#Undoctrinate

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Bonnie Snyder

Published: Sep 15, 2021

[Excerpt from Bonnie Snyder’s new book, Undoctrinate: How Politicized Classrooms Harm Kids and Ruin Our Schools―and What We Can Do About It]

Gabrielle Clark was worried about her children. Something was off, but she couldn’t put her finger on the problem. Gabrielle was temporarily disabled and unemployed, so her son William worked as a fast food shift manager to help make ends meet while taking his high school senior classes remotely. As a single mom—William’s father died before he was old enough to know him—she had to figure this out alone.

One day, she decided to sit down and watch her son’s distance-learning classes from his magnet school. She tuned into a required course, “The Sociology of Change,” and what she saw on screen shocked her. Her son, unbeknownst to her, had been taught lessons that were completely antithetical to her family’s values...and common sense.

William’s deceased father was white, which means William is biracial. However, his light skin, light hair, and green eyes mean that some people assume he is white. He’s sometimes described as “the only apparent white boy in his class.”

Being “apparently white” was enough for his teacher to target him.

For years, schools have had “anti-bullying campaigns” to stop kids from picking on each other. But what if the bullying is coming from the teacher and school administrators? According to the family’s recently filed lawsuit, William was singled out and subjected to derogatory name-calling and hurtful labeling, based on his physical appearance. His teacher delivered regular “privilege checks” for William, which his mother described as “deliberate and protracted harassment” and “emotional abuse.” The classroom materials even implied that William’s white father probably physically abused his black mother, because—according to his lessons—that’s what white men do.

This is a far cry from Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of a nation where people “will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Gabrielle claims her son, as well as the other students, were forced to profess their identities which were then subjected to open, official scrutiny that assigned negative character attributes and worldviews based on unchangeable personal characteristics, such as race and gender.

When students, including William, attempted to object, discussions were terminated and their speech effectively chilled. However, William refused to complete certain “identity confession” assignments or to avow certain politicized statements he could not in good conscience affirm.

That was enough to earn him threats of a failing grade.

As a senior, that was bad news. He had planned to spend the year applying to colleges and dreaming about his freshman year in which he’d study music. But this bad grade would put all of that in jeopardy.

Gabrielle had her attorney write a letter to the school, which prompted a meeting. But Gabrielle didn’t feel the school was taking her concerns seriously. “That’s when I withdrew my daughter and got the lawyers for my son,” she wrote. “I’m not playing with these people.” She filed a lawsuit against the school, claiming they violated the mother’s constitutional due process right to “family integrity and autonomy” by interfering with her “right and covenant to guide and direct the upbringing” of her children.

This case may have some of you scratching your heads. Others of you—having experienced similar interactions at school—might be nodding at how sadly familiar that story feels.

* * *

Our nation has a problem. Recently, in both urban and rural communities, young children are being indoctrinated, bullied, and harassed by their fellow students and teachers for not falling into line on various topics.

In Arizona, Roberto Sandoval, the son of a Mexican immigrant who worked hard to achieve the American dream, was alarmed when his teen showed him her high school homework. “I have an assignment that’s asking me how I am privileged,” she told him. The homework included statements such as “My skin color gives me privileges I didn’t earn … Your skin color gives you struggles you didn’t deserve,” and “No one is asking you to apologize for being privileged; people want you to stop using your privilege in ways that require an apology.” 

In Seattle, meanwhile, teachers explain that “Western” mathematics has been used “to disenfranchise people and communities of color.” Then, they attempt to “rehumanize” math by incorporating curricular content such as explaining “how math dictates economic oppression” and asking, “How can we change mathematics from individualistic to collectivist thinking?”

Third-grade students in Cupertino, California, were told to deconstruct their racial and sexual identities, ranking themselves on the intersectional hierarchy from “oppressor” to “oppressed.” One scandalized parent objected, saying, “They were basically teaching racism to my eight-year-old.” When questioned, the principal acknowledged that the lesson was not part of the “formal curricula.”

The specific topics of parents’ complaints in the examples above change from year to year, or even from week to week. Over the past few years, the following issues have waxed and waned in intensity: global warming, Occupy Wall Street, weapons of mass destruction, voter suppression, immigration reform, the border wall, DACA, Black Lives Matter, gun control, same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, abortion, patriotism, election integrity, and the MeToo movement.

In all of these examples, well-intentioned people of good faith can agree on underlying problems, while disagreeing on what to actually do about them. Increasingly, however, children who are too young to have developed solid or informed opinions are being forced into premature ideological conformity with some teachers and administrators who seem intent on pushing their own particular worldviews in K–12 classrooms.

