WHO ARE YOU PROTECTING?

By Ruth A. Sheets

A recent move in conservative Republican legislatures trying to control education is the so-called “Woke laws.”  Florida Republican, mostly white legislators, and similar elected bodies in Republican states, want to have complete control over what teachers teach and they do not want teachers to teach about the difficult parts of American history, you know, those parts where white men committed atrocities against people of color.  Supposedly, their reason is that learning about it will negatively impact their kids, causing all kinds of mental illness.   

It is always distressing to me as a retired teacher that so many white men and some white women are scared of the truth.  They will make up all kinds of conspiracy theories and ridiculous explanations for why they go along with really stupid ideas, and can't acknowledge that our shared history has not always been pretty or flattering to white America.  Power corrupts people and it also makes them scared of people they don't know and whom they have been programmed to think are going to infringe on their entitlements even though they won't say the word entitlement in public or even aloud to themselves. 

The Republicans in the Florida Legislature are terrified because there is no future for them and their outdated ideas.  Climate change (global warming) is closing in on Florida.  People of color are gaining rights even if they have to take them.  Immigrants don't want to be treated like dirt or as only worthy of earning slave wages.  Women are ignoring male supremacy, despite male laws for forced-birth.  Police are being called out on their violence and murder of unarmed civilians, and so much more.  Instead of working to positively address these critical issues, what conservative white folks in power are doing is grabbing onto a nonsense word like "woke" to do what they think will stir up people like them to fight, distracting them from paying attention to the real problems. 

"Woke," as conservatives have come to see it means whatever programs and actions Liberals and progressives are for.  What are liberals/progressives for?  They want people to become aware of injustices done to fellow Americans and to stop anyone who claims power they don't deserve from doing more harm than has already been done.  Liberals and progressives generally believe people want equity in all areas of life. 

The scared legislators must believe their children are pathetic, weak souls who can't bear to hear the truth. Their kids could learn the truth and to work through it and make it so such awful events won't happen again.  Good teachers help kids do that.  If those white legislators actually took time to think about it, they would see that what they are really saying is that the children of color who had to endure those moments of history:  massacres, lynchings, trails of tears, internment, etc. and survived are far stronger than their own children.  I believe they are selling their kids short, probably just as they themselves were sold short when growing up, not being taught and learning our full history. 

All teachers who care about their students, even the pathetic white ones, should teach the truth no matter what the Florida or other Republican legislatures say.  Otherwise, they are betraying their students who deserve to know the truth. 

Hey white legislators, white students will not suddenly become depressed incompetents because of learning the truth.  Besides, it might empower them to work for a better nation and world.  Oh wait, that's the problem isn’t it, what you white legislators don't want.  You are comfortable with things just as they are or rather were back in some nebulous past when White ruled absolutely.  Too bad Florida, that world, if it ever really existed is gone and most of us want to be sure it never returns. 

You conservative legislators would do better for your kids to think about their real future and stopping global warming and planning for greener jobs.  I know, that is harder than promoting hate and fear, but the results will be far better for your kids, and actually, for you too.

Leave teachers to do their jobs.  Give them the resources and support they need, then stay out of it unless you plan to help:  volunteer tutoring with struggling students in your child’s school, checking with teachers to see what they actually need, then getting it for them, learning about the more challenging parts of US history so you can work to see there is more equity in our society, etc.  Banning books, dictating curricula based on your own personal biases and fears, and passing “anti-woke” laws are a waste of your time and ours and help no one, not even your children.