Is Critical Race Theory being taught at Grand Haven Area Public Schools? Not only is Critical Race Theory being taught, so is critical literacy, antiracism, and concepts like your identity is connected to your power and privilege. So, the answer is definitely yes and there is overwhelming evidence to prove it.
First let’s define Critical Race Theory. According to the Brookings Institute critical race theory states that U.S. social institutions (e.g., the criminal justice system, education system, labor market, housing market, and healthcare system) are laced with racism embedded in laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that lead to differential outcomes by race.
According to Wikipedia Critical race theory (CRT) is a cross-disciplinary intellectual and social movement of civil-rights scholars and activists who seek to examine the intersection of race and law in the United States and to challenge mainstream American liberal approaches to racial justice.
According to Britannica critical race theory (CRT) is an intellectual and social movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.
So, Critical Race Theory looks at how laws and regulations of institutions are used with respect to discrimination.
GHAPS Leadership
Three top leaders at GHAPS all say that CRT is not being taught at GHAPS. School Board president Carl Treutler says CRT is not being taught, but he says the district does put an emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Superintendent Scott Grimes says it has never been taught, but the following vocabulary terms have been defined for the staff so they could have a better understanding of what they are.
Power and Privilege
Identity
Marginalize
Anti-racist
Decolonize Thoughts
Implicit bias
Social Justice
Intersectionality
Director of Instructional Services Mary Jane Evink says CRT is not being taught, but she appeared as a guest speaker on a New Detroit Town Hall where she discussed implementing elements of Critical Race Theory in our district.
What are these three leaders really saying? Do they really understand what is being taught? What is involved in teaching Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? Do those concepts relate to, or overlap with concepts of social justice, anti-racism, intersectionality and Critical Race Theory? If terms are being defined, aren’t concepts being taught? If you appear as a guest speaker discussing implementing CRT aren’t you implementing CRT?
GHAPS Professional Development Contract
The contract between GHAPS and Design Group International states that Design Group International will “implement Implicit Bias education.” In addition, the contract states, “A goal of this Agreement is to increase support to students with marginalized identities.” The GHAPS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee was put together in response to this contract. The contract covers the period of one year and is set to expire in June of 2022. You can view the entire contract here.
Deanna Rolffs is the primary contact at Design Group International regarding this contract. You can see Deanna Rolffs speak in a video linked in this article.
Deanna Rolffs may not mention the word critical race theory. Maybe she isn’t teaching CRT? But she does discuss teaching implicit bias, equity, and increasing support to marginalized identities. How does she plan to do that? Are these ideas really good for our children?
Momentum Center
The Momentum Center, a local non-profit organization, has an anti-racism task force and GHAPS is a sponsor. In addition, several members of GHAPS have volunteered for the Momentum Center including Director of Instructional Services Mary Jane Evink and former Assistant Superintendent Brian Wheeler. Tracey Nauta, a member of GHAPS DEIB committee also volunteers at the Momentum Center.
The Momentum Center anti-racism task force intends to lesson racism while exploring connections between race and religion, indigenous cultures, the justice system, health care and businesses. They recommend you read books such as Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You and Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X Kendi, Birth of a White Nation by Jacqueline Battalora and Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. They hold Anti-Racism Town Halls where speakers such as Deanna Rolffs and Calvin Terrill perpetuate the myth that we are all racist horrible people. In reality, most of their Town Hall meetings work to divide people into the oppressed and oppressors while they focus on the implicit bias of the white attendants.
Classroom Lessons
The goal of professional development is to train the teachers so that they can better teach the students. Lessons on concepts such as marginalization and social justice are starting to trickle down to the students. The amount of exposure the students receive depends greatly on the beliefs of their teachers, but there is no doubt it is happening. Here are some examples.
10th grade English at GHAPS studying To Kill a Mockingbird learned about concepts such as white savior and white privilege. -
AP Language and Composition students at GHAPS had 10 weeks of a Cultural Perspectives unit where they were exposed to these concepts. -
Who is Benjamin Rogers? Answer: A GHAPS choir teacher that resigned. His resignation speech included in this article discusses Critical Race Theory teacher training at GHAPS.
Calling All Colors
Each member of the student group Calling All Colors received a copy of the book This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell while on a field trip that took place before Covid shutdowns. This book defines the dominant culture, instructs readers to define their identity, discusses power and privilege, explains how institutions are racist, discusses microaggressions and works to turn children into activists. The first four chapters of this book were later used in Academy Class at the high school as the basis for anti-racism lessons.
Here are some images from the book This Book is Antiracist.
The group Calling All Colors also put together a presentation for students entitled “What is racism?” Slide number2 says: “Main Points: Racism is both personal prejudice and systemic abuse of power by institutions.” And “Several institutions uphold racist beliefs that bring horrible consequences to people of color.” These slides prove that Critical Race Theory is being stated as fact and presented to students.
Slide 3 continues: “Racism is personal prejudice and bias AND the systemic misuse and abuse of power by institutions.” It continues…”Institutions – established laws, policies, customs, and procedures that are part of our culture and way of being.” This is the definition of Critical Race Theory.
The presentation continues and includes standardized testing, IQ testing, loan laws, the Flint Water Crisis, and healthcare statistics as examples of systemic racism. It then defines white, upper middle class, cisgendered, male, Christian and neurotypical as the dominant culture and instructs the class to reflect on how these institutions and their leaders uphold the racial hierarchy by giving privilege to people who more closely reflect the dominant culture.
You can view the entire presentation here -
Summary
Based on these documents, I would argue that not only has Critical Race Theory been taught at GHAPS, but that teachers have received at least some training in concepts such as social justice, marginalization, anti-racism, implicit bias and intersectionality among other divisive concepts. Administrators might believe these concepts to be different from Critical Race Theory which is why they claim CRT is not being taught. Regardless, these concepts will destroy our children and our community if they are allowed to continue.
Instead of teaching divisive concepts to our youth GHAPS should do the following things.
The contract with Design Group International should be cancelled immediately. The GHAPS DEI committee should be disbanded. GHAPS should cease partnership with the Anti-Racism Task Force at the Momentum Center. The Calling All Colors student group should be discontinued. Teachers should be instructed not to teach children concepts that include the following and should face suspension if they do teach these concepts:
1. One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex
2. An individual by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously
3. An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s race
4. An individual’s moral character, standing or worth is necessarily determined by the individual’s race or sex
5. 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
6. An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of the individual’s race or sex
7. 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
The school board should reference Texas Legislature HB 3979 for guidance on these topics.
CRT and other divisive concepts are being taught in GHAPS. This problem will only worsen until community members stand-up and make their voices heard.