These kinds of transgressions are not limited to the political Left.

A Georgia teacher was yanked from class after telling the students that President Barack Obama was a closeted Muslim.

In Wisconsin, a high school social studies teacher was placed on leave after instructing students to watch a one-sided video questioning the integrity of election results. In a shared screenshot of the assignment, he also apparently made sure to inform students that he would be protesting what he saw as unfair election results because it was “too important” not to do so, in a pretty clear attempt to influence them on this issue.

In Alabama, a geometry teacher actually taught a math lesson by asking students to evaluate the best angles to assassinate Obama.

No matter the specifics of the heavy-handed ideological teaching, we should all be against it. “Citizens of both parties should adopt a legal corollary to the Golden Rule—fight for the rights of others that you would like to exercise yourself,” writes former president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and Persuasion advisor David French. “And one of the most important and vital of those rights is the right to speak and act in accordance with your deepest beliefs.”

In fact, I’ve noticed that liberal parents are—in some ways—even more alarmed over the rapid transformation of their children’s schools and surprised to find themselves opposed to it. If it ever was a partisan issue, the problem of school indoctrination has steadily worsened to the point that people across the political spectrum have found themselves allied against it.

* * *

Many of you don’t want to think about this, and I understand. You’d rather send your kids to school and trust implicitly in the system, as your own parents probably did. After all, it worked out okay for you. However, this fight will come to you, whether or not you want it. It doesn’t matter if you live in a city or the rural South.

As frustrating as it can be to hear from people who disagree with us, this is part of the temperament that productive citizens need to develop in order to take their places in our society. In order to achieve this goal, our schools must be populated with educators who model and practice appropriate intellectual forbearance worthy of emulation by the younger generation. Remember, it’s an imperfect world and we are all imperfect people: practice forgiveness and give others the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.

All Americans, regardless of political persuasion or direct personal experience, should be alarmed at the path on which our nation is careening. We’re at a crossroads. It’s a good time—a necessary time—to see what is going on and to fight for the ideals our founders envisioned for us.

Bonnie Snyder is director of high school outreach at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and the author of Undoctrinate: How Politicized Classrooms Harm Kids and Ruin Our Schools—And What We Can Do About It.

==

Reminder: The ACLU opposes curriculum transparency.

#Bonnie Snyder #Bonnie Kerrigan Snyder #Foundation for Individual Rights in Education #indoctrination #ideological indoctrination #antiracism #antiracism as religion #woke indoctrination #Undoctrinate #corruption of education #ideological corruption #school indoctrination #religion is a mental illness

[blobbycentral]

I read fic where Affogato had short hair and couldn’t resist drawing it soooo—

#cookie run kingdom #crk #crk fanart #pen sketch #affogato cookie #btw I’m figuring out the CoD AU thing #Licorice is complicated #pomegranate is an devoted lesbian #red velvet is getting undoctrinated #and then redoctrinated #affogato is being tormented #and reliving when his mom abandoned him #poison is vibin #so vibes frfr

[vitalphenomena]

@undoctrine // x

TWEAKER KNOWS TWEAKER. She regards Ben with something like fury until the realization sets in that he must be very, very high.

And she's been there before. She's there right now! She just handles it a little bit better than he is right now. So.

"You need some water. And a cigarette. Let's go outside."

#undoctrine #BEN G. #SPIRIT H. #BEN SPIRIT.

[calithal]

you can't lie to me. i can tell when you're lying.

pre-established relationship prompts, accepting!  ༄

                there’s  a  man  in  her  room,  she  has  a  migraine.  she  almost  killed  him  when  she  heard  the  sound  of  the  door,  fucking  lunged  with  teeth  and  nails  poised  to  attack.  but  he  caught  her,  of  course,  because  she’s  probably  still  drunk  and  so  sick.  it’s  ben,  who  is  a  man  that  could  hurt  her  but  doesn’t  and  just  always  looks  so  exhausted  instead.  he’s  annoying.  one  day  she  wants  to  stab  him  just  to  see  what  he’ll  do.

                  she  doesn’t  even  know  what  he  wants  her  to  say.  sorry  i  drunk  called  you  and  made  it  sound  like  i  was  going  to  do  something  really  fucked  up.  i  don’t  remember  any  of  it.  get  out  of  my  room.    “  unh ... fuck  you,  ben.  ”    she  groans,  snatching  the  pillow  from  his  arms  and  putting  it  back  over  her  head.  he  really  does  shoulder  fucking  everything,  doesn’t  he?    “  go  get  your  own  fucking  life  together,  leave  mine  alone.  ”    and  then,  because  he’s  not  listening  and  he’s  just  standing  there  like  a  creeper  dog  man.    “  i  already  have  a  gross  older  brother,  i  don’t  need  you.  ”

