Teacher told kids on zoom class to write about their white privilege

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok let’s talk about black privilege. It’s a thing it exists. Talking about differences is healthy pegging o e group as less than or inherently racist, Ie white privilege is reckless and dangerous. Creating a whole generation of white self loathing kids will only make everyone resentful and really racist in the long run.

Black privilege? Are you serious? White privilege is a very real thing whether you realize it or not. And it’s not necessary a bad thing. No one is saying that because one is white you are abusing or wrongly utilizing your privilege. It’s simple things as you are privilege that the majority of tv shows you watch or books you read represents your race, or when you move into a neighborhood a majority of folks will be neutral towards you. While I think this topic is pretty deep for 10 year olds- the comments on here suggest that perhaps this should be discussed at a younger age.

[Anonymous]

I think everyone should feel that they deserve to be “privileged”. By making privilege a negative experience we established the opposite - everyone should be mistreated regardless of the skin color.

I don’t how how to structure the assignment to make white kids be away that not everyone enjoys the same liberties but deserves to enjoy them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore? Just yes or no. You don’t have to identify which school.

If the school is in Baltimore, we all know which one.

Not Baltimore. DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok let’s talk about black privilege. It’s a thing it exists. Talking about differences is healthy pegging o e group as less than or inherently racist, Ie white privilege is reckless and dangerous. Creating a whole generation of white self loathing kids will only make everyone resentful and really racist in the long run.

Black privilege? Are you serious? White privilege is a very real thing whether you realize it or not. And it’s not necessary a bad thing. No one is saying that because one is white you are abusing or wrongly utilizing your privilege. It’s simple things as you are privilege that the majority of tv shows you watch or books you read represents your race, or when you move into a neighborhood a majority of folks will be neutral towards you. While I think this topic is pretty deep for 10 year olds- the comments on here suggest that perhaps this should be discussed at a younger age.

What a joke I live in a predominantly black neighborhood some people are nice very sone not my whiteness doesn’t make anyone act neutrally towards me sooo many assumptions

[Anonymous]

So sorry OP. This is terrible. I say this as a mixed race woman too. Finding new ways to categorize, separate and embarrass is not the way forward. I was a philosophy major and am well aware of the meta narratives Foucault and Derrida were hoping to tear down. I think of her neo Marxist like Adorno and Marcuse before the postmodernists of the 60s. It is a bizarre philosophy that was mostly started in relation to area studies, especially Mideast Studies on the form of Said’s Orientalism. It trickles down into race with Kimberlee Crenshaw and her theory of intersectionality in the early 90s now it’s Kendi and DiAngelo and that sounds like what this teacher is parroting.

It sad that most people mean well, don’t want to be racist and want a more equitable society. All very good intentions. The problem is the super flawed theory being used to achieve progress only leads to further division. So hopeful we wil do better but this latest way is not it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. All you pearl-clutching white women need to gtfo of DC, if you hate it so much here. Just leave ♥️ No one will miss you, or your racism. Bye

- A white woman, raised in DC, who doesn’t have it easy, but who knows that BEING WHITE isn’t one of the things that has made my life difficult 💕

You are entirely missing the point.

How, might I ask? And how do the emojis say it all? Until you have some actual training in anything surrounding race education - anything more than your own personal, anecdotal experiences to go off of - you just sound racist. And, quite frankly, you sound stupid. You sound like sad, petty people, who are too precious to admit that they could have possibly had some advantage in their skin color being white, because their lives were just *sooooo hard*. Guess what: lots of other folks have had it hard too. Even some white people have had it hard. I was bullied in school for being white. That still doesn’t take away my white privilege. I can go most places in the world or country and my race won’t be the first thing that people notice about me. So if I’m “missing the point”, tell me what point I missed? Or say something else about emojis?

Again, if you hate the “Uber left” in DC so much, then PLEASE LEAVE. No one wants you around! If you’re not smart enough to properly understand the concept of white privilege at this point, though, then I doubt you’ll be smart enough to take my suggestion.

