Racism in Texas

[homersapien 11,393]

Texas parents accused a Black principal of promoting critical race theory. The district has now suspended him.

 

Katie Shepherd

9-1-21

 

At a heated Texas school board meeting in late July, a man accused a Black principal of promoting critical race theory and “the conspiracy theory of systemic racism.” The man named the principal several times during his remarks, despite a school board policy barring direct attacks.

Just over a month later, the district has suspended Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield without explanation, he told The Washington Post on Tuesday. The decision followed several weeks of controversy during which Whitfield tried to publicly clear his name. Students turned out to defend their principal, while parents demanded his termination.

“I was not given any clear reasoning behind the decision and was not given a timetable regarding further steps,” Whitfield said in a Facebook message. “I was simply told that it was in the best interest of the district.”

The school district did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post late Tuesday. Superintendent Robin Ryan sent parents an email announcing Whitfield’s suspension on Monday but did not provide a reason for the decision, KXAS-TV reported.

The conflict in Colleyville, a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, highlights an increasingly fraught debate around critical race theory, an academic framework for examining systemic racism that Republican politicians have recently seized on as the latest battle in the culture wars. Conservative lawmakers in several states — including Texas, Arkansas, Idaho, Tennessee and Oklahoma — have proposed bans on teaching critical race theory in public schools. Some of those bans, like the one in Oklahoma, have barred the topic on college campuses as well as in K-12 schools.

Critical race theory ban leads Oklahoma college to cancel class that taught ‘white privilege’

Whitfield, the first Black principal to run Colleyville Heritage High School, became embroiled in a local controversy over critical race theory at a July 26 school board meeting. A man introduced in the meeting as Stetson Clark called the principal out by name, in violation of the meeting’s rules, and demanded Whitfield be fired. Members of the audience hollered “fire him” and applauded, Whitfield said.

“That behavior was allowed and a month later, here we are,” the principal told The Post. “I’m placed on paid administrative leave.”

Five days after the meeting, the principal defended himself against the calls for termination in a public Facebook post.

“I can no longer maintain my silence in the face of this hate, intolerance, racism, and bigotry,” he said in the July 31 post. “I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be.”

A few days later, a parent complained to the district about a photo Whitfield had posted on social media that showed him and his wife, who is White, in an embrace, celebrating their wedding anniversary.

“Is this the Dr. Whitfield we want as an example for our students?” the parent asked in an email that Whitfield recounted on Facebook. The district asked Whitfield to remove the photo to avoid further controversy, KXAS-TV reported.

In late August, more than two dozen students gathered outside Colleyville Heritage High School holding signs that said “I stand with Dr. Whitfield” and “Hate has no home in [our school district]," the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. A dozen parents also gathered in a show of support for Whitfield, the newspaper reported.

Whitfield denied the allegations that he is promoting critical race theory at his high school and said he aims to create a welcoming learning environment for all students.

“There’s no credence to the CRT claims,” he told The Post. “This group that has spoken out against me has a problem with inclusivity, with embracing diversity and with providing equitable experiences for all students.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/01/texas-principal-critical-race-theory/

 

 

 

[creed 1,641]

I'm not sure why we keep hearing about CRT being taught in high schools. I thought it was agreed that depth and delivery of CRT is so complex the college setting would be the right place for it to be taught. 

[homersapien 11,393]

15 hours ago, creed said:

I'm not sure why we keep hearing about CRT being taught in high schools. I thought it was agreed that depth and delivery of CRT is so complex the college setting would be the right place for it to be taught. 

It's not.  Teachers are simply teaching history.  Right wingers are getting hysterical over a straightforward review of our actual history.

[wdefromtx 3,159]

6 minutes ago, homersapien said:

It's not.  Teachers are simply teaching history.  Right wingers are getting hysterical over a straightforward review of our actual history.

As long as they talk about systemic racism and how the left is just as guilty as the right regarding it, then right leaning folks shouldn’t have any issues. I mean that IS part of the actual history as well. 

[I_M4_AU 7,863]

5 minutes ago, wdefromtx said:

As long as they talk about systemic racism and how the left is just as guilty as the right regarding it, then right leaning folks shouldn’t have any issues. I mean that IS part of the actual history as well. 

CRT is an ideology and, in my opinion, an ideology should not be taught in a government school.  There is a separation of church and state; this ideology is similar to a religion as only a handful of people believe in the theory.  If a parent wants to teach this theory at home, so be it, but it should not be taught as fact in a government school.

[TitanTiger 20,499]

2 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

CRT is an ideology and, in my opinion, an ideology should not be taught in a government school.  There is a separation of church and state; this ideology is similar to a religion as only a handful of people believe in the theory.  If a parent wants to teach this theory at home, so be it, but it should not be taught as fact in a government school.

