The editorial board of the Charlotte Observer wrote about the state government’s failed search for “indoctrination” in the schools.
North Carolina’s Lt. Governor Mark Robinson launched a witch hunt for teachers and schools “indoctrinating” students. But when they released their report, the Charlotte Observer was less than impressed.
Lt. Gov Mark Robinson’s investigation of indoctrination in North Carolina schools landed with a loud thud Tuesday, despite the efforts of him and other N.C. Republicans. The probe, which Robinson has long promised would show “proof” of widespread indoctrination in classrooms, instead affirmed something more troubling — politicians trying to intimidate educators based on a false premise of classroom brainwashing.
Teachers will recognize what Robinson delivered Tuesday — a report with a lot of dressing and little meat. It’s the term paper of a student who didn’t do the work and didn’t have much to offer. It was a dud.
Robinson, of course, did his best to claim otherwise — as did Republicans who seemed to be half-heartedly rallying to his support. In an email to constituents, Senate leader Phil Berger couldn’t even bring himself to say that the report showed widespread indoctrination in N.C. schools, instead saying that parents and teachers disagree with Democrats who say “CRT-linked” doctrine doesn’t exist. (Note the goalpost moving going on – from early GOP claims of Critical Race Theory being taught in NC classrooms to now pointing out the mere existence of something resembling CRT in some places.)
…
Republicans and Robinson, however, would prefer that N.C. students aren’t exposed to topics that don’t conform with the GOP worldview. The Lt. Governor’s report is designed to provide political cover for a Republican bill that would regulate how teachers talk about race and history in classrooms. Such a bill would likely be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, but it will set up a political fight Republicans appear to think will benefit them.
It’s a cynical sideshow that distracts from real issues our schools are confronting, and it’s one more way Republicans can say public schools are failing instead of truly addressing how to help them succeed. What’s going on is politics, not indoctrination, and it has had an unnecessarily chilling effect on teachers, making them self-conscious about what they say in class. That makes an already demanding job more stressful and less rewarding, and that’s not good for North Carolina’s schools or their students.
You can view the post at this link : https://networkforpubliceducation.org/blog-content/charlotte-observer-editorial-board-north-carolinas-indoctrination-in-schools-witchhunt-was-a-big-embarrassing-dud/
The objections to diversity, inclusion and equity programs really take the cake, given that they are coming from the right wing of the right wing.
Indoctrination?
How about the untold millions of children, including my entire generation, who were indoctrinated into the myth of white, Christian exceptionalism? Or about how the Mexican-American and Spanish-American Wars were fully justified as “manifest destiny,” rather than brutal conquest? Or how Native Americans were (and are) primitive savages and the taking of their ancestral lands was our divine right? Or that the Civil War was about states’ rights, not slavery, and there were “good people” on both sides?
When I was a young boy, why did my school never mention racism or Jim Crow? I was “indoctrinated” every morning into believing there was “liberty and justice for all.” Why do all public schools in America require students to assert that they live “Under God,” despite that the existence of God is far more theoretical than Critical Race Theory?
The most vocal and influential GOP leaders are pledging allegiance to the most prolific liar in American history and perpetuating the “Big Lie,” an indoctrination that threatens the future of our democratic republic.
It is beyond mere irony that the GOP use of CRT as a rallying cry for sinister political purposes is the biggest indoctrination of all.
Thank you, Steve Nelson. Amen!
Or specifically in North Carolina: why are their students not taught that white rascists gained dominance in the political system that rose up around the turn of the twentieth century. The white supremacy movement was spearheaded by Josephus Daniels, publisher of the Raleigh New and Observer, who published tales of negro depredations that made truth a joke.
We are there again. Outlandish claims now fill news media, purposely creating mythology where once there was a focus on verifiable facts.
NICELY said: “When I was a young boy, why did my school never mention racism or Jim Crow? I was “indoctrinated” every morning into believing there was “liberty and justice for all.”
The disturbing findings of the North Carolina Investigation:
Just as was suspected, the schools are indeed indoctrinated by people with PhDs (especially principals and superintendents)
The conference for “diversity of thought” in education is composed entirely of anti-public school activists, ed reform professionals, and opinion columnists
Apparently the “pro public school” opinion is banned in ed reform circles.
https://www.parentsunite.org/conference
Can’t get more uniform than a circle, for which every point is equivalent.
I am concerned about the doxxing aspects of this policy. Parents are already accosting people at school board meetings. NC superintendent posted teacher and school names who were accused of indoctrination. Scary times here in North Carolina.
