Back to the Basics vs. Woke Cirriculum

In the news, there has been a lot of controversy over “WOKE” curriculum and what should be taught to today’s youth. In my opinion, Yes, we should cover the definition of the issues that create bias, identity, gender inequality, racism, stereotypes, and violence. As educators, we need to encourage anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion early on, as it could make a difference of how students view themselves and accept others.

However, I disagree with the labeling of others because not all white people are racist. Nor, should we judge anyone based upon the color of their skin. I am not saying racism and white privileged doesn’t exist, but I am saying to teach true American history of how our democracy was formed. Communism, Marxism, and Socialism isn’t the freedom of liberty and independence that America wanted. I also strongly agree that we need to get back to the basics of English, history, math, and science. If we want our children to be able to compete when they are older they need these core subjects to get into college or to land a higher paying job.

If a student wants to explore more about culture, diversity, and inclusion , then let it be at the college level. Some colleges already offer cultural or ethical courses with professors who are well versed in these controversial subjects. Maybe if more students could afford to enroll in college it will raise up a future generation of anti-racists leaders, so there would less ethical ramifications and more acceptance of cultural differences.

In my opinion, the best way to create change, is to be the change ourselves. As a teacher, we need to encourage students to be that change by allowing them to have dialogue and discourse of their experiences of these specific issues together. Avoiding the woke curriculum issue doesn’t bring about positive change for more diversity and inclusion. It causes more divide by ignoring the root cause of the issues. Unfortunately, honor, love, and respect isn’t always being taught at home. Lastly, as a global society we need to learn to coexist, but it is easier said than done. Schools need to create a learning environment that is accepting of everyone. We all need to learn to respect others and accept their differences.