^^^Doesn't know what CRT is, or isn't.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

CRT is an ideology and, in my opinion, an ideology should not be taught in a government school.  There is a separation of church and state; this ideology is similar to a religion as only a handful of people believe in the theory.  If a parent wants to teach this theory at home, so be it, but it should not be taught as fact in a government school.

A theory is, by definition, not an ideology.

Theories can be debunked based on science.  Ideologies, on the other hand, are often held despite science saying otherwise.

[homersapien 11,393]

3 hours ago, wdefromtx said:

As long as they talk about systemic racism and how the left is just as guilty as the right regarding it, then right leaning folks shouldn’t have any issues. I mean that IS part of the actual history as well. 

I think teachers should leave this sort of politics out of it.

Edited September 2, 2021 by homersapien

[TitanTiger 20,499]

4 minutes ago, homersapien said:

I think teachers should leave this sort of politics out of it.

Yeah, I don't think framing it as a right or left issue really adds anything to the mix that's valuable.  Just discuss what is meant when you say "systemic/structural racism" and the various ways that structural or systemic racism has manifested itself historically, and how it continues to do so now.  The blame for it doesn't have answers that are easily slotted into todays' left/right political bins.

[wdefromtx 3,159]

5 minutes ago, homersapien said:

I think teachers should leave this sort of politics out of it.

So you want them to ignore the systems put in place and the people that helped implement them regardless of party?

[wdefromtx 3,159]

2 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

Yeah, I don't think framing it as a right or left issue really adds anything to the mix that's valuable.  Just discuss what is meant when you say "systemic/structural racism" and the various ways that structural or systemic racism has manifested itself historically, and how it continues to do so now.  The blame for it doesn't have answers that are easily slotted into todays' left/right political bins.

What you fail to realize is that many schools and teachers already try to put a political spin on it anyways and frame one side as the bad guys. If one doesn’t realize that political agendas are already in our school system, they are misinformed. 

[TitanTiger 20,499]

5 minutes ago, wdefromtx said:

What you fail to realize is that many schools and teachers already try to put a political spin on it anyways and frame one side as the bad guys. If one doesn’t realize that political agendas are already in our school system, they are misinformed. 

I don't fail to realize anything.  But you said "how the left is just as guilty as the right regarding it" and I'm saying that for the most part, it shouldn't be talked about in those terms at all.  It most often doesn't fit neatly into such categories anyway and as such is a distraction from what should be the focus of the matter.

[wdefromtx 3,159]

2 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

I don't fail to realize anything.  But you said "how the left is just as guilty as the right regarding it" and I'm saying that for the most part, it shouldn't be talked about in those terms at all.  It most often doesn't fit neatly into such categories anyway and as such is a distraction from what should be the focus of the matter.

Yeah and by that I mean teaching history by showing which people or groups of people that were in power or whatever at the time that implemented such systems. If it implicates a particular party so be it. 

[homersapien 11,393]

34 minutes ago, wdefromtx said:

So you want them to ignore the systems put in place and the people that helped implement them regardless of party?

No, I have no problem with teaching the actual politics, I have a problem with the terms "left" and "right" as you used them above. 

For example, I certainly think the role of the Democratic party - that dominated southern governments at the time and passed racist legislation - should be taught as it's our history. 

But the way the parties swapped racist ideologies should also be taught in order to provide historical context. (I am sure that many students would be perplexed by the fact blacks are presently a core constituency of the Democratic party.)

But don't put these specifics of political parties in terms of "left" and "right".  That's way too generalized and subjective.  Unprofessional if you will.

Edited September 2, 2021 by homersapien

[wdefromtx 3,159]

10 minutes ago, homersapien said:

No, I have no problem with teaching the actual politics, I have a problem with the terms "left" and "right" as you used them above. 

For example, I certainly think the role of the Democratic party - that dominated southern governments at the time and passed racist legislation - should be taught as it's our history.  But the way the parties swapped racist ideologies should also be taught in order to provide historical context.

But don't put these specifics of political parties in terms of "left" and "right".  That's way too generalized and subjective.  Unprofessional if you will.

“Right” or  “Left” was more as a generalization for this board and not my intent on how it should be taught in the classroom. 
 

As far as parties swapping racist ideologies, yeah I can see that. One is covert in its racism and the other overt. They were just once flipped flopped. 

[homersapien 11,393]

1 minute ago, wdefromtx said:

“Right” or  “Left” was more as a generalization for this board and not my intent on how it should be taught in the classroom. 
 

As far as parties swapping racist ideologies, yeah I can see that. One is covert in its racism and the other overt. They were just once flipped flopped. 

Again, such a sentiment would be highly unprofessional for a teacher to present.

 

[homersapien 11,393]

57 minutes ago, wdefromtx said:

What you fail to realize is that many schools and teachers already try to put a political spin on it anyways and frame one side as the bad guys. If one doesn’t realize that political agendas are already in our school system, they are misinformed. 

