The curriculum for the training came from Robin DiAngelo’s book, What Does It Mean to Be White? The staff were allegedly each given a copy of the book to read.
Employees of the Lake Washington School District in Washington state were subjected to "equity classes" where white staff members were told that because of the color of their skin they were "implicitly and explicitly upholding racism and white supremacy."
The curriculum for the training came from Robin DiAngelo’s book, What Does It Mean to Be White? DiAngelo wrote in the book that "whiteness" or "white identity" identity means to be "socialized as a white person, enact Whiteness by implicitly and explicitly upholding racism and white supremacy, and participate in the rewards of being perceived white."
The staff were allegedly each given a copy of the book to read. DiAngelo's website describes "white fragility" as "a state in which even a minimal challenge to the white position becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive responses. These responses function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and maintain white control."
Much of the training it revolved around the "Courageous Compass" which appeared to be used in the training to promote the idea that if you discriminate based on the color of someone’s skin it is somehow "courageous."
Next up was the "Cycle of Cultural Humility" which was aimed to turn the public school faculty members, and thereby their students, into activists for liberal causes.
Teachers were also expected to "Stay Engaged, Experience Discomfort, Speak Your Truth, Expect/Accept Non-Closure." Essentially, teachers are being told to tell their students their opinions rather than the facts, and they are being told what what opinions to have, as well.
According to one staff member, "I have to admit most of the time I had no idea in hell what they were even talking about, and at one point fell asleep (good thing it was online)."
The staff member added, "I have never been a racist, but now I feel as though I am as these ideas are shoved down our throats and our kids' throats every single day."
For a group of educators that claims to be so tolerant of diversity, there is no space for diversity of thought or opinions. "I've had a teacher tell me "I can't stand to talk to Republicans." The staff member continued, "I had a teacher tell me 'my daughter could never go to a school in Idaho, it's not diverse and they are all rednecks.'"
Parents in the district have reported that "Two years ago in their "Civics" class they spent nearly a third of the semester on LGBTQ issues - and when I called the teacher on it, the response was "it's important" I must not have been the only one giving him pushback, because there was a later email which went out to the parents with more of a comment and saying they would move on to other subjects - but they never did."
For the 2020-2021 school year parents told The Post Millennial that "This year, in their daily homeroom…it's BLM propaganda all the time." The parents said that students began "skipping home room, or turning it (out) and not listening," which was fine by the parents.
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