The battle over whether critical race theory, white privilege and transgender politics should be disseminated to school age children in Alaska and across the nation is likely to intensify in the coming months.
Last week, America’s largest teachers’ union vowed to use its extensive network and resources to expand the highly controversial philosophies in public schools across the country, including Alaska.
The three-million-member National Education Association (NEA) includes 13,000 thousand Alaskans. These are teachers, librarians, school counselors, classroom aids and others who work in Alaska’s public schools.
More than 6,700 NEA delegates, including 61 from Alaska, participated in the June 30 to July 3 national gathering. Meeting virtually over four days, the participants established overarching legislative and policymaking aims for state affiliates.
Action items approved at the national level include a resolve to teach and publicize critical race theory, while actively fighting against those who oppose such efforts.
The NEA stated that it will focus resources on rooting out what it deems to be “empire, white supremacy, anti-Blackness, anti-Indigeneity, racism, patriarchy, cis-heteropatriarchy, capitalism, ableism, anthropocentrism, and other forms of power and oppression at the intersections of our society.”
The teachers also approved an action item to research and undermine groups that oppose critical race theory.
To accomplish this, the teachers state that they will “oppose attempts to ban critical race theory and/or The 1619 Project,” which alleges that America was founded on fundamentally racist grounds. The union also pledged to partner with Black Lives Matter activists and the Zinn Education Project in calling for rallies on Oct. 14 – George Floyd’s birthday. The teachers hope to make it a teaching moment to highlight “structural racism and oppression” that plagues America today.
The Zinn Education Project recently posted a statement that has been signed by more than 5,000 teachers, including more than a dozen from Alaska, who vow to break any state laws that ban teaching critical race theory in schools.
In addition to advancing critical race theory, the NEA voted to decolonize curriculum by eradicating what it calls “white supremacy culture.” This will be done, in part, by training rank and file teachers to be critical race theory activists and Black Lives Matter proponents in their classrooms.
In addition to actively advancing critical race theory, the teachers also approved an action item to research and undermine groups that oppose their efforts.
One action item calls on state affiliates to fight bills that ban transgender male athletes from competing against girls.
“The attacks on anti-racist teachers are increasing, coordinated by well-funded organizations such as the Heritage Foundation,” the union stated in justifying this vote. “We need to be better prepared to respond to these attacks so that our members can continue this important work.”
The Heritage Foundation is a renown conservative think tank that has the mission “to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.”
In addition to fighting conservative groups, the NEA also voted to develop a plan to resist any state legislation that hinders educators from teaching identity politics focused on gender identity, sexual orientation and a host of other personal identifiers. This effort includes recruiting Hollywood actors, musicians and athletes to advocate on behalf of the NEA.
Another major focus at the recent meeting was the promotion of transgender and other sexual identities among students and teachers.
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One newly approved action item calls on state affiliates to use resources to fight legislation that bans transgender male athletes from competing in girls-only sports. Additionally, teachers voted to fight measures that restrict gender confused youth from accessing what the union calls “gender-affirming health care.” This term is often used to include counseling as well as powerful cross-sex hormones that block the natural process of puberty. Along these same lines, the union passed a resolution stating that LGBTQ+ students have a right not to reveal their sexual orientation, identity or expression.
With regard to its own membership the union agreed to create a training program to serve its transgender and transitioning members.
On the academic front the NEA is working on a plan to replace test scores as a means of measuring student achievement. The union claims tests are “not the best measurement of equity or educational growth, but it, unfortunately, appears to continue to dominate states’ and districts’ plans in driving equity.”
34 Comments
Governor Dunleavy MUST ban both the teaching of CRT as well as the fictionary 1619 project BS. CRT is nothing but teaching children that “white people” oppress “People of color”. Teaching kids to hate each other based on skin color is child abuse. ANY teacher in ALaska caught teaching these subjects must be fired – tenure be damned.
