As “woke” ideology continues its long march through America’s schools, the state of Oregon has adopted social-studies standards requiring kindergartners to identify examples of “racial injustice.” Under the new standards, kindergartners will “define diversity” while “comparing and contrasting visible and invisible similarities and differences” between themselves and their fellow students.
The new standards for integrating ethnic studies in social-studies curricula for kindergarten through 12th grade require adding new “perspectives and histories” so that students can “feel welcome and recognized in the classroom and a part of our collective narrative, our shared history,” according to Fox News.
And while the new standards are written for K-12, they are written to specifically spell out what is expected in kindergarten classes. And what they spell out indicates that kindergarten in Oregon is going full “woke.”
Under “Civics and Government,” the new standards — which are highlighted in the document for clarity — state that five-year-old children in Oregon’s government schools will be instructed and trained to “Engage in respectful dialogue with classmates to define diversity comparing and contrasting visible and invisible similarities and differences” and “Develop an understanding of one’s own identity groups including, but not limited to, race, gender, family, ethnicity, culture, religion, and ability.”
Wow. In the days of this writer’s misspent youth, kindergartners mostly focused on learning the alphabet and coloring inside the lines. Now, they will be learning that it’s cool that one of Heather’s mommies is a black, gender-fluid atheist and the other is a pagan Wiccan of Hispanic descent.
Under “Geography,” the standards require that children only a few years past toddlerhood “Examine culturally significant traditions, celebrations, days, and places including those from cultures that are currently and historically marginalized.” So, when Heather’s two mommies wish everyone a happy Kwanzaa by saying, “Habari gani,” Heather’s playmates will know the appropriate response.
Under “History (Local, State, National, and World) (Focus: Me and My World) Historical Knowledge,” the standards require that kindergartners “Identify examples of unfairness or injustice towards individuals or groups and the ‘changemakers,’ who worked to make the world better.” Heather’s two mommies will be seen as the “heroes” they always knew they were.
And just to assure that there is no blurring of diversity and equality, the standards require the young tikes to “Make connections identifying similarities and differences including race, ethnicity, culture, disability, and gender between self and others.”
And under “Social Science Analysis,” the standards dictate that children so young they likely have not yet mastered simple social tasks such as sharing and taking turns “Identify possible solutions to injustices that demonstrate fairness and empathy.”
As students move from grade to grade, their “wokeness” training intensifies — building on the foundation they had laid for them in kindergarten. In first grade, students will learn to “Define equity, equality, and systems of power,” and “Describe how individual and group characteristics are used to divide, unite, and categorize racial, ethnic, and social groups.” They will also learn to “Examine and understand your own self-identity and how it fits with the identity of the family, school, and the local community” as well as how to “Identify and explain the perspectives of racial, ethnic, and social groups in our community on local issues including individuals who are American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian or Americans of African, Asian, Pacific Island, Chicano/a, Latino/a, or Middle Eastern descent; individuals from all religious backgrounds; and individuals from traditionally marginalized groups.”
One only hopes that by this time, they have somehow learned the alphabet and how to color inside the lines.
In second grade, kids will be taught to “Explain how inherited wealth and scarcity affect individual and group power and the ability to make decisions about personal savings and spending” and “Use listening, consensus-building, and voting procedures to decide on and take informed action to interrupt injustice or promote justice in their community.”
By the time they enter the third grade, Heather and her classmates will — in essence — be junior members of Antifa and BLM, or at least be prepared to be such.
And from third grade to 12th grade, it only gets worse. In high school, kids on the verge of adulthood with full voting rights will learn to “Analyze the positive and negative implications of the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and Amendments, Supreme Court decisions, Federal Laws, and executive orders, for political, legal, economic, and social equality for all, including traditionally marginalized groups.”
By focusing on the “positive and negative implications of the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and Amendments,” students will likely learn to hate America, its history, and its system of government as well as dismiss the Western concepts of community and liberty as understood by our Founding Fathers. And of course they will be taught to hate the Founding Fathers.
And since principles build on one another, it is important to look at the final change in the standards — for that seems to be a good indicator of where this is going. High-school students will learn to “Identify and critique how implicit bias, institutional racism, racial supremacy, privilege, intersectionality, and identity, influence perspectives in the understanding of history and contemporary events.”
That these standards are based in Gender Ideology, Critical Race Theory, and anti-Western (in general) and anti-American (in particular) sentiments is apparent. Nonetheless, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) told Fox News that Critical Race Theory is “not mandated in any standards.” As Fox News reported:
An ODE spokesman specified in a statement to Fox News Digital that local school boards adopt curriculum to meet state standards set forth by the department, and that Critical Race Theory “is not mandated in any standards.”
“However, it is clear that racial equity be addressed to support every learner,” the spokesman said. “We know there are long-standing inequities in our systems that have led to gaps in outcomes for students of color. We do emphasize culturally responsive professional learning and an inclusive curriculum that is reflective of all communities in our state. There is both an intellectual and ethical basis for centering equity in professional learning and instructional materials, primarily so ODE can meet its responsibility to create the conditions in which every student can reach their full potential.
“There is a long and painful history of racial bias in education,” he continued. “Students are ready for systems and institutions to change. Creating a just and equitable learning environment that embraces the history and experiences of its learners is not only good for students, but also for our communities and our shared future.”
Our “shared future” is looking bleak indeed with standards such as these to guide “education.”