Sorry, you sensitive little flowers. Get used to life ♥️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok let’s talk about black privilege. It’s a thing it exists. Talking about differences is healthy pegging o e group as less than or inherently racist, Ie white privilege is reckless and dangerous. Creating a whole generation of white self loathing kids will only make everyone resentful and really racist in the long run.

Black privilege? Are you serious? White privilege is a very real thing whether you realize it or not. And it’s not necessary a bad thing. No one is saying that because one is white you are abusing or wrongly utilizing your privilege. It’s simple things as you are privilege that the majority of tv shows you watch or books you read represents your race, or when you move into a neighborhood a majority of folks will be neutral towards you. While I think this topic is pretty deep for 10 year olds- the comments on here suggest that perhaps this should be discussed at a younger age.

What a joke I live in a predominantly black neighborhood some people are nice very sone not my whiteness doesn’t make anyone act neutrally towards me sooo many assumptions

Still missing the point. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sorry OP. This is terrible. I say this as a mixed race woman too. Finding new ways to categorize, separate and embarrass is not the way forward. I was a philosophy major and am well aware of the meta narratives Foucault and Derrida were hoping to tear down. I think of her neo Marxist like Adorno and Marcuse before the postmodernists of the 60s. It is a bizarre philosophy that was mostly started in relation to area studies, especially Mideast Studies on the form of Said’s Orientalism. It trickles down into race with Kimberlee Crenshaw and her theory of intersectionality in the early 90s now it’s Kendi and DiAngelo and that sounds like what this teacher is parroting.

It sad that most people mean well, don’t want to be racist and want a more equitable society. All very good intentions. The problem is the super flawed theory being used to achieve progress only leads to further division. So hopeful we wil do better but this latest way is not it.

+1. I'm not educated in philosophy, but I agree with everything you've said and I've believed it for a long time. This is definitely NOT the way to overcome racism and it is absolutely making the situation worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. All you pearl-clutching white women need to gtfo of DC, if you hate it so much here. Just leave ♥️ No one will miss you, or your racism. Bye

- A white woman, raised in DC, who doesn’t have it easy, but who knows that BEING WHITE isn’t one of the things that has made my life difficult 💕

You are entirely missing the point.

How, might I ask? And how do the emojis say it all? Until you have some actual training in anything surrounding race education - anything more than your own personal, anecdotal experiences to go off of - you just sound racist. And, quite frankly, you sound stupid. You sound like sad, petty people, who are too precious to admit that they could have possibly had some advantage in their skin color being white, because their lives were just *sooooo hard*. Guess what: lots of other folks have had it hard too. Even some white people have had it hard. I was bullied in school for being white. That still doesn’t take away my white privilege. I can go most places in the world or country and my race won’t be the first thing that people notice about me. So if I’m “missing the point”, tell me what point I missed? Or say something else about emojis?

Again, if you hate the “Uber left” in DC so much, then PLEASE LEAVE. No one wants you around! If you’re not smart enough to properly understand the concept of white privilege at this point, though, then I doubt you’ll be smart enough to take my suggestion.

Sorry, you sensitive little flowers. Get used to life ♥️

Yes! Some of the comments on here are so insane. They are only understanding one skewed point of white privilege. Perhaps kids should learn this stuff - clearly the adults don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appropriate to high schoolers.

Not appropriate period. It’s another form of racism. Apparently ok to be racist along as it’s against white people. Disgusting

Racism doesn’t mean being aware of race and talking about race. It is systemic oppression of others based on race. This is not racism. It is a discussion of privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol. All you pearl-clutching white women need to gtfo of DC, if you hate it so much here. Just leave ♥️ No one will miss you, or your racism. Bye

- A white woman, raised in DC, who doesn’t have it easy, but who knows that BEING WHITE isn’t one of the things that has made my life difficult 💕

You are entirely missing the point.

