Let’s deny this off-key band of people that are anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-equity, anti-history, anti-racial … anti-opportunities, anti-help people, anti-diversity, [inaudible], anti-science, anti-change agent, anti-social justice, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live and let live – let them die! Michelle Leete, member of the Fairfax County Parent Teacher’s Association, said recently in a video. She resigned subsequent to the PTA’s letter asking her to resign, …we do not condone the choice of words used….

Parents voicing outrage that CRT is being taught in our schools. My message to this district and the members of the Board of [Education]: Stop indoctrinating our children! Tatiana Ibrahim, a mother in Carmel, said in the video from June. “Stop teaching our children to hate the police! Stop teaching our children that if they don’t agree with the LGBT community that they’re homophobic!”

We are for every issue Ms. Leete rages-we are not anti any of them. However, CRT is not equity, it is tearing apart our educational system and teacher’s unions are complicit in endangering a generation of our youth.

We believe that our youth must be aware of the United States Constitution and this historically evolving nation of a multitude of cultures, races, and generations. To quote Ron Osajima in his book “From Oppression to Empowerment: My American journey from concentration camp to corporate management.”

I have been fortunate to live in a country that, despite its many flaws, enables people from all over the world to pursue a better life and, if they so desire, to be friends with people of all colors.

We believe that Ethnic Studies curricula should:

1. Empower students to dream big, overcome challenges, and be motivated, engaged community members.
2. Build mutual respect, self-confidence, awareness, intergroup understanding, and empathy.
3. Elevate ethnic groups, their backgrounds, and contributions without denigrating others.
4. Openly and honestly address racism and discriminatory treatment.
5. Present a range of political perspectives and approaches to bringing about change, including strengths and weaknesses of each (perspectives and approaches).
6. Equip students with the skills to understand and analyze multiple points of view on relevant topics so that they can develop their own opinions and present well-articulated, evidence-based argument.

Constructive Ethnic Studies curricula can provide a balanced range of perspectives, remove the political agenda, and inspire mutual respect and dignity.

Source: https://www.calethstudies.org