That's just opinion.  

And what do you even mean by "one side"?

You sound a lot like the people that are storming their education boards with the CRT hysteria. 

 

Edited September 2, 2021 by homersapien

[wdefromtx 3,159]

10 minutes ago, homersapien said:

That's just opinion.  

And what do you even mean by "one side"?

You sound like the people that are storming their education boards with the CRT hysteria.

 

Im pretty well connected and knowledgeable of what goes on in many public school classrooms. Having family that is three generations deep in teaching, and my wife being in education we see a lot more of what happens. 
 

Teachers push their political leanings on kids everyday and it’s one sided. Granted some teachers do a good job keeping party affiliations out of the classroom, but some use the class to try to push their beliefs on their students. 
 

When I was in school, you had no idea what party teachers aligned with. Now they practically wear T-shirts of their candidates. 

[I_M4_AU 7,863]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

A theory is, by definition, not an ideology.

Theories can be debunked based on science.  Ideologies, on the other hand, are often held despite science saying otherwise.

CRT seems to fit the 2nd sentence.  The authors of this theory want you to believe that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.  Science, or history in this instance, says otherwise.  The U.S. has come a long way since the 1860’s, if you are stuck in that decade I can see CRT’s point, but we are not.  

If this point is not a widely held concept how can a government allow it to be taught to our children?

 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

7 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

CRT seems to fit the 2nd sentence.  The authors of this theory want you to believe that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.  Science, or history in this instance, says otherwise.  The U.S. has come a long way since the 1860’s, if you are stuck in that decade I can see CRT’s point, but we are not.  

If this point is not a widely held concept how can a government allow it to be taught to our children?

 

Except race has been used as a social construction to oppress and exploit people of color for thousands of years.  To not teach it is to ignore history.

You can't teach the Civil War without teaching racism.  I can literally show you via documents written by Southern leaders that they viewed their slaves as less than a white man and thus, for the good of the Confederacy, must be kept enslaved.

[homersapien 11,393]

17 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

 ...The authors of this theory want you to believe that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.  Science, or history in this instance, says otherwise....

 

Seriously?  You think racism is more biologically based instead of cultural?

[I_M4_AU 7,863]

12 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Except race has been used as a social construction to oppress and exploit people of color for thousands of years.  To not teach it is to ignore history.

You can't teach the Civil War without teaching racism.  I can literally show you via documents written by Southern leaders that they viewed their slaves as less than a white man and thus, for the good of the Confederacy, must be kept enslaved.

Like I said; if you believe American has not progressed since the 1860s I can see how CRT is relevant, however, America has made great strides since that decade.  It’s not perfect, but America is still striving to get it right.  

The fact that a black man is running for the Governor of California and is leading the polls by 15 points if Newsom is recalled debunks any thought of a certain race being oppressed systematically.  Interestingly enough, the LA Times has called Larry Elder the black face of white supremacy, which means the liberal press cares more about the leftist ideology than race.

Does it still happen?  I’m sure it does, but not wide spread as CRT would have you believe.

[homersapien 11,393]

On 9/3/2021 at 2:42 PM, I_M4_AU said:

Like I said; if you believe American has not progressed since the 1860s I can see how CRT is relevant, however, America has made great strides since that decade.  It’s not perfect, but America is still striving to get it right.  

The fact that a black man is running for the Governor of California and is leading the polls by 15 points if Newsom is recalled debunks any thought of a certain race being oppressed systematically.  Interestingly enough, the LA Times has called Larry Elder the black face of white supremacy, which means the liberal press cares more about the leftist ideology than race.

Does it still happen?  I’m sure it does, but not wide spread as CRT would have you believe.

That is the logical equivalent of saying  because Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire, police cannot be mistreating blacks.

Edited September 4, 2021 by homersapien

[wdefromtx 3,159]

2 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

Like I said; if you believe American has not progressed since the 1860s I can see how CRT is relevant, however, America has made great strides since that decade.  It’s not perfect, but America is still striving to get it right.  

The fact that a black man is running for the Governor of California and is leading the polls by 15 points if Newsom is recalled debunks any thought of a certain race being oppressed systematically.  Interestingly enough, the LA Times has called Larry Elder the black face of white supremacy, which means the liberal press cares more about the leftist ideology than race.

Does it still happen?  I’m sure it does, but not wide spread as CRT would have you believe.

The liberal press cares nothing about race, except how to use it to advance their ideology. Someone posted a tweet from Kamala Harris about donating to bail out "protesters" in MN and if you actually follow the trail it leads you to a charity that essentially collects money that gets sent to various PAC's. There was no option to make sure that money got sent to where they said it would go. Just sayin....................

Edited September 3, 2021 by wdefromtx

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

16 hours ago, homersapien said:

That is the logical equivalent of saying  because Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire police cannot be mistreating blacks as often as they do.

^ This