Diminishing the Individual Through Critical Race Theory

Written by David Barnhizer on August 28, 2024. Posted in Current News

Paul Rossi was fired from the Grace Church School for challenging the shift to Critical Race Theory-based teaching

He brings out the ways in which it undermines a student’s individualism, warning that CRT is “cheapening, it’s warping, it’s diminishing the individual.”

Rossi’s description of his personal experience is absolutely frightening from a humanistic and free speech perspective.

It demonstrates the extent and fanatical intensity of the repression that is taking place in many American institutions, and particularly our schools—K-12 through universities long thought of as our elite intellectual and moral leaders.

The sweeping scope of what is occurring is what I sought to show in the publication of the book,“Un-Canceling” America in 2021.  All of the fundamental institutions and systems by which we communicate, compete, grow, learn and create are being undermined.

The political censoring and punishing tool of Cancel Culture is consuming our educational systems, and it is real. As the numerous examples set out above and the 600 in “Un-Canceling” America demonstrate very clearly, the strategy is being used to compel agreement and silence, and its controllers are expanding its reach and societal penetration.

It is a powerful tool for those who want to dismantle our nation and recreate it in a darker, bigoted, and repressive political image.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/crt-ideology-used-in-schools-degrades-the-individual-new-york-city-high-school-teacher_4357926.html.  “CRT Ideology Used in Schools Degrades the Individual: NYC High School Teacher”, Masooma Haq and Jan Jekielek, 4/6/22.

“Paul Rossi says some level of societal indoctrination is inevitable in education, but when students are taught an explicit political ideology and prohibited from questioning those teachings, the results are damaging, the former teacher said.

Rossi, who taught high school mathematics and persuasion at Grace Church School in Manhattan for 10 years, left the school in 2021 after publishing an essay titled “I Refuse to Stand By While My Students Are Indoctrinated” on the blog of former New York Times editor Bari Weiss.

“What was happening was explicitly a political indoctrination that was based around the idea of a moral imperative … a collective morality, which focused on certain maxims like ‘impact regardless of intent,’” Rossi said.”

Students and faculty at Grace Church School were taught, and expected to abide by, the tenets of critical race theory (CRT).  Rossi explained that white students and faculty were considered the “oppressor” group while nonwhite students and faculty were considered the “oppressed” group, and the oppressed had the moral high ground.

The people in the oppressed group were allowed to say whatever they wanted to the so-called oppressors, but the oppressors were expected to remain silent, he said.  This type of ideology is causing damage to students “because it’s cheapening, it’s warping, it’s diminishing the individual,” he said.

Rossi … said he initially embraced the school’s equity and diversity training as benevolent, but that he soon saw how destructive this type of indoctrination was and how it lacked objectivity and truth-seeking.

He said there was an understanding that you could traumatize and harm someone else merely by sharing an opinion that was unwelcome or provocative.  … Rossi provided an example of how CRT might be discussed.

“So, you [a white person] could profess to say that, ‘You know, no, I really try to treat people equally based on their personality or interactions,’” Rossi said.

“And an anti-racist moral schema [would presuppose] ‘But no, actually your biases prevent you from behaving that way, and furthermore, you don’t even know what your biases are. You need to rely on the diversity, equity, and inclusion experts to tell you what those are, or for a person of color to “school” you or call you out in certain situations that you may not be aware of.’”

The intriguing and hypocritical fact is that we have witnessed extensive movements against on-line bullying of elementary and high school children due to the fact that it produces serious consequences, including a child’s sense of self worth, depression and even suicide.

The following analysis offers some insightful perspectives on such matters.

“When we think of bullies, we think of the big angry kid on the playground pushing kids down, or the mean girl club making life hell for other girls who aren’t part of their circle, but bullying has evolved and is more dangerous than ever before.

Teen depression and suicide rates are very high, and so often people are shocked when they find out that a student committed suicide because of online bullying that they didn’t even know was happening. A student being “canceled” can mean that they become a social leper, an outcast, unwelcome in any social circles.”

