SEATTLE, WA – In the category of offense and ignorance, a Seattle-area school board is defending its use of racially segregated meetings to select a new superintendent because “non-white parents feel more comfortable “surrounded by other people similar to them.”
The Issaquah School Board has decided it would be acceptable and appropriate to separate parents by race when attending meetings to replace retiring superintendent Ron Thiele.
One of these meetings was labeled, ”Meeting for Parents/Guardians of Color and Parents/Guardians with Students of Color.”
On #Washington #Education – #School #district to host #racially #segregated meetings to pick #superintendent, promote equity. #Issaquah School District Superintendent Ron Thiele is retiring, and the School Board is looking for his replacement. https://t.co/wthmB55nsf pic.twitter.com/cntId4ALZT
— CMA_Social (@CMA_Social) February 9, 2022
At last Thursday’s school board meeting, board president Anne Moore tried to use some political doublespeak to justify the atrocious idea of separating parents according to the color of their skin, according to KTTH Talk Radio.
“Moore claimed that some ‘historically marginalized families’ in Issaquah feel ‘uncomfortable’ in meetings. To mitigate their supposed discomfort, she said a meeting ‘surrounded by other people similar to them, makes it easier.’
Yet she also claims it isn’t an example of racial segregation, a claim that conflicts with the very reason she gives for holding a meeting for ‘parents of color.’”
The confusing and contradictory explanations were quickly attacked by parents and community members, who pointed out that they live in an integrated community and are more than capable of being in mixed race settings.
One parent called the segregated meetings “absurd” and “offensive,” and questions the legality of such a move:
“If you’re wondering how to structure these meetings so that you’re inclusive: First and last, consult the Civil Rights Act, (which) will prevent … this problem that’s going on.”
going to hold hearings only with POC to get the right choice – Issaquah, leading the way in segregation, one school board meeting at a time. #racism
— Chicagoland Fella (@Vry_Normal_Dude) February 13, 2022
A former board member also spoke up against separating people by race:
“By holding a separate meeting for people of color, it is the same as saying people of color are not welcome to attend the other meetings. So, we have created a separate one just for them. We are an integrated community, all wanting the same thing — to hire the person best qualified for the job as superintendent.
“The one who will care about raising up all of our students. Why are you trying to divide and separate us by color? Really? Is this the example you want to set for our students? Shame on all of you.”
President Moore listened to the speakers, and then doubled down on the segregation idea, trying to rationalize that the move was meant to make people feel more comfortable around their own kind.
Her explanation sounds more like something that has been said by southern politicians during the time of slavery rather than a modern school board president:
“It was really an intent from the board to be able to hear from our historically marginalized families. We wanted to be able to have an environment where they could share freely and honestly and feel vulnerable.
“And so, we’ve heard from those families before, and we understand that sometimes the environment isn’t comfortable. So having them surrounded by other people similar to them, makes it easier.”
OPINION: Seattle-Area School Board Defends Segregated Meeting, Says ‘Marginalized’ Are Uncomfortable Around Whites
by @jasonrantzhttps://t.co/tJyrTSdtPc
— Choice Media (@ChoiceMediatv) February 14, 2022
Claiming that the board intended to create a more welcoming environment for the meetings. Moore said the board decided to change the wording:
“So, our intent was to create a more welcoming environment and to be more inclusive versus to exclude anyone. We did change our language on the wording [of the meeting notice]. We listened to some people that have given us feedback.
“All of the meetings are open to any families to attend. And we invite you to either attend one or more of the focus group meetings or fill out the survey. But our intent is to be expansive and inclusive.”
Thought Separate But Equal was settled with Brown v. Board of Education.https://t.co/QLTbJcJF1P
— neil – Triple T (@neilcpa) February 14, 2022
The change made still separates the attendees by race. The notice for the meetings reads:
“The first of the four meetings will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
As a School Board we understand that historically marginalized families may not share honestly or vulnerably about their experiences in our district if they are not surrounded by people that look like them or have a similar lived experience.
“In this meeting we hope to ensure all families have the space to connect, feel supported, and share authentically.
Parents of all races are welcome to attend this meeting that intends to create a safe space for parents and guardians of color and parents and guardians with students of color who racially identify with historically marginalized races.”
The Department of Education was at the forefront of the battle against segregation, and that battle was won by the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. It appears that, at least in Washington state, there remains a lot of work to be done.
Bill Mahar critical of NFL playing “black national anthem” calling it segregation “under a different name
September 14, 2021
During a recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, show host Maher took aim at proponents on the left pushing for what he sees as racially divisive endeavors, specifically pointing out the recitation of the “black national anthem” at NFL games and de facto segregation under the guise of progressiveness transpiring at universities.
WATCH: Bill Maher slams NFL for playing "Black National Anthem" https://t.co/gG3VZkSfxR pic.twitter.com/xbkRxQ6Xvc
— The Hill (@thehill) September 11, 2021
During the September 10th episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher acknowledged during a segment that some of his fans and viewers have been giving him grief over his criticism of the left in recent years, to which Maher said the following about that notion:
“When people say to me sometimes, ‘boy, you go after the Left a lot these days, why?’ I’m like because you’re embarrassing me. That’s why I’m going after the left in a way you never did before.
Because you’re inverting on things that I – I’m not going to give up on being liberal. This is what these teachers are talking about, you’re taking children and making them hyper-aware of race in a way they wouldn’t otherwise be.”
Maher pointed to the recent example of this hyper-racialized narrative taking hold, citing the first NFL game of the season where the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was performed prior to kickoff, serving as a second national anthem for black Americans:
“I mean, I saw last night on the football game, Alicia Keys sang ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ which now I hear is called the black national anthem. Now maybe we should get rid of our national anthem, but I think we should have one national anthem.”
“When people say to me sometimes, ‘boy, you go after the Left a lot these days, why?’ I’m like ‘Because you’re embarrassing me!’” – @BillMaher #RealTime pic.twitter.com/u8kjGqExmr
— Brent Baker (@BrentHBaker) September 11, 2021
Maher says the road the country is headed down if these sorts of practices are continued and promoted as being a good thing will result in nothing more than a dressed-up version of segregation:
“I think when you go down a road where you have two different national anthems, colleges sometimes now have many of them – have different graduation ceremonies for black and white…separate dorms. This is what I mean, segregation, you’ve inverted the idea. We’re going back to that under a different name.”
Back in July, the NFL announced that the organization will have “Lift Every Voice and Sing” played before certain “tentpole games” during this season, claiming that this effort falls in line with the organization’s 10-year, $250 million pledge to fight racism.
Players are also given the choice to adorn decals on the back of their helmets during games, which players can choose from decals either saying “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “It Takes All of Us,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Inspire Change” or “Say Their Stories.”
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