#love when she gives me words and i'm like. literally what. okay i'll post that #༊ ⊹ ° . in character ˛ ‘ i walked out of the fire alive; how can that be? #verse tbt. #undoctrine #substance abuse /

[unpossession]

“god loves you, but not enough to save you.”     ---   @undoctrine​

                     “I  don’t  believe  in  God,  Ben.      I certainly wouldn’t count on His help,”          Willow stares at him, shock half-expressed in her eyes at his advice. He thinks God loves anybody? Her? Him?         “--Or anyone’s, for that matter. If I die, I die. I’m not gonna beg to be saved. Living is hard enough.” 

#undoctrine #003. ANSWERED.

[springthings]

@unpossession, @undoctrine

        hand in hand with willow, she flutters through atmosphere of the after party, giggling and chattering with everyone she meets, distraction flowing like a stream, and she never pulls away from the current of it. willow's gentle reminders of what allie had promised to the air moments ago- after willow, herself had met up with ben -were the only things that kept her afloat, kept her from getting lost. or, at least, too lost. the feeling of not knowing is one she loves too much to let go of, forever. they find him by the bar, allie squealing and bounding towards him, never letting go of willow's hand until she nearly jumps to throw her arms around him. " found you! look, lo lo! we found him! "

#in. #main. #unpossession #undoctrine

[ohfiendangelical]

It’s been quite some time since Ben darkened his door — and seeing him now, Zero almost doesn’t recognize him. He looms like an enemy, eyes shadowy and furious; there’s an eerie electricity about him, a vengeful readiness for violence. His rage is palpable, but incomprehensible. It makes Zero uneasy. 

          “You look angry, Benjamin,”          he says, playing it cool. Flashing a smile, he opens his arms to @undoctrine​.          “Why don’t you come in and we talk about it?”

Whatever it is. 

#remember when u were like 'u should write me a starter' like a month ago? well. it's time #undoctrine

[loetise]

i would like to say, dance and be happy. instead i will say in my crone's voice, be ruthless when you have to, tell the truth when you can, when you can see it. — margaret atwood, from selected poems ii ; for @undoctrine ♡ ( give rora edit permission with the 🖼️ emoji )

#𖥸 ₊ * “ visage ” … something about angel wings‚ much about a broken heart. #𖥸 ₊ * “ dyn: ben / undoctrine ” … i wouldn't know how cruel the world was‚ so i turn but i learn it from you. #mine.

[rotturn]

03.5.

#jason stilinski hammond: battle royale au | arc one. #jason stilinski hammond: battle royale au | arc two. #jason stilinski hammond: battle royale au | arc three. #jason stilinski hammond: battle royale au | arc four. #jason stilinski hammond: study. #jason stilinski hammond: aesthetic. #jason stilinski hammond: headcanons. #jason stilinski hammond: powers. #jason stilinski hammond: physique. #jason stilinski hammond: visage. #jason stilinski hammond: edits. #jason stilinski hammond: dash games. #tag dump. #jason stilinski hammond: pv | spiriitum. #jason stilinski hammond: pv | hawkinsyearbook. #jason stilinski hammond: pv | mvnces. #jason stilinski hammond: the quarry au one. #jason stilinski hammond: the quarry au two. #jason stilinski hammond: the quarry au three. #jason stilinski hammond: pv | undoctrine.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

“Atheism is the default setting.”

Undoctrinate.

#atheism #religion #religion is a mental illness

[khozmoh]

𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃  𝚃𝚈𝙿𝙴  𝙾𝙵  𝙷𝙾𝚁𝚁𝙾𝚁  𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝙶𝙾𝙽𝙸𝚂𝚃  𝙰𝚁𝙴  𝚈𝙾𝚄?

—  basic  slasher .

you're  a  basic  slasher.  not  basic  as  in  boring,  but  that  you're  what  most  people  think  of  when  they  think  of  "slasher".  you're  very  efficient  in  what  you  do,  you  know  what  you  need  to  get  done  and  then  you  get  it  done.  probably  a  semi-tragic  backstory  that  could  have  been  solved  without  killing,  but  whatever  works  I  guess.  you  use  some  kind  of  handheld  blade  to  kill,  and  you're  pretty  good  with  it.  you  aren't  flashy,  but  you  are  well  known.  nice.

tagged  by :    seen  on  @conqveror​  tagging :    @undoctrine​,  @chrissycunningham​,  @letthefearin​,  @eloquitry​,  @cvldthief​,  @dvarapala​,  @evenbreath​,  @fu1ler​ 

#. DASH PROMPT . › mirror reflections . #i mean....yeah

[vitalphenomena]

@undoctrine

MADDIE REGARDS BEN SKEPTICALLY. It isn't his fault. It's something that's come over her, recently. It's a fear instilled in her of the outside world, of young men who don't treat her like Kieran, like Cain.

