Watchdogs are discovering racist school curricula around the country, and these investigations can’t move fast enough. Kentucky and Indiana schools have been under the spotlight this summer, revealing the worst fears of American parents. The next stop should be California.
In July, the Indiana Family Institute and the Kentucky state auditor released audits on schools in their respective states, with dismal results. The Indiana Family Institute found schools teaching about “power, oppression, race, gender, and social identity” and using “equity” grading techniques that allow students to submit blank assignments and earn at least 50% credit.
Kentucky officials’ audit of Jefferson County Public Schools, the largest district in the state, found that district officials use six “racial equity tools” to evaluate schools but do not know whether the programs have any effect on student outcomes. The auditor also found a district expense in the budget for “DRAG Pride.”
California schools deserve the same scrutiny. In 2021, one of us, Romey, learned firsthand that public schools there are pushing racial preferences. Her northern California public high school introduced a mandatory freshman seminar focused on DEI and concepts associated with critical race theory.
Throughout the course, assignments asked students questions like, “How many non-white friends do you have?” followed by, “If you don’t have many, do you think it’s because of inherent bias?” Students were repeatedly asked to reflect on their “white privilege” and respond to prompts such as how they had “combated” their privilege or addressed their “deeply rooted biases.”
These exercises reduced students to racial categories and encouraged them to see themselves and their classmates through the lens of race. Many students felt that this class was unnecessary and only created racial division.
DEI is seeping its way into every part of education: most notably through reading lists. At Romey’s high school, classic works of literature such as “Animal Farm” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” were removed from English classes and replaced with books that check the DEI box, such as “The Poet X.” “The Poet X,” for its part, features sexually explicit content and contested moral views about Christianity. The book was not only an uncomfortable read—for some, it was blatantly offensive.
Rather than exposing students to timeless literary classics that have shaped generations of students, the curriculum prioritized books chosen for their progressive social themes. Across the country, parents have challenged books like “The Poet X” before school boards. Disputes over “The Poet X’s” use in public schools have even resulted in litigation, including a lawsuit in North Carolina.
California adopted its Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, a platform for critical race theory and DEI, five years ago. State lawmakers later enacted AB 101, requiring high school students to complete a one-semester ethnic studies course before graduation, starting with the Class of 2030.
State officials have transformed what students are taught by shifting the focus of education toward identity, power, and so-called social justice.
Educators should be transparent about instructional materials and allow parents to review course content before it’s assigned. Parents should not have to discover controversial content only after students bring it home.
Since state officials are responsible for the radical content in California’s schools, taxpayers should not rely on a state Department of Education audit. As in Indiana and Kentucky, researchers and advocacy organizations outside the state education agency should review school curricula and instruction for violations of civil rights laws.
A quick look at the Nation’s Report Card from the Education Department finds that California’s reading and math scores are below the national average, while taxpayers are spending more per student in public schools than the U.S. average. Families should have a similar snapshot of racist assignments to report to civil rights authorities.
Transparency shouldn’t be optional but rather the standard for public education.
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[ H/T The Daily Signal ]
