Equity and Anti-Racism in Ohio Schools

This is an Ohio citizen’s assessment of the Feb.17, 2021 Ohio Board of Education LWV sponsored webinar on:

“Equity and Anti-Racism in Ohio Schools

Written by: Jan Lukas
February 22. 2021
[Sent to all board members, Paolo DeMaria and two legislators]

“Exploration of Resolution to Condemn Racism and Advance Equity and Opportunity for Black Students, Indigenous Students and Students of Color adopted by the Ohio State Board of Education in July 2020. Board members, Laura Kohler, Meryl, Johnson, Stephanie Dodd and Linda Haycock will explain why the resolution was needed and how it will be implemented.”

Pres. Kohler’s data/graphs and how the resolution came to fruition were most informative. Ms. Haycock’s over the top emotional presentation was ineffective.

Johnson lost me half way through her ‘pre-school BIPOC boys unduly disciplined by white teachers’ rambling, but I remained for the Q&A. No one asked why there are no guidance counselors at many schools. That’s huge. Why not?,

Reasons for needing the resolution sounded emotional not fact based. There seems to be virtue signaling after the Floyd riots rather than attacking the societal cultural issues of inner city children, which is much more difficult to approach and has been the real critical issue. The resolution boldly states that racial disparity (implied in urban schools) is caused by white privilege. Could subjective interpretation of statistics possibly lead to false arbitrary solutions? What may be more valuable is a statistical breakdown of metro, suburban and rural school districts using the same data Kohler offered.

Racial disparity in metro under served public schools is a complex problem with no simple solution. Some State Board of Education members and Sup. DeMaria promote that teaching critical race theory’s “anti-racism”, “white privilege,” “oppressor/oppressed” ideology of Res.20 will solve the crime, drugs, family breakdown, one-parent family, absence of fathers, failed urban city tax bases, red-lining-all in an increasingly secular society. Why not corporate sponsorship of employees’ actively mentoring urban troubled students or a suburb student volunteer reading tutor program for struggling urban 3-4th graders?

“Anti-racism” is divisive false reasoning being used to fix an existing problem. To exploit the educational system and promote Marxist political ideology is unbecoming and destructive.

Is infusing anti-racism into 600 Ohio school districts the “do something different” change that Board Pres. Kohler so desires in her introduction? Did Gov. DeWine ask her to write “something” in response to the riots? Is the Ohio Department of Education more influenced by political unions and lobbyists than by the parents, citizens and teachers of Ohio who know teaching CRT is questionably immoral and perhaps unlawful?

There may be systemic problems but racism is not one of them. Government social engineering is.

Why would you force anyone to to be ashamed of their inherent physical skin color and characteristics? How is it possible to teach a child that they are either “privileged or underprivileged?” This is idiocy and a return to pre-60’s segregation. It’s doomed to fail and will cause greater confusion, uncertainty and division among us and particularly children who are seeking adult guidance. 

The Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DIE) writers, authors, university grant programs and consulting firms are the people profiting from this CON-“Continuing Oppression Narrative.”

The panel did not explain with clarity and logic why this resolution was needed nor how it will be implemented.

May I recommend that they read the writings of black intellectuals, Carol Swain, Thomas Sowell and Wilfred Rielly on Critical Race Theory as a balance to their faulty resolution.

I appreciated the reply from two board members to my previous letter. Your comments are welcomed.

Sincerely concerned for Ohio’s children,

Jan Lukas
Retired Ohio Public School Teacher

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Categories: Education, Free Speech Zone

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