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San Diego teachers allegedly underwent ‘white privilege’ training, were told ‘you are racist’

Terresa Monroe-Hamilton December 7, 2020

San Diego Unified School District reportedly held “white privilege” training for teachers in which they were told, “you are racist” and were asked to commit to becoming “anti-racist” activists in the classroom. “We acknowledge that we meet on stolen land, taken from Indigenous peoples. I am speaking to you from Kumeyaay land. We must acknowledge the hidden history of violence against Indigenous peoples in an effort to move towards justice,” one slide read.

The training documents, obtained by independent journalist Christopher F. Rufo, reveal training sessions with instructors notifying faculty members they will experience “guilt, anger, apathy [and] closed-mindedness.”

This was allegedly voluntary training but some claim that it was required. The teachers that attended were taught about “land acknowledgment” and asked to accept that the U.S. was established on stolen Native American land. They also were instructed about the teachings of “White Fragility” author Robin DiAngelo and “Be Antiracist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection and Action” author Ibram X. Kendi.

After viewing segments featuring the two radical authors, the trainers informed the teachers that “you are racist” and are “upholding racist ideas, structures, and policies.”

The group was urged to become “anti-racist” in the classroom as well as “confront and examine [their] white privilege” and “teach others to see their privilege.”

The trainers reportedly say that “white people in America hold most of the [power]” and white teachers are “preserved at every level of power.”

The training begins with a "land acknowledgement," in which the teachers are asked to accept that they are colonizers living on stolen Native American land. Then they are told they will experience "guilt, anger, apathy, [and] closed-mindedness" because of their "white fragility." pic.twitter.com/meUO3GiXNu

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) December 3, 2020

Hundreds of teachers opted-in to attend the professional development session, which was based on the teachings put forth by author Anneliese A. Singh’s “Racial Healing Handbook.”

“We are a majority-minority district with a majority white teacher workforce. The ability to hold honest conversations about race with grace is important, which is why we offered the training and why so many teachers elected to enroll,” a district spokeswoman said in a statement.

“Our students benefit from being able to talk about race and other difficult issues, regardless of their background. Most of all, we believe every open and sincere conversation about race — no matter how it begins — provides an opportunity to learn from one another, for hearts to open, and for minds to grow,” the spokeswoman stated.

After watching clips of Robin DiAngelo and Ibram Kendi, the trainers tell the teachers: “you are racist,” “you are upholding racist ideas, structures, and policies,” and that they must commit to becoming “antiracist” in the classroom. They must submit to the new racial orthodoxy. pic.twitter.com/EEFNc0H1em

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) December 3, 2020

This particular district has previously made a vow to become “anti-racist” following nationwide protests against racial injustice, which began in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.

The district has recently undergone a major overhaul to its grading system as a part of a larger effort to supposedly combat racial discrimination.

Data purportedly revealed that there were significant disparities between the percentage of white and minority students who received D or F grades in the first semester of the last school year.

The teachers are told that they are part of an oppressive white power structure. The trainers claim that “white people in America hold most of the [power]” and that white teachers have an “ability to thrive” that is “being preserved at every level of power.” pic.twitter.com/NMTpiyb6Ws

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) December 3, 2020

White students made up 7 percent of all D or F grades, black students accounted for about 20 percent, and Hispanic students received about 23 percent.

In an effort to prevent discrimination, the school board voted to eliminate non-academic factors such as late work and classroom behavior in a student’s grade.

“This is part of our honest reckoning as a school district,” said Richard Barrera, who is the district’s vice president.

“If we’re actually going to be an anti-racist school district, we have to confront practices like this that have gone on for years and years.”

Finally, teachers are told they must become “antiracist” activists. They must “confront and examine [their] white privilege,” “acknowledge when [they] feel white fragility,” and “teach others to see their privilege.” They must turn their schools into activist organizations. pic.twitter.com/1KaJobp5Km

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) December 3, 2020

The school board also vowed to increase diversity among faculty, require school police to undergo de-escalation training and require training to eliminate bias in the hiring process.

President Trump has moved to cancel taxpayer-funded seminars on ‘critical race theory’, describing them as “a sickness that cannot be allowed to continue.”