Also, Ben is tweaking.

"If you need a warm place to stay," she says reluctantly, "I'll see what I can do, but I don't want to make any promises, now..."

#undoctrine #BENJAMIN G. #MADISON G. #BENJAMIN MADISON.

[unpossession]

@undoctrine

                 “They  all  hate  me,”            She falls rather dramatically, face-down on the sofa the second they fall through the door. Gang meetings never feel comfortable for her, no matter how hard Ben might try to smooth things over, translating half of what was said into Ravkan - or at her request, a little slower in Kerch so that she actually learns what she needs to. Willow is usually quite a quick study to things like this, it’s the nerves that keeps her from speaking up so much. A little tipsy from the drinks, she buries her face in the closest cushion, mumbling.          “You’re the only one that likes me in this whole city.” 

#ALT: KETTERDAM. #undoctrine

[springthings]

Ben had prepared a special little gift for her, delivered under the cover of night. It appears a long, thin box wrapped delicately with pink tissue paper and shimmering ribbons has been left on her doorstep. In chicken scratch handwriting a heart felt note from Ben: A, happy birthday. Love, B. Upon unwrapping the present she will be presented with a long, thin-tipped knife, gleaming in tones of rose gold. The handle appears to be made up of smoothed Lapis Lazuli, held together with a golden band. And if she looks closely enough at the blade, she will see the initials BG engraved by the hilt. One of a kind, made only for her.

allie birfday 🥳🥳🥳, accepting always.

        she nearly trips over the box when she opens the door that morning, basking in the first morning full of spring light before she finds her little gift. doe eyes light up, her smile just as bright and pinching her cheeks a blooming pink. she's already found little things, from the birds and her friends in the forest, somehow just knowing as they always do. but this doesn't feel like any of them. even though the ribbons and the tissue paper are so very her, it feels like ben. the sort of tender roughness that he brings, that she finds when she hugs him and in his small, hesitant smiles. the fairy girl takes his gift into her arms like she might do to him if he were here, before she sits down on the step of the small porch to open it. his note washes over her with affection, and it feels like tiny bunches of love stored in little scratchy letters. beats of her heart in time with he thought of me! but she can't help but wish he was here to hug and thank, and her thoughts fill with fluffy, cloud like daydreams of the moment. at least, until she found the knife, buried within equally as fluffy decorations and wrapping. it's cold, in a startling way, she finds as she holds it in her hands, like she doesn't quite know what to do with it. it's beautiful, and she loves it, in some way. she has to, it's from him. allie lets out a breath, and decides that she will love it and it can be beautiful and she won't worry about what it's used for. she'll call and ask him and he'll say something silly and clever and delightfully grumpy and she'll laugh and everything will be just fine.

#actually lost my mind upon receiving this ask. allie did too as u can see JOIBSVUCBH #in. #main. #undoctrine

[shikaleeinbox]

🍂 Which one of you made the first move? And for 👁 Do you guys ever help the other out with their work?

🍂Who made the first move:

👁Helping out with work:

#ask shikalee #naruto #shikalee #shikamaru #rock lee #road to ninja #undoctrination

[loetise]

@undoctrine.

                “  do  you  wanna’  go  to  a  party?  ”    she  doesn’t  lean  away  from  her  close  proximity,  brushing  glittering  dust  on  taylor’s  eyes  and  cheeks,  tint  on  her  lips.  it’s  not  why  she  had  started  this,  she  had  just  wanted  to  see  the  shimmer  on  taylor’s  pretty  face,  and  being  close  to  her  always  makes  allie  feel  like  her  heart  is  buzzing,  like  she’s  glowing.  allie  leans  closer  again,  turning  on  her  charm.  the  flutter  of  her  lashes,  looking  up  through  them.    “  you  could  get  wasted,  if  you  wanna’,  and  i’ll  take  care  of  you,  this  time.  ”

#𖥸 ₊ * “ in character ” … whoever said that life is beautiful was‚ in a sense‚ mostly right. #𖥸 ₊ * “ verse: main ” … we have forgotten how to be good guests‚ how to walk lightly on the earth. #undoctrine