A white Brandeis University dean posted that she hated her own “whiteness” on Instagram this week, defending the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
“Yes, all white people are racist in that all white people have been conditioned in a society where one’s racial identity determines life experiences/outcomes and whiteness is the norm and default,” Brandeis University dean of Graduate Student Affairs Kate Slater said in her post, according to the New York Post. “That includes me!”
Slater, a self-described “white anti-racist scholar and educator,” said in the Post story that teaching critical race theory does not create oppression, but names what already exists in the system.
“Debates about critical race theory are often straw men for debates about whether systemic racism is real,” Slater said.
The “About Me” section regarding Slater on the university’s website includes a description of her educational philosophy in her own words.
“I believe that a core pillar of racial justice work is the redistribution of resources to people of color.” She said. “I donate 75% of all facilitation / training / writing fees to individuals, nonprofits, and mutual aid organizations that focus on the uplift of BIPOC communities.”
She also has a link to a syllabus of a course she teaches on racism that heavily includes materials from the controversial New York times 1619 Project which posits that the nation was founded on white supremacy, slavery, and capitalism instead of justice for all its citizens.
More than a dozen mostly “red” states have already banned or restricted the controversial curriculum, with Tennessee being the latest.
The Biden administration is supporting the curriculum and may offer grants to institutions that teach the material.
The administration included guidance on the issue on the Federal Register.
“American History and Civics Education programs can play an important role in this critical effort by supporting teaching and learning that reflects the breadth and depth of our nation's diverse history and the vital role of diversity in our nation's democracy,” the listing said. “For example, there is growing acknowledgement of the importance of including, in the teaching and learning of our country's history, both the consequences of slavery, and the significant contributions of Black Americans to our society. This acknowledgement is reflected, for example, in the New York Times' landmark “1619 Project” and in the resources of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History.”
Meanwhile debate on the issue is playing out between educators and parents during local boards of education meetings throughout the country.
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