According to the book “This Book is Anti-Racist” by Tiffany Jewell, which was used for lessons in academy class at Grand Haven High School,
“Anti-racism is making a commitment to resisting unjust laws.”
“The Dominant Culture is …….white, middle class, Christian and cicgender. They are in charge of the institutions.”
“Reverse racism is not real.”
“In a racist society it’s not enough to be non-racist. We must be Anti-racist.”
This book assumes every institution is racist and it teaches children to seek and find racism where racism doesn’t necessarily exist. It relates racist stories from the past and teaches children these beliefs are still widely held by white people and by institutions.
Racism is wrong. I am not a racist and I am not an antiracist.
An antiracist is an activist who believes our institutions are full of racism.
To be anti-racist means to tear down these systems.
Critical Race Theory examines the relationship between race and law, whereas Antiracism bypasses the examination phase and states there is a relationship, and the institutions implement racist rules that must be resisted.
Although GHAPS leaders continually state GHAPS doesn’t teach CRT, it is indisputable that antiracism has been taught at GHAPS. In fact, according to the Momentum Center Antiracism Task Force website, GHAPS is a partner. Teaching Antiracism is even worse than teaching Critical Race Theory because it bypasses the examination phase and dictates what students must think.
Does the GHAPS school board really understand what GHAPS is teaching? If yes, then why do they believe that our children must become activists? The school’s job is education. The school’s job is to teach reading, writing and math.
Ferry Elementary School received a significant number of antiracist children’s books from The Conscious Kid.
According to its website, “The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization that supports families and educators in taking action to disrupt racism, inequity and bias.” The website contains videos such as Bravo Finn Menzies! Breaking Barriers. Breaking Norms, which push the perspective that there are a lot of genders and neglect to present the viewpoint that are only two genders.
The Conscious Kid also contains a resource section that defines key racial literacy terms such as anti-black racism, bamboo ceiling, colorism, critical consciousness, implicit bias, intersectionality, micro-affirmation and race evasiveness. In addition, the resource section contains pages on how to talk to kids about race, racial trauma, and children’s books on race, racism and resistance.
According to the email below, Ferry School received the books pictured above because it is a Title 1 School which means it contains a significant number of low-income families.
The Conscious Kid clearly presents only one point of view on numerous controversial issues. In addition, it appears to inadvertently teach racism in its mission to push the antiracism agenda. Why is GHAPS supporting an organization that goes against GHAPS policy 2240 Controversial Issues? Why is GHAPS teaching the antiracism agenda which perpetuates racism and expects children to become activists?
Because these books were provided to the school by an organization which states it pushes antiracism, these books should be reviewed. If they contain content that do indeed teach children concepts such as follows, they should be removed from the school libraries because they violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex
An individual by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously
An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s race
An individual’s moral character, standing or worth is necessarily determined by the individual’s race or sex
An individual by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex
An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of the individual’s race or sex
Meritocracy or traits such as hard work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race
GHAPS needs to stick to teaching reading, writing and math, quit perpetuating racism, and stop expecting our children to become activists.