March 29, 2024 8:14 AM
Search

Opinion: Critical Race Theory in Prescott Schools – Buz Williams

Prescott School Board Candidate, Brooks Compton, a single parent and father, decided to run for the Board when he found out that at least one of our schools is teaching Critical Race Theory, (or at the very least a clone of that theory). It was being taught at Mile High Middle School, in a 7th grade class, innocuously titled “Life Skills”.

It has been reported that both the County and Prescott School Board Superintendent have stated that CRT is NOT being taught in our schools. Mr. Compton told me that “Critical Race Theory and numerous other progressive ideologies are pervasive and ongoing in PUSD.” Brooks Compton has his facts straight. He has photographs of the lessons given to the students, with the questions they are supposed to answer at the end of each lesson.

The students were not allowed to bring these lessons home to show their parents. In addition, the lessons were never graded or returned to the students. The lessons appear to be designed for indoctrination purposes only. Mr. Compton has shown me these pictures and also related online conversations regarding this material. The online version is milder than the hardcore teachers’ version given to indoctrinate our PUSD 7th graders.

The main thrust of this intellectual propaganda given to our 12 and 13 year old 7th graders is that “Black and Latinx” students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic) classes are made to feel inferior by insensitive and/or racist white students and instructors. How this class could do anything but cause racial division and animus, is beyond comprehension.

Here is an example of the classroom version: “Perhaps the White man, who unwittingly asked a scientist and STEM conference keynote speaker to clean his table was correct. Maybe there really are some ‘dual career opportunities’ in STEM. And we can start by cleaning up the cultural trash, (emphasis added) that makes students of color feel like they don’t belong.”

The sanitized online version’s last sentence reads, “Maybe there really are some ‘dual career opportunities’ in STEM to do science and cleaning – cleaning up STEM of the cultural debris that makes students of color feel they don’t belong.” The sanitized online version is only marginally less offensive than the classroom lesson, yet in both instances, the “White man” is the insensitive oaf that is the point of this material.

These CRT lessons are about the effects of white racism on minority college students. The material refers to these students as “Black and Latinx”, They are studying in STEM fields. After reviewing the material given to our 7th graders and online version, the only evidence is anecdotal. It is all he said/she said, with no further research, witnesses, or other proof. Reading through these so-called lessons, it is apparent that it is inappropriate for high schoolers, let alone PUSD 7th graders.

Brooks Compton was so infuriated that he demanded a meeting with the teacher and the Mile High Middle School principle, Mr. Andy Binder. Mr. Binder’s initial response over the phone was, “This couldn’t have happened, that would be reverse racism.” When in the meeting, the teacher and Principal Binder tried to deny teaching such anti-White curriculum. Brooks Compton showed them the pictures taken of the lessons in the teacher’s class. The Principal sat quietly and the teacher responded, “I taught this material last year as well, and no one ever complained before.” They had no response when Mr. Compton pointed out that no one else knew about it since the students weren’t allowed to take the lessons home. Since the students aren’t allowed to take these lessons home to show their parents and they are not being graded on the answers they give in these lessons, it is prima facie evidence that those in charge of our schools don’t want the parents or the taxpayers to know that PUSD is wasting their money indoctrinating our students with progressive ideologies.

Brooks Compton ended the parent/teacher/principal conference with this statement: “Let me tell you a story. When my son and I travelled to Mexico and went out to eat, everyone we dealt with, from being seated, to taking our order, was Hispanic. Many years ago, when we vacationed in Prescott and went out to eat, most everyone we encountered, from the person cooking our food to the person who cleared the table, was White. When we travelled to New Orleans and went to the French Quarter, most of the people we experienced were Black. In all of those travels, the only thing my son knew was that he didn’t want to be a busboy.”

Brooks paused and then continued, “My son didn’t know racism until you taught him racism.”

The teacher and the principal sat silent with no response.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

11 Responses

  1. Ironic how few people will know of this issue at a Prescott school. Perhaps the very same materials and methods are in Humboldt Unified? We have new people running for school boards. Will they know how to discover such racist material is being forced on the kids? School administrators and teaching staff must be investigated and permission to do this comes from seated school boards. We need to seek out school board members and demand they call for an investigation. Use this essay from Buz Williams to make your case.

  2. It is unfortunate that parents are kept in the dark. Several years ago we had a similar issue at Mile High when the now superintendent was the principal. We met and found a compromise. In the process, I lost lots of respect and confidence in those involved. We need new leadership in PUSD. Parents need to make a stand. Fortunately, my kids who were 3rd generation grads of PHS, are not going to school now days! Yikes! It is the duty of parents to protect children by being involved and know what they are being taught. Our kids are the future of this country and it begins at home! I strongly promote homeschooling families!

    I wish you the best of luck in your race Mr Compton!

  3. CRT is a Radical Left Cash Grabber money-making scam that enriches professional race-baiters, enriches self-serving unions and poisons the mind of children. It has no place in American schools.

  4. Thank you, Buz, for bringing this to light. What has transpired since the parent/teacher conference? Has Joe Howard been asked directly about this? What did Mr Howard do or say? Please don’t quit, Buz. Follow up and keep pushing for the necessary reforms.

  5. Thank you Buzz I think many parents dont know the avenues one can take to make the changes needed in the PUSD or the school maybe an article of what parents have as recourse?

  6. There is no evidence of this ever happening, I have previously posted comments on this column asking Mr. Williams for evidence. None has been provided. Also, where are my previous comments, other contemporary comments are still here, but mine are missing. Where could they have gone???

    1. Mr. Compton has the evidence and I have seen it. CRT IS being taught at PUSD.

      1. Super, let us see it, all of it, so we can make an informed opinion. Otherwise it doesn’t exist… If it is so damning, and if our children are being hurt, why is it being held back…

      2. Ms. Cohen, then why are you not reporting on these documents? Is that not your job?

    2. George, I have copies, Brooks has copies. I have quoted from some of the material. You don’t want to believe it. I doubt you would believe it if I showed you the copies as you would then claimed that Mr. Compton got them from some other source. Anita Cohen has also seen them, but you don’t believe any of us. I am sure Brooks will have them at some of the school board candidate forums, but you will find some other excuse to dismiss them.

      1. Mr. Williams, I have never assumed anything about you, I deal in facts, logic and reason. Please make no assumptions about me. Until all of the “facts” are on the table, there can be no reasonable public discourse. The incidents as described by Mr. Compton are one set of “facts”, but just like in court there are details and nuances to “facts”. A fact is a piece of information that is agreed on by all parties to be accurate and true. You describe an incident as it was described to you. But, the evidence is being withheld. Show us the evidence with names, dates, copies of the lesson etc…, then we can discuss it. As it is described, there should be disciplinary action for the teacher and principal, yet we have heard of no such thing. Mr. Compton not sharing the evidence with all of us, is probably a good political strategy to win a school board election, but a terrible strategy for a proper discussion. Think of it this way, a lawyer walks into court and tells the judge, the evidence in this case will only be described and not entered into the court records, well that case would be automatically dismissed, immediately.

Related Articles