Washington State will implement race-based school discipline – Indy News

Although many states have enacted legislation against the Critical Ethnic Theory (CRT) and its application to education, the state of Washington is heading in the opposite direction. A new education policy seeks to establish “educational fairness” and eliminate “institutional racism.” The goal of the policy is to ensure equal results across ethnic and cultural lines, which means the nation will determine the intensity of school discipline. This policy, as well as a similar measure that promotes “cultural competence” for educators, was passed by a Democrat-controlled legislature and governor in a deep blue state.

The Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) has provided training to state school boards to enforce ESSB 5044. The bill is described as “a law relating to equity, cultural competence, and the dismantling of institutional racism in the universal school system.” Compulsory training emphasizes the difference between “equity” and “equality” and emphasizes the importance of achieving the former. The guideline document specifies “specific training that explores what equity means, how it differs from equity, why it produces good student outcomes, and what the board’s role is in moving toward equity.”

The Twitter account “Libs of TikTok” shared a video of a Clover Park School District (WA) school board meeting discussing the policy. The meeting also voted on the implementation of the law.

Unreal. Cloverpark SD Passed a policy last week for “cultural discipline”. This means that staff will consider a student’s race before punishment so that discipline can be spread “fairly”. pic.twitter.com/WXhZLYfd61

– Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 22, 2022

In the video, school board members specifically focused on how students should be disciplined separately based on their race and the culture they come from. In practice, white students will be severely punished for violating the same rules as minority students, with the ultimate goal being equal results. Also, a student’s cultural background can be used to excuse themselves from the discipline.

This article by Seattle Radio host Jason Rantz deals deeply with what is discussed in the video and the context behind it.

Credits and more info: JasonRentz https://t.co/oWdUD5QLe4

– Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 22, 2022

In the video, school board members disagree on the policy. Two of the speakers in the video expressed concern about the idea that students should be treated differently based on issues beyond their control, such as their ethnicity and cultural background. A member of the school board who pushed back said that “if we both do the same thing, we should have the same outcome”, referring to the notion that two students from different ethnic groups or cultural backgrounds should be equally disciplined. Race-based school discipline.

However, the policy was passed after dissenters voted three to two times.

Related: Virginia House of Delegates passes law banning critical race theory in K-12 schools