Nebraska educators are willing to hide Critical Race Theory from parents because ‘children need it’
March 20, 2023
Following successful investigations in states across the country, Accuracy in Media’s investigators headed to Nebraska to uncover the covert insertion of social justice and Critical Race Theory instruction in schools within the reliably red state.
Talking to Westside Community Schools Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning Dr. Kelcy Tapp, investigators discovered that both students and staff were receiving instruction inspired by the principles of CRT.
She claimed that “every time that we are adopting new curriculum and materials” they make sure to “really look at the diversity equity and inclusion perspective to make sure that we’re looking at that.”
Tapp added that eighth graders in her district just completed pilot programs for units such as “change agents.”
“It talks about just all of the people in our world that have been change agents for specifically areas of race,” she said.
Asked if these units are more progressive, she confirmed, “Yeah. They are.”
She told AIM investigators that a nearby district is actually relabeling some of the educational tools and units that parents are taking issue with “because they know that it’s important and they know that our children need it.”
“And that’s why they’re rebranding because they’re like, ‘We can’t let a talking point stop us from doing what’s important for kids.’ That’s what educators have to do is know that what we’re doing is good for kids,” Tapp said.
Tapp said that they “do [Social Emotional Learning] curriculum which I think is now the most recent thing to come under attack.”
AIM’s recent investigations have uncovered SEL as something of a trojan horse for teaching CRT without sounding too many alarms.
She further confirmed to investigators that SEL allows teachers to talk about privilege and systemic racism.
Not only is the SEL curriculum being used as a shield for social justice education, but Tapp said her district also uses Newsela.
Similarly, the online education platform is a less obvious way of delivering CRT to students. The platform notably sources from the debunked 1619 Project, one of the better-known resources for CRT. However, by using Newsela, educators avoid disclosing the 1619 Project as a resource.
Students aren’t the only ones on the receiving end of these CRT principles. Tapp divulged that staff members receive similar instruction.
“They do our staff development series with our teachers through inclusive communities so I think this next–last one was about microaggressions and finding where you have the privilege and having perspective. It’s a lot about just having a lot of dialogue. Our staff is having those conversations and trying to spot where those are,” she detailed.
According to Tapp, “around 2020, around George Floyd, he (Superintendent Dr. Mike Lucas) created the ‘WE-side’ movement.”
“So it’s really talking about equity,” she said.
“Early on when that got kicked off there was a bit of some people that were trying to attach CRT to WE-side, so like that’s how we’re sneaking it in,” she told investigators.
It’s evident that educators across the country are aware that parents don’t want their children to be exposed to the principles of CRT, but they are willing to hide it from them because they deem it “important.” They have made it abundantly clear that they think that they know better than parents. And they’re willing to hide behind as many acronyms as they can create to keep injecting CRT principles into the classroom.
Last month Nebraska state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan introduced LB753, titled Adopt the Opportunity Scholarships Act and provide tax credits. The bill would incentivize individuals, passthrough entities, estates, trusts, and corporations to donate to nonprofit organizations that grant scholarships for students to attend private schools.
“[LB753] creates an opportunity for all children in Nebraska, regardless of their parents’ income, to have access to an education they want and desire, and they deserve,” Linehan reportedly said.
By contributing to the aforementioned nonprofits, donors are able to claim a nonrefundable income tax credit, which can amount to 50% of their state income tax liability.
The bill would especially help low income students who wouldn’t otherwise have many schooling options outside of public education. The tier system laid out by Linehan would prioritize students who qualify for reduced-price lunches.
This bill, and others that would expand school choice, are emerging as the only viable solution to administrators and educators who increasingly believe that their agenda should come before parents’ concerns.