In Wisconsin, the Assembly and Senate Committees on Education recently held a public hearing addressing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the school systems of the state.
Exclusive emails obtained by Big League Politics indicated that during the meeting that Democrat Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson denied that there was an infiltration of CRT within Wisonconsin education and that Burlington School Board member Taylor Wishau promised to prove him wrong, with Larson promising to pay $100 in the event that proof was provided.
Wishau emailed Larson after the meeting, which can be read below. PDFs providing evidence of the mentioned offenses were attached as well.
Senator,
Where would you like the evidence sent so I can claim the $100.00 you offered a short time ago during the Joint Committee on Education hearing on SB 411 & SB 463?
Once supplied, you can make the check out to the Burlington Area School District as a donation.
Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.
Regards,
Taylor M. Wishau
Burlington Area School District Board of Education Treasurer
Wishau soon followed up with another email in which he copied over 80 of the Senator’s colleagues, which said “Just a follow up to ensure accountability for your words, I’ve copied over 80 of your colleagues on this reply. I look forward to your reply and a check being issued to the Burlington Area School District for $100.00 once evidence is supplied to you. In service of course…”
The material found in the PDF attachment of Wishau’s email included a survey that was distributed to students across various grade levels within the district, ranging from 5th grade to 12th. The survey sought to educate students on the concept of a ‘microaggression’ before asking students to fill out questions regarding potential ‘microaggression’ related incidentals at school. Questions in the survey description describing examples of ‘microaggressions’ included:
– Asking someone who identifies as Hispanic, “Do you speak English?”
– Asking a non-White person, “Where are you from?”
– Using outdated and offensive terminology, such as, “That’s so gay” or “That’s retarded”
– Asking a Black student, “Is your hair real?” or “Can I touch your hair?”
– Telling a thin person, they need to eat more food.
– What race(s) do you identify the most with?
– What gender do you identify the most with?
– Have you ever experienced a microaggression at school during this school year?
State Senator Larson replied thanking Wishau for the email and indicated that he has not yet reviewed the material but looks forward to doing so.
Shortly after Wishau fired another email to Senator Larson and the aforementioned colleagues, pointing out the divisive nature of the survey questions and even giving a personal anecdote of racial issues in the school that allegedly occurred AFTER students had heard teachings of the radical curriculum.
Wishaw also drew attention to the school utilizing material from radical CRT theorists like Ibram Kendi, just before asking if Larson will disavow the hateful propaganda currently being pushed in Wisconsin and other districts throughout the nation.
I refer specifically to the section highlighting “here are a few examples of microaggressions – Asking a Black student, “Is your hair real?” or “Can I touch your hair?” – again, you may not feel this is an example of CRT or CRT within the curriculum (again this was administered to students during the school day) but when I have a parent who adopted two African American boys, tell me that after the microaggression survey, they suddenly became the “black kids” in their class. They detailed specific examples of students “wanting to touch their hair”. They also stated and even wrote a letter specifically addressed to the board they never had issues with any of their fellow students or staff… until AFTER the survey. This is exactly what CRT is and does.
Also, when a school district utilizes materials from CRT Theorists Robin Diangelo and or Ibram Kendi as part of a guide for crafting curriculum and teacher training, that is CRT.
Do you agree that anyone who makes racist statements like the following should have their materials used as a guide in the American Education system? Or do you disavow these statements here and now as racist and unacceptable for use within the K-12 education system for curriculum or teacher training…”
The story is still developing, and an update will be provided should more information come to light.