“Shame and stigma have always been a way to enforce social norms,” says James Hamblin, a writer for The Atlantic and a cancel-culture skeptic. … [O]ne of the problems with cancel culture is that allegations often spread before they’re inspected for truth.

An accusation is made and instead of waiting for facts to emerge, it’s just assumed to be fact.” Canceling a student is a form of social bullying. … “Most people join in on the ostracism not because they really understand the ‘crime’ or believe the canceled individual is truly bad and irredeemable, but because they are following the crowd.”

“Either they feel they must, in order to avoid being canceled themselves, or they simply believe second-hand information without investigating the situation themselves.  https://www.teachermom101.com/2019/07/teaching-in-age-of-cancel-culture.html.  “Teaching in the Age of Cancel Culture”, Kaily, 7/9/20.

“Walking on Eggshells”—At Least Sixty-Two Percent of Americans Generally, and 80 percent of People in the Arts Are Afraid to Share Views

Ivan Pentchoukov reports on a study titled “Political Climate Preventing 62 Percent of Americans From Sharing Their Views”.  The results are frightening.  They reveal we are not only not communicating, but that we are reaching the point at which we are not able to communicate across the boundaries of the “otherness”, Identity allegiances, and self-interested narratives we have invented to define our positions.  Pentchoukov writes:

“A growing number of Americans feel that the political climate is preventing them from sharing their views, according to a new survey by the Cato Institute.  The institute surveyed 2,000 Americans and found that 62 percent are reluctant to share their views due to the political climate. …

Emily Ekins, research fellow and director of polling at the Cato Institute, wrote about the survey. “[T]hese results are more consistent with a ‘walking on eggshells’ thesis that people increasingly fear a wide range of political views could offend others or negatively impact themselves.”

Nearly a third of Americans said they’re afraid their political views may cost them their jobs or career opportunities.” “Political Climate Preventing 62 Percent of Americans From Sharing Their Views”, Ivan Pentchoukov,  7/23/20.

The fear of being canceled is pervasive.

“Nearly a third of Americans said they’re afraid their political views may cost them their jobs or career opportunities.  A survey commissioned by ArtsProfessional magazine found that more than 80 percent of the 500 professionals thought that “workers in the arts and cultural sector who share controversial opinions risk being professionally ostracised.

One said: “Our arts, culture, and indeed education sectors are supposed to be fearlessly free-thinking and open to a wide range of challenging views. However, they are now dominated by a monolithic politically correct class …   This is slowly destroying our society and culture from the inside.”

“80 percent of People in Arts Fear ‘Controversial Opinions’ Risk Professional Ostracism”, 2/22/20.

“White Privilege” appears to be widespread in San Diego

“San Diego teachers are [being] required to undergo “white privilege” training, in which they must accept that their supposed unconscious bias is perpetuating racial superstructures.  …  The teachers are compelled to acknowledge that they are living on land – i.e., the United States – that was stolen from Native Americans, according to Rufo’s report.  …

After that, the teachers are told they are racist and “upholding racist ideas, structures, and policies” and must commit to becoming “antiracist” in the classroom.” “San Diego school teachers must undergo ‘white privilege training,’ commit to being ‘antiracist’”,  Bradford Betz, 12/6/20.

School Boards, Administrators, DEI “Experts”, and Even the Department of Justice and FBI Are Trying to Intimidate Parents

Condemning Parents as “Domestic Terrorists”. “Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a concentrated effort to target any threats of violence, intimidation, and harassment by parents toward school personnel.

The announcement comes after a national association of school boards asked the Biden administration to take “extraordinary measures” to prevent alleged threats against school staff that the association said was coming from parents who oppose mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory. …

On Friday, October 22, 2021, the National School Boards Association issued an apology for some of the language in the letter sent to the Department of Justice, insisting that it did not intend to accuse parents who sought to exercise their First Amendment rights of free speech in challenging the actions and policies of school boards of being “domestic terrorists”. “Justice Department to Roll Out Measures Protecting School Staff From Parents Threatening Violence”, Ivan Pentchoukov, 10/4/21.

