), and from the GI Bill after WWII, which raised millions of White people into the middle class -- but was not opened to Black people.
Now that it is clear that rich White people in power simply give all the tax breaks to rich White people, it doesn't work for them to argue "economics" to voters anymore.
Now with police on tape across the country brutalizing and killing Black people with a heritage of impunity passed down from the lynching years, it doesn't work to argue "crime" to voters anymore.
Now that hundreds of White people are getting misdemeanors for overrunning and looting the capitol -- some trying to murder capitol security -- it doesn't work to argue "law and order" to voters anymore.
So rich White people in power turned to an old academic term which White people have never paid attention to before. As such, critical race theory could be redefined and re-labelled as the new, worst-imaginable nightmare from the closet of White fears. And until critical race theory is known for what it is, this strategy should temporarily work on White voters in up-coming elections.
Thanks again for raising a historical issue which needs the present light of day.
p.s.
There are still organic strawberry runners left from my previous posting.
They hear “critical thinking” and associate Critical Race Theory. The fact that so many totally unqualified republicans were seated in Congress is a scream for major change. But it would also help if media reported on what Democrats are trying to achieve and muzzle the psychopathic nut cases we give so much air time to.
But then again, that means we need to address the fact that every major media conglomerate is owned by the far right.
Without addressing this, we will not be getting through to people who need to hear facts.
We are witnessing the fabric of society be torn apart at the seams by nefarious actors.
They take an education technique that is proven to help children get smarter and turn it into an enemy, just Iike vaccinations.
Putin, the Kochs, et al must be dumbfounded by their own success.
It's absolutely astounding to me that republicans are able to take a term, completely change the actual meaning, and then convince their constituents that it's a problem. It's incredible how gullible and uneducated republican supporters can be. They are so easily conned it's mind-boggling.
I was NOT taught how to manage my emotions or how to think critically. I've suffered the consequences of not having these abilities for many years. I was not able to reach my full potential either in a career or in personal relationships. I finally had to teach myself these things much later in life. Because of this, I am convinced teaching critical thinking and how to manage emotions are THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS that should be taught to school children.
Tucker Carlson calling our AG a “sleaze ball”? That’s rich.
To answer both Patricia and Ellie, she responded very positively! She shared one part of the Panorama Education's survey with me and I could then see what it is that triggered her and her group. All but a few of the original group of parents are immigrants with fairly important-to-them religious views (not Christian but like devote Christians in their approach) and the surveys ask for gender identification from the students. the students may choose not to answer, but most do answer because it's anonymous. It looks to me that the progressive agenda and views of liberals and progressives about equality simply crosses the line for many people. It all makes more sense that they have become a good group to frighten and manipulate. One of her colleagues, Harry that Judd mentioned last week, I'm not sure he shares those views, but he easily might. I wrote back and told her about two chapters in my forthcoming book about gifted children grown up and what we can learn from them, and one was about gender issues and another was about viewpoints and how we get them and how they can trip us up. Since I'm a high intelligence specialist and they know it and trust my high intelligence credentials, I have at least got their attention. We'll see where that goes. I'm hopeful.
I practiced my reasonableness, my critical thinking skills, and my "take action" approach after reading this entire piece to write an email to someone: "Because we recently worked together so hard and so well, I still care about how things are going for you and your group. I was troubled to read that there is some apparent misunderstanding of social and emotional health issues and the importance of surrounding children (gifted or not) with tools for self-regulation, getting along with others, setting goals, etc.
Because I know you are very smart and well-intentioned (may I assume that?) and I remember when my own children were younger and I totally did not get the importance of social and emotional issues (and got angry and dismissive with those who brought it up when I was focused on the academic achievement side of things at that time), I've taken the liberty to reach out to you privately - sister to sister.
Here is an excellent post that gives links to research on SEL. Lots of it for the past twenty years. It has nothing to do with indoctrination or CRT, for one thing. And, I am going to cite it in my book because the outcomes of gifted children when they grow up is very much related to their social and emotional health.
https://vrlps.co/HOQD109/cp
Share it with anyone you want, or ignore it. But I encourage you to use your voice to make a difference that will be good for you, your son, and others who want healthy, maximally achieving people from our actions and support.
Be well,
stuff and nonsense. SEL is such a good idea. Especially for kids who spend too much time on social media or have difficult parenting. For a lot of kids it's the best thing they learn, because without it they can't really learn.
Obviously we are dealing with those who SEL did not work for in school. They don't even recognize their conflicting statements between CRT and SEL. Example:"...if you have a book on the Holocaust, you must also have a book opposing that viewpoint", and then objecting to asking a student, "...how carefully do you listen to other people's point of view..."
Just throwing @#$% at a wall and seeing what sticks. Looks disgusting. Is disgusting.
Man, there is NOTHING these scared whypipo won't target in order to keep the libs from winning, isn't there?
Judd, you are my hero! This info about education is so important. The only way the GOP and worse can continue is by cheating and failing to educate our populace. Thanks for shedding light on their continued assault on these two areas.
The dark money feeds the right wings like Tucker who then feed the uninformed conservative viewers, who immediately & without review or question, begin to rant & rail against it. What a well-honed process!
These groups become nearly terroristic, running after children & parents on school grounds. The lack of effective response or consequence to these paid actors (some have IMBD profiles) & unbalanced zealots is leading to more aggressive tactics. Someone is going to get hurt or worse!
What’s the connection between David Koch (as in the David H Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, home to the American Ballet) and the Koch dark money behind this travesty?