“There is a distinct difference between being able to teach about ‘historical discrimination’ and teaching about people being inherently racist or sexist based on their own race and sex. Starting with Mayor Craig, every school board member who voted to oppose HB544 needs to explain exactly why it is proper and just to use taxpayer dollars to train government employees, including teachers, that:
(a) One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;
(b) The state of New Hampshire or the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist;
(c) An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
(d) An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex;
(e) Members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex;
(f) An individual’s moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex;
(g) An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;
(h) Any individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex; or
(i) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a particular race to oppress another race.
“They also need to explain why it’s ok to teach ‘Race or sex stereotyping,’ ‘which ascribes character traits, values, moral and ethical codes, privileges, status, or beliefs to a race or sex, or to an individual because of his or her race or sex and assigns fault, blame, or bias to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex, which similarly encompasses any claim that, consciously or unconsciously, and by virtue of his or her race or sex, members of any race are inherently racist or are inherently inclined to oppress others, or that members of a sex are inherently sexist or inclined to oppress others.’
“HB 544 prohibits any government entity in the state from teaching its employees these ugly, hate inspiring, division creating lies. The Manchester School District has already made professional development instructing white employees that they are inherently racist available to the staff. Some employees claim they were mandated to take it. This is wrong and has to stop.
“Everybody who voted to oppose HB 544 now has an obligation to explain how teaching people what this bill bans advances the cause of a just society. Trying to overcome racism and sexism by teaching that some are and will always be racist and sexist because of their own biology is like hiring an arsonist to be your fire chief. It won’t end well.
“As mayor, I’ll follow the lead of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and develop approaches that assess people, as individuals, by the content of their character, not the color of their skin or any other biological factor.”
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Richard,
Excellent letter questioning the School Board for their action. I don’t believe they understand what HB544 defines and they need to be learn it. It never ceases to amaze me how most school board members just follow what they are told and don’t stand up for turth.
Excellent letter questioning the School Board for their action. I don’t believe they understand what HB544 defines and they need to learn it. It never ceases to amaze me how most school board members just follow what they are told and don’t stand up for truth.
Mr. Girard , it is your fear of people finally being taught our true history. It has been white washed for much too long.
Learning how we got here in this place and time is vital to make real change happen. You know we are in serious trouble here when so many white people fear other ethnicities. . Education is the key. It needs to be done very carefully to avoid the guilt you say it could cause.
Suzanne. I have no fear of people being taught our true history. As a school board member, I went on record saying that ALL of our history should be taught, the good, the bad and the ugly. I would ask you, as I’ve asked every school board member, what purpose is served by teaching that anyone is inherently something (racist, sexist, oppressor, oppressed, victim, etc…) based on their biology? Why would you WANT to teach that anybody is anything based on the color of their skin, sex, national origin, etc…? How do we get to Rev. Dr. King’s dream if everybody’s grouped, labeled and given the characteristics of the group regardless of their own individual beliefs and behaviors? Why do you WANT to teach that one is “good” and the other is “bad.” Moreover, why do you WANT to teach that, based on their biology, they always have been, are and will always be inseparable from the group characteristic someone has decided to label them with?
This bill would not ban the teaching of our true history. It would ban the use of taxpayer funds to train public employees that they are either inherently and forever good or bad based on how they were born. Read the bill and ask yourself why you’d want anybody to be trained in this way.