‘ Our governor does not have expertise]or ] knowledge in these areas ‘
Virginia Commonwealth University scientists are unsatisfied with Republican Governor. Glenn Youngkin wants to evaluate the school’s “racial education” education before it becomes a requirement for new individuals.
In response to the death of George Floyd, the VCU Undergraduate Curriculum Committee established a “racial education” requirement in response to what took place at different campuses. It was supposed to start in the fall of next year.
The college, however, placed the kibosh on the requirement, noting that it had “enough instructors to deliver qualification courses to the inbound 5, 000 freshmen and transfer students.”
Courses like” Introduction to Race and Racism in the United States” and” Reading Race” were still accessible to students, but they were optional, according to Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos.
But the VCU student news reported last month that” after decades of petitioning” the “racial education” condition is back on the table, probably for this slide.
It seems the university’s “racial education” working group has created 15 new training in addition to the two mentioned. According to an update from late October, preliminary course titles include” Justice and Equity in Visual Arts and Education”,” Leadership in the’ New Demography ‘: Immigration Theory and Politics”, and” Representations of Race in Cinema”.
Another that is still under development states that individuals “watch find Star Trek episodes, then join in group as groups to discuss cultural literacy concepts in mild of each episode.” I’m curious if” NuTrek” — shows like” Discovery”,” Strange New Worlds” and” Picard” — will be a main focus as they’re considered by many longtime Trek fans to be ridiculously woke/PC. )
Regarding Gov. Youngkin’s program review demand, some at VCU apparently “were thrown for a loop”.
Kristin Reed, an associate professor in VCU’s Targeted Inquiry system, said Youngkin’s review is an “unprecedented action” and accused the government of creating a” culture of fear and misuse”.
” We have faculty at VCU who are specialists in racial justice history, the sociology of race and racism, the psychology of race and racism … and to my knowledge, our governor does not have expertise]or ] knowledge in these areas”, Reed said. ” So it’s very hard to assess what he might be looking for, other than political]reasons ]”.
Less: Grants at Drexel U. account ‘ cultural literacy’ for post- kindergarten teachers
Reed ( pictured ) does n’t appear to be a” specialist in racial justice history”, etc. either way, her PhD focuses on quantitative writing with a focus on writing, text, and visual arts.
And Amy Rector, the chairman of VCU’s World Studies software who co- chaired the team that developed the “racial literacy” courses, specializes in “early people evolution in eastern and southern Africa” and “identifying and analyzing geological animal communities”.
The Department of Education’s Ana Edwards is the only academic mentioned in the linked news stories with a background that seems to be relevant to “racial literacy.” of African- American Studies. But even so, while her masters is in history ( she does n’t have a PhD ), her undergraduate degree is in “visual arts” with assorted grad courses in “painting and drawing”.
Not that this matters much, mind you. Look at what we’ve gotten from supposed “racial literacy” experts so far. And my former school district once loosed “racial literacy experts” upon teachers and paras for “racial literacy” training, but they were just fellow teachers and school counselors who had gained their “expertise” at a single weekend seminar.
Youngkin has two bachelor’s degrees, two of which are mechanical engineering and managerial studies, as well as an MBA from Harvard, for what it’s worth.
Members of the board of visitors, parents, and students across the commonwealth have concerns about core curriculum mandates that are a thinly veiled attempt to incorporate the progressive left’s groupthink, according to Youngkin’s office, according to a local news outlet.
It added” Virginia’s public institutions should be teaching our students how to think, not what to think and not advancing ideological conformity”.
Does anyone think Reed’s approach to “racial literacy” would be fair and balanced? VCU students have led the way in demanding justice for Palestine and a resolution for a ceasefire, according to the pinned tweet on her X account. If you have n’t already done so, email your council rep and let them know you support a permanent, immediate ceasefire”.
There’s more posts ( and retweets ) of similar material, as well as those pertaining to other far- left causes. Rector’s and Edwards ‘ social media, while not as overtly political as Reed’s, also are far- left.
All of which make Youngkin’s concerns quite valid.
Look, you want to spew your progressive propaganda in your classroom? Academic freedom, such that it is, essentially allows it. However, it does n’t let you make students listen to it.
If you want “racial literacy” courses, fine — but make’ em electives. Students will continue to take them if they prove to be different from the typical racial academic swill ( highly unlikely ).
But, alas, dogmatists do n’t like freedom.
MORE:” Distinguished scholar” delivers lecture to U. Washington audience on white people’s racial illiteracy.
IMAGES: HomeArt/Shutterstock .com, VCU
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