New California Curriculum and Jewish Privilege

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saw50st8

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 9:22 am

https://www.wsj.com/articles/c.....MOE_o

California is implementing a new curriculum to be inclusive of racial issues. One of the resources for the curriculum is about comparing Jewish and Irish immigrants now have privilege.

Link to curriculum here: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/c.....8d9Vs

The paragraph below is taken from Appendix A.

Unit 6: Irish and Jewish Americans: Redefining White and American
We will examine the differences between the reception of Jewish and Irish immigrants to what it means to be Jewish and Irish now in the twenty first century. We will discuss parallels between language used to describe Irish and Jewish immigrants to those used in the early years of the United States to describe Native Americans. Students will investigate labor disputes and how they were ended and how that relates to the redefining of white. Posing questions on who gets to decide those that get to join the 'club' and why. Students will write a paper detailing certain events in American history that have led to Jewish and Irish Americans gaining racial privilege. They will be asked to think critically about why and who is allowing this evolution in white identity and how this shift is affecting the identity of Irish and Jewish Americans.

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I actually think that this is the danger of the liberal left. The idea of lumping Jews in with privilege allows the subtle shift of allowing antisemitism to continue in different, more subtle forms. I think I prefer the rabid straightforward antisemitism of the radical right who are very open about hating us then this method of slowly building up the idea that Jews have privilege and can be marginalized as white until its convenient to marginalize us as Zionists.

Fox

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 9:42 am

100 percent. For all the fussing we do on Imamother over President Trump, this is a million times more concerning, and it's the kind of thing that often slips in with minimal objection.

youngishbear

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 10:09 am

While I agree in principle that this is not good, I personally would find it interesting to compare the two groups, but more importantly, to contrast them. While it's true that the majority of Jews are now considered white, we are in the possibly unique position of being part of the privileged in-group sometimes and for some purposes yet Othered and hated at other times.

It's a bit like the "define what it means to be Jewish" question. I find it an interesting question, but I'd rather not have it debated in public school classrooms across the country.

Rubber Ducky

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 10:19 am

I guess it depends who's doing the teaching, but in general this is a very bad idea. I agree with saw50st8 that this curriculum will subtly demonize Jews.

saw50st8

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 10:40 am

youngishbear wrote:

I think if they also had a unit on antisemitism and exploring how types of hatred (racism, antisemitism, sexism etc) manifest, I might be more open to this.

I agree that it would be interesting to explore, but I think it's beyond basic curriculum taught across the state without educators who really have a handle on the nuance.

avrahamama

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 10:46 am

I don't understand why they think this is important to learn, but don't have "soft skills" as a subject.

Why is it ok to make white privilege a course of study. But basic life skills and interpersonal skills are not. I think if as a population we learned to be self aware, learned how to work with others, learned how to admit wrongdoing and apologize ... Maybe we would get somewhere.

Seriously.

Teachers have to squeeze in lessons on how to recognize your feelings. But now teens get to learn about white privilege and then go and have fist fights in the hallway because they experienced a lifetime of trauma based on history.

They'd be better off learning how to organize their lives so that they can live successful lives that have nothing to do with privilege.

#BestBubby

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 10:53 am

They are indoctrinating marxism.

marxism divides people into victims and oppressors

or privileged and non-privileged.

ShishKabob

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 11:04 am

Rubber Ducky wrote:

I agree with saw50st8 that this curriculum will subtly demonize Jews.

I'm just disagreeing with the adjective subtle. I think this is overt.

Raisin

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 11:28 am

I assume what it is trying to say is that Jews and Irish in the past suffered a lot of discrimination in the USA, not so much today. Probably true about the Irish, but not necessarily about Jews. However, the anti semitism suffered by Jews today doesn't generally come from the establishment.

sequoia

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:05 pm

What about Italians?

Raisin

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:24 pm

yes, anyone not a WASP suffered some discrimination. Wasn't JFK at a disadvantage because he was Catholic?

Rappel

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:25 pm

Well.

If this curriculum doesn't constitute overt antisemitic propaganda being peddled in the classroom, then I don't know what does.

pause

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:30 pm

Scary...

tp3

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:35 pm

Probably coming to NY next.

finprof

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:43 pm

Why are you so concerned? Jews and Irish were both discriminated against during their initial migratory waves but both groups assimilated well into American society while maintaining their cultural identities. I only skimmed, but isn't the idea of the assignment to compare the experience of these groups with currently marginalized communities? Y'all really think HS kids can't handle that discussion? They encounter this daily in the halls of every public school in the country! Why not talk about it in the classroom?

Edited to add- Have some faith in kids- they do know that antisemitism exists. Reform and Conservative students have Jewish clubs in public schools where they discuss antisemitism. The ADL is also highly active in schools. Kids understand both privilege and hatred. They see their interplay daily.

SixOfWands

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 12:55 pm

finprof wrote:

Of course Jewish kids know that there is antisemitism. But this would seem to be telling non-Jewish kids that antisemitism is a thing of the past.

Up until that point, its valuable and interesting.

Rappel

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 1:06 pm

finprof wrote:

. I only skimmed, but isn't the idea of the assignment to compare the experience of these groups with currently marginalized communities?

Yes.

But it doesnt do so in order to teach the students tools for success and inclusion.

The final conclusion of this curriculum is that "Whites can integrate and be successful in this society as we know it. Dark or different people (East Asians) can't."

Despicable.

finprof

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 1:22 pm

Rappel wrote:

What is wrong with asking why they can't? Shouldn't schools teach children to strive for a better world? Doesn't the Torah command us to heal the world?

Rappel

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 1:42 pm

finprof wrote:

What is wrong with asking why they can't? Shouldn't schools teach children to strive for a better world? Doesn't the Torah command us to heal the world?

You think this paradigm is correct? That a person's success is determined by their skin shade? Uh uh. It's determined by many factors, but mostly by our efforts, our sense of self, and our responsibility.

This brainwashing heals nothing. It foments hurt and a false sense of helplessness. It is oppression itself.

finprof

Tue, Sep 01 2020, 1:59 pm

No, I don't think it is THE determining factor but it is A factor, mostly as a function of generational wealth. I don't believe anyone can't succeed, but I do recognize that it is easier for some than others. You can't tell me you don't think Trump had it "easier" than some random person from the inner city. Does that preclude the inner city person from future success? No, but where you start can either give you an undeniable advantage or disadvantage. What is so wrong with having kids recognize and discuss that? How can change happen unless the need for change is recognized and discussed? That is precisely what exercises such as this are meant to do. Their goal isn't to tear anyone down or promote antisemitism, but rather for everyone to openly discuss the factors that both unite and divide us.

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