Educators need to Woke up

 Woke Up Educators!

 

Parents in Montgomery County, Maryland sued to have curriculum related to LBGQT issues removed from the curriculum, including materials in literature and current affairs.  A judge said parents did not have the right to regulate curriculum.

In Arkansas, the Governor said her job was to protect the children from the “radical left woke mob”.  The Arkansas State Board of Education said schools may choose to offer the AP Course on African-American history but the children who take it will not earn credits toward graduation.  Never mind that many of the historical events in the course took place in Arkansas.   And the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, along with 200 other colleges and universities do accept the credit.

In Florida, the Governor has proclaimed Florida is where “woke goes to die”.  He declared that the AP course on African-American history would violate state law; therefore, it could not be taught in Florida.  The AP Board said that the changes Florida wanted would diminish the validity of the course; therefore, it would not be offered in Florida.

The mission of many politicians besides garnering media attention is to stop “wokeness” in our public schools.

To do this one must first assume that “wokeness” whatever that is, exists in public schools.  Indicators of “wokeness” include hiring an individual, particularly an individual of color, to lead an office of diversity, equity and inclusion.  

School libraries have gotten into the business of banning books that discuss issues of race, racism, antisemitism, or issues relating to gender difference or LBTGQ.

We have become afraid to allow our students to be uncomfortable with the past and the present.  The Governor of Florida has specifically said he does not want children learning about slavery to feel uncomfortable with something that has happened in the past. Education SHOULD make us feel uncomfortable about a lot of things.  Education should open our minds to new ideas and challenges.  The books that are being banned want to open children’s minds to new ideas and to teach them to think and rethink where they stand on issues.  Is that not the point of a public funded education system?

Woke up educators, we have miles to go before we sleep.