How, might I ask? And how do the emojis say it all? Until you have some actual training in anything surrounding race education - anything more than your own personal, anecdotal experiences to go off of - you just sound racist. And, quite frankly, you sound stupid. You sound like sad, petty people, who are too precious to admit that they could have possibly had some advantage in their skin color being white, because their lives were just *sooooo hard*. Guess what: lots of other folks have had it hard too. Even some white people have had it hard. I was bullied in school for being white. That still doesn’t take away my white privilege. I can go most places in the world or country and my race won’t be the first thing that people notice about me. So if I’m “missing the point”, tell me what point I missed? Or say something else about emojis?

Again, if you hate the “Uber left” in DC so much, then PLEASE LEAVE. No one wants you around! If you’re not smart enough to properly understand the concept of white privilege at this point, though, then I doubt you’ll be smart enough to take my suggestion.

Sorry, you sensitive little flowers. Get used to life ♥️

I’m black. Ever been to China or Nigeria or Japan or Guyana? I assure you people will notice your whiteness. I don’t really want such an angry white woman as an ally spewing hate on my behalf. Reading DiAngelo does not make you educated on race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So sorry OP. This is terrible. I say this as a mixed race woman too. Finding new ways to categorize, separate and embarrass is not the way forward. I was a philosophy major and am well aware of the meta narratives Foucault and Derrida were hoping to tear down. I think of her neo Marxist like Adorno and Marcuse before the postmodernists of the 60s. It is a bizarre philosophy that was mostly started in relation to area studies, especially Mideast Studies on the form of Said’s Orientalism. It trickles down into race with Kimberlee Crenshaw and her theory of intersectionality in the early 90s now it’s Kendi and DiAngelo and that sounds like what this teacher is parroting.

It sad that most people mean well, don’t want to be racist and want a more equitable society. All very good intentions. The problem is the super flawed theory being used to achieve progress only leads to further division. So hopeful we wil do better but this latest way is not it.

+1. I'm not educated in philosophy, but I agree with everything you've said and I've believed it for a long time. This is definitely NOT the way to overcome racism and it is absolutely making the situation worse.

Thanks. Instead of critical race theory, we need critical thinking. There are still problems but there better ways forward.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Teacher is Muslim, the class is very small and is a mix of white and non -white. She pointed out the kids who were non -white by name and stated that they must know how it feels to be bullied just like she does. She told the kids to write about their privileges and the kids were confused. She said write down that you are white and European looking and not transgender. Is this appropriate? 5th grade.[/quote]

I mean of course it is not appropriate, if that is truly what happened. I would be furious and I am not "white". Again, I would vet the information first and foremost. If it is true I would go directly to head of school and cc teacher. [/quote]
I think you should ask for more information (from the teacher via email) about the assignment in a very neutral manner and then see what the reply is. Then go to head of school, etc. I do not think this is an appropriate assignment for that age group. High school perhaps, and then done in a less accusatory fashion. The goal is not to have non-white students think all white students are bad. The goal is not to tell young white students they should feel guilty. There is much to unpack and rethink about assignments such as these. Definitely not ok from what is described.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's not appropriate for any teacher to demand that. She has no idea what hardships a child might have been through. She'd hate to hear my child's story. My child would not be participating in that.

Exactly. There is so many assumptions made. Yes, there is racism in our country, but that does not mean that all white children have easy lives. This is so much more an issue of class that race in many cases. This is a damaging assignment and does nothing to promote less racism and/or more inclusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a White person I have benefited from white privilege and I continue to do so. There are enough resources in the world for every one to live with dignity and freedom. I see no reason why I should not use my privilege to acknowledge racism and fight for justice. I don't think that life will become harder for me if this becomes a more equitable society. I fail to understand where the fear is coming from?

I have not benefited from being white so there is that.

You don’t think your skin color has benefited or protected you during traffic stops or other moments you have been in the presence of law enforcement?