Spot on. I have been told by some Governor Dunleavy staffers that Critical Race Theory is a LOCAL CONTROL issue and state is unable to do anything. The Dept of Ed and State Board say the same thing–local control and point to state law. But neither can point to the exact state stature. Cowards–they fear the teachers unions.
Totally agree with you!! Keep it out of Alaska!!!!! It is child abuse!
Well, screw that. Racist theory, is racist theory.
Wave the white flag and pull your kids out of the failing government schools. Home or private schools and insist on your tax dollars refunded. Of course they want eliminate testing then we won’t know that despite spending the most money per student we are DEAD LAST in the nation.
Is the the national teachers’ union more powerful in the Constitution than states’ rights? Does the union pay teachers? Can they be allowed to teach what is proven to be Marxist education against the will of “We the People?” If the matter is local then the NEA should not be the ones deciding. Each state has a Department of Education with people appointed and selected by Governor Dunleavy. The Department of Education determines the curriculum standards at every level and serves to protect us against this poisonous illlegal use of our children. The local board needs to listen to the local people and not be afraid of the union thugs. We need to be willing to push back AT EVERY LEVEL AND NOT BE RUN OVER by Marxist teachers passing this toxic education. If the governor says it is a local control matter then why is the NEA bringing it in? Other governors have banned it. It takes courage to stand against the Marxists.
Department of education needs to be eliminated. Another bad idea from Jimmy Carter.
Pull your kids out of public schools! Start showing up at School Board meetings! Make it clear that this indoctrination is unacceptable! Vote with your feet!!!
Well I guess that the state of Alaska has bowed down to the Dark Side. It sucks that the state is run by cowards. I’ve lived here most all of my life (1960) and worked Hard for everything that I have. I never dreamed that we would have to deal with this kinda BS but I Guarantee we will not Go Quietly or without a Fight.
Get ready because you asked for it Here it comes.
So who/what gives these teachers the right to dictate what is taught in schools?? I’m offended and don’t want their agenda taught in our schools.. who’s with me?? Its time to push back.. There teachers hired by us the people. Its time to fire if they don’t want to teach our kids. Look at tge poor job they’ve been doing! Look at the disrespect and the riots they taught the kids from the last 15-20 years. Most of these younger don’t have a clue. Its the teachers fault for not doing their job teaching. Kids drop out and there is no plan as to what to do next.
Either teach our kids usable skills in life or quit. Its that simple. Enough of this change the system because it doesn’t fit the democrats agenda.
A child’s FIRST teacher…is their parent! It starts at home!
The NEA has always been a marxist union. If you leave your children under the teaching of these union members, you will get back what you deserve: a hateful, confused child who holds none of your values. Pull your kids! There are so many options beyond traditional public schools today, that there are no excuses.
Yes there’s no excuse
They wouldnt go far IF parents, grandparents only dis-enrolled their children.
Alaskans will allow this being taught here. I think Alaskan parents arent like Arizona and Virginia parents pushing back against tyrannical school boards and teachers.
I’d be so surprised to see Anchorage public school parents pushing heavy back on ASD School Board members as they did in Vail, AZ.
https://returntonow.net/2021/05/04/arizona-parents-overthrow-school-board-elect-new-one-and-immediately-repeal-mask-mandate/
Here on the kenai peninsula on Tuesday, July 6 and July 12 at 11:30 at Dry bones coffee at 11595 Kenai Spur Highway preparations will be discussed for our appearing at the KPBSD meeting at 6 pm on July 12 at the borough assembly chambers for the first since the “magic virus” we will be discussing critical race theory and details on testifying before the KPBSD board. Call if you have questions 907 252 7442
Get a hold of Annie Massey at Parental Rights in Education.
Great news. Hope all get on board
Keeping your kids in these Public Indoctrination Centers is Child Abuse.
Mass removal of kids, then if possible recall of School Boards that support NEA/State Unions, then new School Board members remove any recognition of thus negotiations with unions. If teachers want ability to negotiate pay/benefits from local union for pay and benefits only.
