The Hermosa Beach City School District recently hired a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant who will help train teachers about their white privilege, among other duties.
The decision has prompted anger and frustration among a group of parents who argued against infusing race and privilege trainings into the very small public school district, located in a coastal city south of Los Angeles and consisting of two elementary schools and a middle school.
But the school board members who made the decision to hire Loyola Marymount University psychology Professor Sheri Atwater to serve as the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion consultant stand behind their decision, according to their public comments at their May 12 meeting.
Atwater said during the meeting that what she trains on is not “critical race theory.” But the scholar’s published works include weighing in on “whiteness norms … that systemically benefit white people” and arguments against a color-blind society, according to her faculty bio.
One Hermosa Beach citizen, Matt McCool, who has been vocal against the Hermosa Beach City School District’s push for DEI training, posted a video of Atwater in which she explains how in her trainings she gently guides people to understand they are racist even if they think they are not.
Atwater was hired as part of the school district’s push to advance an “equity” agenda, its website states.
Full story at The College Fix.
Some Republican-led states– Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Idaho– have recently passed laws prohibiting Critical Race Theory and similar beliefs, in
K-12 education. Other states in the process of banning Critical Race Theory and similar beliefs, include: Arizona, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, West Virginia, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. More states are debating the issue, and no doubt, will soon follow. California needs good, strong, traditional, conservative Republican political leadership, to get rid of Critical Race Theory and other sick, liberal “horrors.”
We should not be teaching children to be racist minded in any way. Besides, isn’t she too “white” for this? (sarcasm mode)
Californium is not going crazy … it is already there. And this is another product of a “(c)atholic University?? God help us, please. Fr. Higgins points out the hypocrisy well.
If she identifies as black and transgender male, it’s so much the better for checking diversity boxes.
This is almost funny. Looking at her picture. Young, blond, very white gal telling us we are racist and don’t know it. And she knows because she studied it. What a waste of tax dollars. Wonder if she would give her services for free. That’s always a good indication of their value. Love is free. Pro-lifers, St Vincent de Paul and Mother Teresa sisters are doing valuable work and it’s volunteer. Someone lecturing us on our hidden racism is a dinner table conversation, not a career. Cut the money flow, and it will disappear.
What are “whiteness norms”? Like washing your hands after using the bathroom and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables? Stuff like that? Regular exercise and sleep, getting your homework done? Maybe going to church on Sundays? What are “non-whiteness norms?” Not being married to the person with whom one creates children? Not finishing high school? People of color and Caucasian people do/don’t do all of these things. Wonder which ones Miss Atwater thinks are beneficial and to whom?
According to the Encyclopedia of Critical Whiteness Studies in Education, whiteness norms are recurring patterns of behavior that systemically benefit white people.
This is not a field of study. Who in the world doesn’t know white people have generally had more monetary privilege and opportunities?
‘This is as foolish as the studies since COVID lockdowns saying more people were depressed or suicidal. Duh.
………like studying, reading, learning how to write well, taking exams, passing HS and college classes, selecting a career and preparing for it, having a reasonably polite and kindly behavior. The left proclaims this is proof of our culture rewarding whites. We’ll, how about these other very important white traits: Learning to accept defeat and setbacks quietly, avoiding criminal behavior, respect toward authority and police, not rioting or blaming others for one’s own problems..and of course, politeness and kindness towards strangers and others.
The left rebuts this instantly – this is just more evidence of culture favoring whites. It’s unfair. It’s unjust.
OK Lefties, then how do you explain that Asians, who are in the same culture, have now surpassed whites in income, and in other ways?
And they are doing this reasonably quietly, with few complaints.
I reviewed the bios of the faculty assigned to the School of Education at LMU. The majority attended private universities for most of their post high school education, including the achievement of the doctorate degree. Many of the faculty have not taught in a public school setting for years. Their credibility with respect to what should be taught in the classroom setting is minimal. Also, does LMU abide by the same policies that Dr. Atwater is encouraging the school district to adopt?