First, happy belated Independence Day, a day worthy of celebration, of reflection, and of reaffirming the Enlightenment principles foundational to our country’s establishment, and to the freedom and prosperity from which ALL of us benefit.
A lot has happened in the nearly four weeks since my last newsletter. For one thing, media attention to the topic of critical race theory has exploded. Political attention has exploded too. CRT is shaping up to be one of the most important issues in the upcoming midterm elections. However, that the CRT issue has become completely politicized, is, in my opinion, unfortunate. I continue to believe that we cannot win this war until CRT becomes a truly bipartisan (or non-partisan) issue.
Progressive-oriented media outlets have tried one of three tactics to discredit those of us speaking out against the indoctrination of our children. They have claimed that by opposing CRT, we are against the teaching of slavery and Jim Crow. This is, of course, ABSURD. There’s not a single person in the anti-CRT movement that is against the teaching of slavery or Jim Crow. What we argue for is the proper teaching of American history, the good parts and the bad. What we argue for is to teach both sides of controversial subjects, age appropriate, and let children form their own opinions. What we argue for is to teach the critical thinking skills, so lacking in today’s education system. And what we argue for is for students and teachers to have the freedom in the classroom to share their views without fear of repercussion, ostracization or intimidation.
The second recent tactic used by the progressive media is the claim that critical race theory is some esoteric, academic theory taught only in law schools. This is, of course, NONSENSE. Yes, CRT was originally a framework for legal analysis developed in law schools in the 1970s. No, that is not what it means today. What is has come to mean, today, here, right now, is something very different. For better or worse, the term CRT has come to encompass the following ideas that are becoming pervasive and entrenched in our education system and throughout society.
Obsession with race and the rejection of the idea that a race-blind society is possible.
Belief that racism is the single greatest problem in America. Belief that America is the most racist country in the world.
Bifurcation of all people into either victims or oppressors based upon skin color, gender, sexual orientation and other factors.
Belief that racism can only be perpetuated by people of power against people without power. Therefore, for example, there is no such thing as racism by blacks (without power) against whites (with power). Further, the belief that blacks are always victims, will always be victims, and therefore require special treatment.
Adoption of the NY Times’s 1619 project and the belief that slavery and white supremacy are together the most important founding principles of America.
Belief that all societal outcomes where blacks are underrepresented is, by definition, evidence of systemic racism.
Abandonment of capitalism, meritocracy and the classical liberal concept of equality of opportunity in favor of the Marxist concept of equality of outcome.
Adoption of personal hypersensitivity and the abandonment of free speech in favor of avoiding “microaggressions.”
These concepts were indeed taught to my daughter at her “fancy” New York City private school. I have thousands of emails from parents that tell me that they are being taught at public, private and religious schools all across the country. And now, the media can no longer deny that CRT is being taught in schools because the country’s largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA) has publicly approved a plan to promote and publicize CRT in our nation’s public schools.
The last tactic of the left-wing media is to claim that the fight over CRT is simply a culture war instigated by the Republican party. This is, of course, A LIE. The fight over CRT is indeed a symptom of a culture war. But this is a war being waged by progressives, likely making up no more than 10-15% of the population, and against the rest of us, the silent majority. This is a Marxist culture war against the founding principles of this country, against freedom of speech, against meritocracy, and against the traditional family.
I will share with you a personal example of the media’s misrepresentation of the issue. A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed by the website, Politico, for this piece on critical race theory. The entire 30 minute interview was essentially me making the point that the anti-CRT movement is made up of more than just Republicans. I explained that there are three constituencies of parents fighting. Yes, some are traditional conservatives. The biggest group, however, is made up of parents (many Asians, for example) whose motivation is not at all political, but educational. Such parents are rightfully upset over what is being taught, and not taught, in their kids’ schools and furious over the attack on educational meritocracy. The third group is made up of people who self-identify as classical liberals (like me), who place enormous value on freedom and issues such as free speech.
The article came out and needless to say, I wasn’t quoted. Politico made the claim that behind the anti-CRT movement are only Republican activists. Alas. Just as teachers have gone from being educators to being social activists, so too have our journalists.
Save the Date: 8/28/21 - A Day of Events Honoring MLK’s I Have a Dream Speech and Advocating for a Race-Blind America
In my previous newsletter, I discussed the need to begin a need a new non-partisan civil rights movement focused on returning our country to the color-blind and race-blind ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I also advocated for nationwide protests and rallies against the divisive and fundamentally racist adoption of CRT in our nation’s schools. I have an idea that I believe needs to happen, and one that has received very supportive feedback from a number of organizations, including a new group launching later this summer which I will join, the Institute for Liberal Values.
I am pushing for a nationwide day of events on Saturday, August 28. This is back-to-school, a perfect time for parents, grandparents and other concerned Americans to show their support for children and for the proper education of children. More importantly, August 28 is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, one of the great speeches of human history given by one of the greatest of all Americans.
