Education’s Role in Diminishing Anti-Semitism and All Bigotry

We are subjected to a thumping media drumbeat declaring America’s systemic racism. Do-gooders justify that vile accusation based on perceived and real bigotry. Offenses often having nothing to do with race or uninvestigated are classified as racist. Academia reinforces by encouraging ‘victocrats’. Young people in school, public and private, kindergarten through graduate school are primed to be offended. They see bigotry behind every white tree and under every pale rock. The slightest offense and fire alarms are pulled. Divisive overpaid diversity, equity and inclusion officials declare a red alert. White Americans and  “white culture” expose their ugly underbelly. On que an alphabet soup of social equity organizations is enlisted to end the systemic hate they knew was there all along. It’s a perfect self-fulfilling prophecy. Self-righteous hammer holders see an ocean of nails that they need to hammer into submission. Books documenting false alarms go unnoticed. 

Newspapers spread the word of rising bigotry. Newly formed parental groups pop up demanding action. School boards pass resolutions evidencing school official’s fidelity to purity of heart. They support babies, puppies, people of color and all those whose numbers are few. New curriculum describing the troubled history of the designated victim flavor group of the week is added under the guise of ethnic studies. Every self-described victimized group mandates its untold story find expression in school. 

California schools rank among the lowest in the nation on academic proficiency tests. Adding curriculum to schools already burdened with too much social-engineering unrelated to academics seems counterproductive to their mission, academics. Schools sticking to reading, writing, math, history and civics has become an old fashion concept.

I suggest there is an unbiased and more effective way to teach our children tolerance, equality not equity and justice not social justice. There is a better way to minimize whatever level of bigotry may manifest itself.

Special classes, lessons and curriculum about Jews, blacks, Hispanics, Chinese, Pacific Islanders, LGBQ… ,all the other groups, some of whose members feel put upon, will become an effort to no particular end other than virtue signaling and separation. It will generate the kind of balkanization that is anathema to American core principles. This approach will not promote tolerance. It will in fact do just the opposite.

If and when alleged incidents do occur, they should be investigated and dealt with individually. 

The best way to teach our kids the MLK character message can be found in the accurate presentation of American history and civics. Imperfect as it has been in practice, American values over more than 250 years, the overriding message is clear. The trajectory is not on a smooth bloodless line in the direction of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” but the unrelating movement toward judgment based on character, equality, tolerance and opportunity is unquestionable. Our kids need to know, most urgently, that no other diverse nation (a word academics worship) has ever done a better job of living out King’s dream. 

As I write on January 17, 2022 kids are sitting home playing on electronic devices. It is Martin Luther King Day. Teacher unions and administrators have decided a day off is appropriate. If eduators really cared about defeating bigotry, this would be a day kids spend in school with lessons in every classroom learning about King’s unifying vision of freedom. That message is best described by an old phrase, ‘freedom for people of every race, color and creed’. No heritage, race, nationality or either gender would get attention based on balance. Instead the values and principles enshrined in our founding documents would be embedded as core American values in the kid’s hearts. ‘Color blind’ would be the theme instead of an imagined micro aggression. Silly me to think uniting around core values is a better message than giving special attention to any particular group. What we all share is America and the incredible principles of its founding. “From many one”. 

By teaching not just the flaws but the victories along a trajectory of progress our kids learn the lesson of tolerance and equality far more effectively then by designating them as members of an aggrieved or oppressor group. 

Diversity as a solution is illusory. Ethnic studies pushing artificially engineered diversity detached from effort, accomplishment, merit and truth is anathema to Constitutional principles. Ethnic studies and its offshoots represent the language of separation. It demeans the ones it is designed to help. Visit your local college for a first-hand look at divisiveness and intolerance among the diverse. Colleges that have perfected the art of diversity are among the least tolerant and free places in America. 

Unity, tolerance and opportunity will be found under the color blind, bold, free and aspirational banner of American values. This is something we all can and should share. Reverend King preached that message by quoting  from scripture and our founding documents until the day he was murdered. Those in charge of our schools and most of the self-professed  “civil rights” organizations should have listened more carefully because they are bastardizing his eternal holy message.