Although the DOJ and Department of Justice sought to downplay and even deny they are engaging in the types of surveillance and intimidation tactics described, indications are to the contrary.

“A whistleblower disclosed documents suggesting that the FBI is using its counterterrorism resources to investigate parents or individuals who threaten school board members, teachers, or other staff. …

[A]n email by Carlton L. Peeples, who serves in the bureau’s Inspection Division, [said] that the Counterterrorism and Criminal Division “created a threat tag, EDUOFFICIALS, to track instances of related threats.”

“We ask that your offices apply the threat tag to investigations and assessments of threats specifically directed against school board administrators, board members, teachers, and staff,” the email reads.” “FBI Whistleblower Claims DOJ Used Counterterrorism Tools Against Parents: Republicans: FBI spokesperson says bureau not ‘in the business of investigating parents who speak out’”, Jack Phillips, 11/16/21.

Parents, Students, and Teachers Are Afraid to Speak Out

“Parents have the right, and you don’t have to be afraid to speak against things like critical race theory,” Quisha King stated. “A school in Beaverton, Oregon, is under fire for offering a club centered around sexuality, to elementary school children, and parents are outraged.

“Just because I send them off to camp, does that mean that I don’t get to have a say sure what they’re doing when they go to camp?” King questioned. “No, I have a say in everything that they do because I am their parent.”

Meanwhile, a Virginia school is also taking heat after it presented students with “privilege bingo,” labeling males, military children, Christians, and heterosexual individuals as “privileged.”  …

”To me, that’s a prime example of how college ideas, CRT, has seeped down to the K through 12 education around the educational realm, and it disturbs students,” Carol Swain stated.”  “Dr. Carol Swain at ‘MisEducation of America Summit’: ‘Marxist’ ideas seeping into all levels”, Bailee Hill,  1/20/22.

Many teachers and educational administrators in K-12 education are intimidated.  As numerous examples offered here demonstrate, their jobs and even their careers are endangered if they “buck” the prevailing Woke/CRT/Radical Progressive orthodoxy.

For students, incurring the wrath of a teacher acting as an authority figure with power over their grades and recommendations is something to be avoided, as is the potential for bullying by other students who have bought into the new orthodoxy.

Nor do I in any way blame the teachers, administrators, students, parents, government bureaucrats, or private sector workers or businesses for fearing the consequences.

As I sought to make clear in my book “Un-Canceling” America by offering a comprehensive examination of what is occurring across a wide range of fronts and critical institutions—the “Cancelers” are intolerant.

They are committed to not only punishing the direct objects of their vendettas and intolerance, but to crush anyone who doesn’t shun and ostracize their primary targets.

There are good reasons for teachers, school administrators and others to be afraid. But some people have stood up to the intense pressures created by not “going Woke”. These include teachers, administrators, and parents.

Among them are Paul Rossi, Jennifer Tafuto, Peter Boghossian, Lilit Vanetsyan, Monica Gill, Maud Maron, Celeste Fiehler, Chris Arend, Shawntel Cooper, Laura Morris, Ramona Bessinger, Derrick Wilburn, Robynn Hora, Josiah Enyart, Michael Rectenwald, Carol Swain, Bob Woodson, William Jacobson, Eli Steele and Shelby Steele, Jennifer Sey, Tanner Cross, Xi Van Fleet, Amanda Wannagat, Voddie Bauchamp, Derrick Wilburn, Amy Gonzalez, Andrea Gross, Asra Nomani, Nicole Neilly, Quisha King, Bill Maher, Andrew Sullivan, Ania Paternostro and her daughter Nicole, and Andrew Gutmann.

There are others, and there will be many more because, if we want to save our nation, we cannot afford to put up with the ideologues and fanatics who for the moment have seized control of our educational systems.

See more here substack.com

Header image: Neil Shervi

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