ILGOP rebuked for fundraising off of CRT scares
Wednesday, Jul 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hmm…
* More from the fundraising letter…
Allowing Critical Race Theory to be taught in our schools means allowing oppressive and political language into what should be an unbiased, nonpartisan place.
It serves NO ONE to teach children a racist world view.
SIGN NOW TO STOP CRT IN ILLINOIS SCHOOLS
* But children aren’t being taught this in school…
“It is not in the Illinois State Learning Standards,” which govern what is taught in Illinois schools, said Superintendent Barry Reilly.
* DPI…
The following is a statement from Abby Witt, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois, in response to an Illinois GOP fundraising email that calls for banning critical race theory and cashes in on hate and division:
“The only people sowing division here is the Illinois GOP, who with their ignorant and extremist rhetoric are resorting to the Trump playbook of lies because that’s all they’ve got. Time and time again they’ve stood in the way of the progress Democrats are making for Illinois workers and families. With this latest appeal, the Illinois GOP is showing their priority isn’t supporting all Illinoisans, but raising money off of racism.”
* Related…
* 3 Tropes of White Victimhood: Leading conservative pundits today are pounding themes that were popular among opponents of Reconstruction
* Teachers Say Laws Banning Critical Race Theory Are Putting A Chill On Their Lessons
* Critical race theory: What is it, and why are Republicans upset?: Yet even those who condemn or seek to ban critical race theory in schools often struggle to define what it is. Real-world examples of students being indoctrinated in its principles are difficult to find.
* No Black parents, teachers or scholars invited to Missouri hearing on teaching race
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 8:25 am:
When racists feel empowered and entitled, you get a political party celebrating the grifting off racist thinking.
Illinois isn’t even teaching this in schools.
That’s the critical point, the most important point… this is appealing to old, white, racist thinking… and a need to grasp on the fear of people who “don’t look like us”… and we can’t.. we can’t reach things that make whites uncomfortable.
The projection on the letter is a warning to who exactly this letter is grifting;
===It serves NO ONE to teach children a racist world view.===
I mean… this is the same group as a party that refused to denounce a Mary Miller event where a… (checks notes) … a preacher… made it clear that being proud to be white… is important.
If your teaching kids to ignore uncomfortable history, and push that your region is “right” and those who look like you elsewhere are wrong… how exactly can you be concerned about *others* racism.
You’re not. You’re projecting.
When your party is seemingly about the thoughts and wants of Oberweis, Ives… the Millers… you’re a cult where one big pillar is race.
This is a letter grifting off that.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 8:44 am:
For the first time in my career (which has spanned parts of four decades) I am getting questions by scared and/or riled up parents about CRT. We are a small district where most people know each other including the teachers. I have finally started to tell parents that unethical politicians are spreading these lies and they should challenge them to provide proof.
Makes me sick, the only action I can really take to hold these dirtbag politicians accountable is to vote against them which doesn’t do much out here in rural Illinois.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 8:45 am:
The GOP, here and elsewhere, is now all about culture wars and identity politics. For years politicians and right wing media have been ginning up and playing to negative emotions of GOP voters. What could possibly come out of that? “Old, angry, white, rural” (h/t OW). Not a winning strategy in Illinois, thankfully because the GOP can’t suppress the vote here.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:02 am:
===No Black parents, teachers or scholars invited to Missouri hearing on teaching race===
Is it truly a hearing if you exclude one side of the argument?
I get it that was the point, but c’mon.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:02 am:
Maybe we can get more people vaccinated while these extremely confused people are wringing their hands over something that isn’t even happening.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:03 am:
9:02 was me
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:28 am:
It looks like the only staffers left with ILGOP are those stuck in their own FOX News echo chamber. This is all they are hearing about, so of course they think this message is what everyone else cares about. Good luck winning those majorities, folks…
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:46 am:
Can the GOP name a single Illinois school (grade, high, college) where CRT is currently being taught?
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:47 am:
How about this… “I’ll stop teaching CRT if you get vaccinated.”
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 10:00 am:
===No Black parents, teachers or scholars invited to Missouri hearing on teaching race===
Further proof that systematic racism doesn’t exist. /s
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 10:12 am:
I will say it is sadly, successful in freaking people out. Had to leave a Facebook group of local parents due to the level of freak-out over this.
Also had a pastor use CRT as an example of what the ‘world we are operating in’ is about.
Lots of folks making/taking money off of this fear.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 10:13 am:
Reporters need to ask the Illinois GQP politicians and party functionaries if they have read any texts on CRT. And I’m not referring to the racist texts from the Twitter feeds from fellow operatives. Of course they haven’t.
This isn’t an actual debate about ideas. They would lose hands down. This is a misinformation campaign to trigger hate and fear about a group for their political gains. That’s racism.
- train111 - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 10:23 am:
The interesting thing is that 95% of people crying about CRT couldn’t define what it is if asked.
They are against something solely because their chosen media sources say it’s bad, not because they have any understanding of what it is.
To top that off, a whole lot of them will turn around and acuse those not agreeing with them (the politcal opposition) of being brainwashed.
Pot meet kettle …..
Train111
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 10:24 am:
=== This isn’t an actual debate about ideas. They would lose hands down. This is a misinformation campaign to trigger hate and fear about a group for their political gains. That’s racism.===
This is top shelf.
For me, the discussion, specifically to this letter and the discussion overall to it here in Illinois, is about making racist thinking or racist sympathizing individuals feel so comfortable with the Trumpkins… the grift off it makes the dollars flow.
That’s the deal. That’s what this letter is about.
Unless the Trumpkins here know of CRT actually happening, today, in real time, or in the fall that no one else knows about… it’s not an honest discussion to… CRT.
When the discussion begins to delve into CRT, lemme know.
This letter is another tool to signal racist thinkers to feel empowered, embolden, and entitled… and give money to folks who welcome your thinking.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 2:59 pm:
The point is that when racism has been built into the system it will automatically manifest via racist institutional rules and regulations…enforced even by those who are not racist…because it’s the rule.
- Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 5:21 pm:
Do these people think their children are so weak minded that, if a radical teacher were to teach far-fetched ideas, their kids would swallow it whole?
- The Other Rich Hill - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 6:35 pm:
So, tearing down statues of Confederate enemies is bad because we might forget history but we have to literally not teach history in graduate school because they might teach about the very racism this hare-brained fundraising letter relies on.
- The Other Rich Hill - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 6:40 pm:
Proud Papa Bear asks:
=== “Do these people think their children are so weak minded that, if a radical teacher were to teach far-fetched ideas, their kids would swallow it whole?” ===
Perhaps those little apples don’t fall far from the tree…
Are the parents of these children so weak minded that, if a radical talk show host on the air were to preach far-fetched ideas, these parents would swallow it whole?
- Morty - Wednesday, Jul 21, 21 @ 9:25 pm:
I’ll raise that.
I’ve been a teacher in Illinois for 26 years, a local union president for over 10 and I’ve never heard of ANY K-12 teacher in Illinois TEACHING Critical Race Theory.
Civil Rights Movement, slavery, Apartheid, genocide, the Holocaust- yes.
Critical Race Theory- no.
I hadn’t even heard about it until I read Mark Glennon ranting about it in one of his unhinged tweets.