Apparently, two groups of parents are at war in Loudoun County, Virginia. The cause? Very strong disagreements about what their kids should be taught in classrooms about critical race theory (CRT) and its derivatives. What led to this?
CRT began as an academic movement studying the intersectionality of race, power and legal structures. What began as an obscure academic theory has evolved into a full-grown movement which advocates some controversial ideas. Those ideas include “white supremacy” is prevalent and perpetuates with the protection of the law, and is focused on “anti-subordination” and “racial emancipation.”
My colleague, Joanne Florino, wrote CRT has become entrenched in the K-12 curriculum in many districts. I’ve been contacted by numerous concerned parents, non-profits and donors about the hiring of “consultants” by districts to make CRT mandatory in public school classrooms. These are people who are as concerned about vulnerable populations, equality before the law and fairness as those espousing CRT. Yet CRT’s race-based premises attempt to disqualify them from raising concerns about the ideas being promoted in schools.
Back to Loudoun County. It started with parents concerned that controversial CRT ideas were causing young children to focus too much on race, diminishing tolerance and harmony, rather than improving it. Two groups, the Virginia Project and Parents Against Critical Theory, held a webinar called “What is CRT and its impact on Loudoun County Schools?” on March 7.
That’s when a group of current and former teachers and others in Loudoun County, using a 624-member private Facebook group called “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County,” compiled a lengthy list of parents suspected of disagreeing with school system actions, including its teaching of controversial CRT concepts.
The stated purpose, in part, was to “infiltrate,” use “hackers” to silence parents’ communications and “expose these people publicly.” Some used pseudonyms, but The Daily Wire has identified them as including recognizable names in this affluent jurisdiction outside D.C., including school staff and elected officials.
The Sheriff’s criminal investigations division is reviewing the matter. Guess what? The county’s prosecutor is a member of the “Anti-Racist Parents” Facebook group.
Just what were the concerned parents who became the targets of the “Anti-Racist” group worried about?
- In January 2020, the school board’s Equity Committee voted unanimously to “offer/provide Equity in the Center training to parents.”
- The school system proposed, then withdrew (October 2020), a policy to ban teachers from disagreeing with the schools’ racial philosophies, even when not on school district property.
- December 2020 — paid about $500,000 for race programs for schools.
- Requiring all staff to undergo “Equity in the Center” training promoting a sense of injustice and urgency.
- In January 2021, Eric Williams, the superintendent who set up the various equity programs — only to be besieged with unyielding complaints from both sides — quit and moved to lead a much smaller district in Clear Creek, Texas.
The clear, coordinated attempts by the “Anti-Racist” parents to intimidate, silence and harass other parents concerned about what their kids are being taught is a prime example of how what the world would look like if CRT became a dominant set of ideas. What might have begun as academic theory has resulted in horrible behavior from adults. If one wasn’t concerned before, one ought to be now.
Virginia Project has set up a “Justice for Loudoun County Parents” fund, saying “all donations to this fund go to pursuing legal action against the Critical Race Theory domestic terrorism racket we caught red-handed.”
“GoFundMe bowed to pressure from progressive activists and deactivated a fundraiser affiliated with a group of Virginia parents fighting the infusion of critical race theory in Loudoun County Public Schools. Scott Mineo created his GoFundMe in mid-March after a members of a private Facebook group called Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County launched an intimidation campaign against a number of parent groups, including his Parents Against Critical Theory. The group compiled a list of parents, identified their spouses and employers, and called for members to find ways to shut down their websites, the Daily Wire reported. GoFundMe did not specify which term of service Mineo’s page violated.”
From The Washington Free Beacon, March 29, 2021