One thing that came out School shutdowns this past year was individual teachers being hired by a group of parents to “home school “. That way parents could continue to work. Private schools got more students, using basic economics, more students, less price.
Public Servant Unions, local and State must be removed!
How this is legally done? No idea but I bet it can be done, is the will there with parents, voters and elected officials.
Entities without customers go out of business.
Whenever you allow the government to get their claws in your public institutions it always turns out this way. The Fed subsidizes the teachers union so the teachers do what they’re told. They are puppets for the globalists who want your children for their future slave class. If you parents who have kids in public school can’t see this and refuse to pull your kids out of these communist indoctrination camps then you have nobody but yourselves to blame. You have allowed this to happen for far to long. The schools are just a daycare service for people too lazy to teach their kids themselves. And please oh please dont give me that junk that we both work and we can’t. You CAN you just have to make adjustments. I have seen plenty of people do it
Agreed. Many parents willfully suppress the truth of how harmful government-school influencing is to their child’s well-being. It’s an inconvenient truth most intentionally ignore. Priorities parents! Children are worth more than material objects.
“F” the teachers who are demonically controlled as is the national union.
American patriot parents, it is time to stand up and pull your children out of the schools. Teachers need to be fired if they even hint at teaching Marxism in Alaska public schools. The time to protect your children is now. Before they turn into slaves for the elite of this country and the CCP.
Dunleavy?
He’s a Squish – a Rino.
Other governirs have BANNED teaching CRT in the state schools – Abbott in Texas and DeSantis in Florida, to name but a few.
Dunleavy hasn’t fought fir our PFD and he won’t fight for our children’s education.
I’m sick of these spineless bastards.
So with you
The problem is “teachers union” , it seems once within, one soon acquires a false sense of godliness. I certainly wouldn’t have my children within such organizations.
The bottom line is, if teachers choose to teach this non-sense then soon they will be out of a job. Parents will not tolerate more brainwashing taking place at school. We will simply pull our children out and home school or send our kids to private schools. You say some teachers will even defy local and State laws prohibiting this insane programing. Fine, then they’ll learn what what it’s like to be unemployed, fined, and unable to ever teach again.
I had a college professor who used to preach at us to get outside of a problem and look at it. He’d say, “get on Mars” and imagine your looking down at earth and it’s inhabitants and think about how strange our actions, beliefs, and behaviors would seem to them. Well, that advise could not be any more applicable then it is today. Just think about the concepts of abortion, gender change or its confusion, and race, and how bizarre it would look to someone outside the box.
A nation is defined by the values of the people who live within it. How do we want to be defined?
How do we stop this? Can we form a protest, like have happened in many other states? This is not just racism but the agenda behind it is pure Marxism. This must leave our education system completely.
Remove your young kids from public education NOW. YOU are your child’s advocate. YOU are responsible to defend your child from harmful and age-inappropriate content. You are NOT responsible to save the community – at least not until after your children are out of danger. As a reasonably distanced taxpayer (they use the term “stakeholder”) you are then able to calmly address the rot permeating our community. But please, first things first, get your kids out of harm’s way.
Yes. First things first
Un-damn-believable. Yep, time to start pulling the kids out and giving the state legislature and these school boards absolute hell. Enough is enough. Also be on the watch for DEI bs as well.
This now proves we work and slave for the government! If our local school boards allow this to persist, then we should replace everyone of them. Make the Unions and the teachers strike themselves out of a job.
Article states just over a dozen AK were there… NOT all our teachers or schools. I have read a lot about CRT and I don’t see it the way some of you see it. I think it is mostly taught at high level University not in our public classrooms. I think it is a call to teach true history… what is the true history of Alaska? there was history here before white man arrived and I think that is all they are wanting to teach. I see no problem with that. I just want to make sure we are educating ourselves and not just spewing hate.