This goes back centuries – but in recent history (using that term lightly), the “Death Panels” and Tea Party crowd gained momentum, especially with the first African-American President and the first woman with an incredible track record running for President.
And, the media – “mainstream” (not those other fools) own this and need to take some responsibility.
An Open Letter to “60 Minutes”
Please invite (and make it well know if they refuse) GOP senators, representatives, and governors for interviews (please – start with the governors of Florida and Texas followed by McConnell, McCarthy, Cruz, and Hawley).
Ask them that after a full-blown Arizona GOP controlled recount, THEY declared no fraud and the EXpresident didn’t get cheated – – that after investigating mind control and indoctrination in NC schools, they found no evidence – – that after 50+ state and federal appeals to reverse the 2020 elections, all judges (included GOP appointed) wouldn’t even hear the case – – that after video and police testimony on the events of January 6, there is clear evidence that, well, people died and it was invoked by insiders and the EXpresident – – – – that after ALL THESE PERPETRATIONS all turning out to be LIES – – that after 1 in 500 dying from Covid, your party leaders refuse to allow local governments and schools to mandate masks and that vaccines are safe – – – Mr. Governor, Mr. Senator, Mr. Representatives, will you state without equivocation that these lies are just that lies, and there is no evidence of fraud, cheating, indoctrination in schools, and January 6 being a tourist trip.
MAKE THEM TALK
A recent study found estimated Covid deaths closer to 900,000. Since this is nearly a million, simple math makes 1 in 400 a nearer estimate, and throws water on the fire of overestimated numbers. Across the board the falsehood prompted by the distant right wing of American politics threatens to discredit almost all information available to the public
Sadly, the data that are showing their true lying colors are from deaths and hospitalizations – and deaths and destruction in the Capitol. But throw in the Arizona recount, the California vote (the crazies lost big), the 50+ court losses, video evidence after video evidence… maybe the momentum is shifting to sanity
I am not surprised.
Look who this deplorable freak is:
“Republican Mark Robinson opposes the statewide mask mandate, doesn’t believe President Donald Trump has sowed chaos in the country and has published a barrage of divisive Facebook posts in recent years that are often critical of fellow Black people.
Robinson, who has referred to first lady Michelle Obama as a man and accused former President Barack Obama of being an “anti-American atheist” who wanted to turn the country into a “socialist hell hole,” is preparing to become North Carolina’s first Black lieutenant governor.
Robinson, a 52-year-old political newcomer and boisterous gun rights activist, will take office in January after defeating Democrat Yvonne Holley. He won even after a group funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg paid for a nearly $8.5 million media blitz on Holley’s behalf.”
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-barack-obama-state-governments-michael-bloomberg-7e3fd80502492d038e3301a594bf5ac6
Ok! Enough said. Roll Looney Toons theme.
Here is a link to NC’s F.A.C.T.S. task force’s first report, published 8/24/21. F.A.C.T.S. stands for Fairness and Accountability in the Classroom for Teachers and Students.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NfHOpZGD4EeHcGD6y1AeVBuGUZkpNUia/view
It’s a collection of 500 comments/ grievances submitted by parents, teachers, and school counselors. There is a description of how the task force selected and reviewed the emails received, but no detail on how they were solicited or over what time period [the task force was set up in March, and the report issued in August]. The summary organizes them under rough topic headings, and shows a graphic of where they came from. Voices are heard from around the state– 1 in 5 from Wake County, which is NC’s most populous area. The names of the writers are kept anonymous, but I found it disturbing that some comments gave both the name of the school and the particular grade/ subject of the teacher they were complaining about. Those details should have been redacted.
A member of the task force interviewed for this article https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/f-a-c-t-s-task-force-releases-first-report-documenting-bias-indoctrination-in-public-schools/ acknowledged that “the submissions are not indicative of the scope of the problem,” just that ‘indoctrination’ is occurring in some NC classrooms. LtGov Robinson seemed to echo the sentiment at the 8/24 press conference: “This is not an attack on educators or education. This is an attempt to stop the abuse of the teaching profession by a few who are using that profession to put undue pressure on young minds to accept their way of thinking.” Sadly, the report will in fact function as a “witch hunt” for the few teachers who can easily be identified from some of the submissions.
The input makes for interesting reading. Many reflect just what one would expect, i.e., some teachers, in attempting to implement their schools’ directives on pro-equity/ anti-racism lessons, have used exercises and made statements that are insensitive and even wrong-headed. The sort of thing that should be worked out at building level among parents/ teachers/ admin– not bleated around the state to prop up some politician’s agenda.