He say yo momma fat

Part 6 - Critical Race Theory in Menomonie

It is recess at the middle school. A group of at least three people approaches you with a kind of action-seeking swagger. The leader of the group says to you (pointing and accusing a student elsewhere on the schoolyard) “He say yo momma fat.” [Translation: “Just to be helpful, we are letting you know that this other person insulted your mother, and now you have to fight to defend her honor - while we watch and taunt and cheer.”]

The scenario above was played out almost daily in my public school experience growing up in Louisiana in the 1970s. It was entertainment for many, I guess. Hey, there was no internet. And I can talk lots about living in that truly racist time and place - another time. It was nothing like Menomonie in 2023.

This story reminds me of Critical Race Theory, a tool used by powerful people and systems to make the less powerful fight each other for the benefit of the powerful.

CRT says: “People-of-color, your white neighbor say yo momma fat.”

Critical Race Theorists divide everyone into two groups, “oppressors” and “victims.”

As “oppressors,” white people (93.3% of the citizens of Menomonie) are told that we are hopelessly, irredeemably evil and are out to get people of color, whether we know it or not. So even when we seem to be just picking up pizza rolls at Walmart, we are still a serious problem for society.

Those of us who “possess whiteness” have our own issues and pains and dreams. I don’t think thwarting you and yours are high on our to-do list.

Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Why it matters

It seems to me that NOBODY escapes without therapy in the CRT worldview. If you accept the story that you are just born hopelessly evil because of your skin color and there is NOTHING you can do to redeem yourself, why even go on living? As a reasonably confident adult I can let those accusations roll off my back, but can a FIVE year old? An EIGHT year old? CRT infiltrates and perhaps even TARGETS the earliest years of public education.

Photo by bady abbas on Unsplash

And what of the “victims” who are taught - at BEST - that their efforts in any area will be unsuccessful because a group of hate-filled white people and white-designed power systems will always stop them. At worst - will these oppressors hurt you or kill you? How would you have felt hearing this repeatedly as a small child?

Dunn County Education Alternatives recently had an event where CRT was discussed. Excerpts from this video were presented. Two of the speakers on the video had biracial children. What do you tell a child who has a black parent and a white parent? How can that child and family possibly find a sane way through CRT teachings?

Is there Critical Race Theory in the School District of the Menomonie Area (SDMA?)

Here are just some of the CRT books in our school libraries. Yellow links are to reviews with excerpts.

“Not my idea: a book about whiteness” by Anastasia Higginbotham - an audiobook at Wakanda Elementary

“How to be an antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi (adult level) - books at MMS (?!?) and MHS

“How to be a (young) antiracist” also by Kendi (young adult level) - book at MHS

"Stamped: racism, antiracism, and you” by Jason Reynolds

“Stamped (for kids): racism, antiracism, and you” - In a variety of editions and versions and languages including in book format in all elementary schools except for Wakanda where the copy is lost.

“Antiracist Baby” by Ibram X. Kendi - in book form at River Heights Elementary

Additionally, one speaker on the CRT video mentioned BrainPop as being an educational subscription service which had at one time, in his opinion, been a very good resource. But he felt it had gone over to the CRT camp.

The SDMA pays almost $17,000 a year to provide BrainPop to all elementary and middle school students in the district. The contract, I am told, does not allow for guest/visitor viewing of the material (that means me,) so it would be helpful if someone with a school login would take a look at it and see if it seems problematic. Let me know. :)

In Closing . . .

Here are two five minute basic videos on CRT.

Here is a link to, probably, more than you ever wanted to know about Critical Race Theory.

From the CFER document on the above page:

The series so far:

Part 1 - Book rating system; How to find out what sexually explicit books are in your school library

Part 2 - MHS, MMS and MPL problematic books list; Report presented to the SDMA school board; Book banning

Part 3 - How books find your child; Sexy, violent books as medicine

Part 4 - Book lists for neighboring districts, a comparison; Dunn County Education Alternatives and how to leave the public school system

Part 5 - The American Library Association is not your friend; the Menomonie Public Library