King’s speech advocated for America to finally live up to its founding principles of each and every citizen being treated equally before the law and having fair and equal opportunity for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Today, King’s dream of a color-bind society is not even taught in many of the schools that have adopted the ideas of critical race theory. If they mention King at all, the proponents of CRT teach that these ideas are obsolete, archaic and even…fundamentally racist.
King was not only a spokesperson for a race-blind America. He was also a student of the Enlightenment and a strong supporter of America’s founding fathers and founding principles. From the speech:
“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence…”
“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”
“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”
The anti-American and miseducated progressives that support CRT would have us “cancel” Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, as they are now cancelling King. They wrongly reject the teachings and actions of our founders as motivated only by white supremacy and slavery. King was wise, brave and virtuous. He is the epitome of the kind of person that is so sorely lacking in our world today. His legacy deserves to be celebrated, not desecrated. His great speech honored, not ignored.
I propose a nationwide and annual celebration of the teachings of King, and the beginnings of a new movement to fight to reclaim the original civil rights movement’s goal of a race-blind society. I suggest this be not a top-down organized initiative but a true grassroots effort. I ask that all of the organizations, large and small, that are fighting CRT, and all of the organizations, large and small, that believe in the classical liberal and Enlightenment values of the United States participate. Rallies or protests, picnics or speech readings, in-person or virtual. Let’s come together, united by King’s message of brotherhood, on the anniversary of his great speech and let’s stop the race-based divisiveness that is tearing our country apart.
A Personal Update and a Request for Volunteers
So what have I been up to in the last few weeks since my last newsletter? In short, I have been talking to a lot of parents, been speaking with parent groups, and I’ve done some media appearances. I have also been in contact with a number of the organizations that are active in this fight against CRT. My aim has been to figure out the following. Collectively, what do we need to do to win this fight against CRT? What are existing organizations already doing? What is not being done?
It has taken a little while but I think I now have these answers. Writing and speaking are important in getting the message out and in motivating others to stand up, but it is time to start acting. It is time to start getting things done!
The initiatives on which I’d like to focus, some of which I discussed in my previous newsletter, are these:
Support for the 8/28 day of grassroots events honoring MLK’s I have a Dream Speech and advocating for a new race-blind civil rights movement.
Building a new social networking platform that allows parents to anonymously and/or privately connect with each other to fight CRT on a per school and per school district basis and to publicly share and expose information about what is being taught at their children’s schools.
Upgrading the speakupforeducation.org website. I would like to add more resources for parents, links to relevant news articles and a database of all of the local parent organizations fighting CRT. These are all helpful features for which many of you have requested.
Expanding this newsletter to a least once per week, sharing recent news items and original opinion pieces, and highlighting success stories in our nationwide fight against CRT.
#DefundCRT. I would like to build a marketing effort around the concept of a nationwide donor strike against institutions that teach and espouse CRT, and redirect that money to organizations fighting our cause.
Creating a new model of an affordable private school, focused on secular classical education, with a strong history and civics component and an emphasis on critical thinking and free speech. I would like to build the flagship school for this new model in New York City.
I will, this week, start a 501(c)(3) organization but I do need help. What we can accomplish will depend on the organization we can build, the resources we can gather and the money we can raise. There’s a lot to do.
Four things come to mind that would be helpful: writing, research, website/technology and fundraising. I’m sure there’s more too. Over the past few months a large number of you have asked to help out so I am hoping that many of you still harbor those feelings. If you do, and would like to join this effort, please email me at andrew@speakupforeducation.org. Let me know what you think you can contribute, which of the initiatives are of interest to you, and approximately, how much time per week you think you can give. At least for now, this will be a volunteer effort, as it is for me. The cause is noble!
Lastly, I will be co-hosting a new podcast, tentatively titled “Take Back Our Schools” which should launch later this summer. More details soon.
Donations and Funding
Since my Brearley letter went viral, so many of you have graciously and generously offered to support my efforts in this fight against CRT. I will shortly be adding the ability to make donations directly through the speakupforeducation.org website. In addition, I welcome the opportunity to discuss donations with you directly. Please feel free to email me at andrew@speakupforeducation.org.
Getting in touch
I always welcome, and look forward to your comments, suggestions and thoughts. You can reach out through the website: speakupforeducation.org or email me at andrew@speakupforeducation.org.
Please also share this newsletter and tell your friends!
No comments? I'm honored to be the first. Thanks for having the courage to speak out, and cool website.
My local school district superintendent has enacted these: https://defendinged.org/incidents/west-linn-wilsonville-schools-emphasizes-importance-of-anti-racism-in-social-studies/
I'd like to file a FOIA request with the school district https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/ but there is no link and their comm's person isn't responding to me. It's a school district comprised of two cities, but not sure which one, if either, holds the emails for the district. Thoughts? I'd like to find where they got those Racism & Equity Action Plans