Why CRT Now? And How To Fight It
People have a right to speak to school boards but not to threaten them; there's a lot at stake.
I’m impatient with the media that calls the school board crisis a grassroots assertion of parental rights.
The attacks here and across the country are not spontaneous. Neither are they about parental rights, or the banning of CRT (critical race theory). Did you see what Steve Bannon said about the role CRT will play in the midterms?
These attacks are not about DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), or about vaccinations or mask wearing. These “issues” are tools used to rouse voters to elect new school board members who will then put in place a curriculum with racial and religious goals. Never mind that the separation of church and state is written in our Constitution.
You don’t have to look far online to find conservative think tanks, donors, media, public training courses, lawyers, religious leaders and politicians who support the “grassroots” troops in the field. Cawthorn’s role is obvious.
Last week Heather Cox Richardson said on her Tuesday politics video talk that many school board protesters “are being trained by groups backed by big money, such as Koch”. She then explained the authoritarian process that we’re witnessing.
What do you say to radicalize people? You say, ‘They’re coming for your kids … and with CRT are teaching your children to hate themselves.’ Completely made up, … emotionally based. … You radicalize people around specific issues. … It’s the way you create communities [of people who bond] that can then be politically radicalized. … Once you’ve made them feel like they’re a member of a brotherhood they’ll do anything. … I’m really concerned about that.
Of course, people have a right to complain and to question curriculum during the public comment part of school board meetings. But they don’t have the right to make these decisions, or to threaten elected officials or to incite violence.
This behavior, with the political movement behind it, is the real issue.
Our task as a community is to stand up to threats and violence against elected officials who are working to keep students, staff and families safe, and to educate our children.
I want to open the conversation now about how we can fight this dangerous fake issue. Please read my list below. Comment, add to it, argue with it, and tell us what you’re doing to protect democracy in your county. We’re a team.
Thanks Deda. This is very good. Our Polk County School Board meets this Monday and I will attend to support them. They have made good decisions but our local politics have made their roles into a very uncomfortable place to be. I believe that many of the folks here in Polk County are being manipulated by powerful groups and individuals who use fear, lies, and "dog whistles" to rouse anger. CRT, socialism, anti-Christianism, government control are some of what they fear with no good reasons or understanding. So, thanks for this.