By Thane Grauel
WESTPORT — A meeting of TEAM Westport turned contentious Thursday as debate erupted over whether Critical Race Theory is taught in town schools.
The topic, which has proved divisive at recent school board sessions and media forums, sparked dissension at an otherwise routine Zoom meeting.
TEAM — Together Effectively Achieving Multiculturalism — focuses on social issues like diversity, racism and others related to its mission.
But the atmosphere changed when Chairman Harold Bailey moved on to public-comment section of the meeting, and called on Anne Alcyone, who had her virtual “hand” raised seeking to be called on for much of the session.
Alcyone has spoken at several recent town meetings about her concerns that Critical Race Theory is infiltrating the Westport schools’ curriculum.
She also complained that differing viewpoints aren’t tolerated in Westport.
“You get 23 minutes to express your views, I get two minutes at the Board of Ed,” she said. “You can’t express subtle views in two minutes, so that’s been a real problem for me.”
“We’re called hysterical, liars, making up things. There’s all kinds of not really nice comments made about anybody that expresses an alternative view,” she said.
“I would really like to see, if you’re going to teach the CRT curriculum, which I’ve studied in depth, you need to tell the students about the alternate curriculums you are choosing not to teach,” she said. “That would be like the 1776 Unites curriculum or the fairforall.org curriculum. They have a very different approach in teaching the same history.
“If you want diversity of thought, this is another way of looking at the same history,” she added.
TEAM Westport member Ramin Ganeshram said it was her understanding CRT is a graduate-level study, not K-12.
“I think it would be really great if you stopped using the term CRT because it is graduate work,” she said.
“Obviously you’re entitled to your opinion, of course. I think that a really clear language on what you actually mean, maybe there’s another term for that, would be so helpful.”
Alcyone said she’d seen a state Education Resource Center memo that said CRT was being used to train teachers and in developing the curriculum and in teacher training.
Ganeshram asked Alcyone to send her a link to the document.
“There’s also Culturally Responsive Teaching …” Bailey said. “We really have to be specific on what those acronyms mean.”
Alcyone said her problem with the state curriculum is the same as her objections to TEAM’s annual Teen Diversity Essay Contest.
Rather than encouraging students to portray themselves as victims, she said, the essays should emphasize the challenges that they had to overcome.
“I just can’t let you get away with this,” Bailey responded. “There is not a single challenge that we have put together that has asked students to talk about being victims.
“What we ask is that student comment on a specific item, like micro-aggressions in their environment. That does not say talk to us about how terrible things are for you,” he added. “But we want you to talk about whether you see it, is it there, or isn’t it? And if it’s there, tell us how it’s impacted you and how it’s impacting other people.”
“That’s not victimhood, that’s tell us about your reality,” Bailey said.
Alcyone said she liked reading the essays.
“What I don’t like is the idea that if I feel something, you have to change …” she said. “If you feel something, I want to know about, and then I choose to change. I don’t like the idea that, ‘OK, now everybody has to change because of your feelings.’”
Board of Education member Lee Goldstein said the faculty in Westport develops the schools’ curriculum for the most part. She also said people sometimes “confuse not being heard with not getting what we want.”
Member Faith Sweeney, a literacy coach at Coleytown Elementary School, said CRT was not part of her training, and is not part of Westport’s curriculum.
“We are not in the business of making students feel like victims,” she said.
“We want all students to be seen, heard and valued,” she said. “As a person of color, I have not been seen, heard or valued in the educational system. We need diverse books, we need diverse educators. We do. Because that brings in another perspective.”
“And like you said, it’s important to have multiple perspectives offered,” she said.
Alcyone complained that The Westport Library had canceled a talk by a speaker critical of CRT.
Alex Giannini, the library’s associate director of program and events, responded that it had been postponed so that “a more robust event” with an additional speaker could be lined up.
There was a back-and-forth between the two before Ganeshram broke in.
“This meeting is not the venue to discuss these details,” she said. “This has been hijacked by a conversation that is not in fact a conversation … and this is not a curriculum meeting. This is a meeting of TEAM Westport.”
She moved that they move on to the next item on the agenda or end the meeting, rather than “descending into a circular argument with no end.”
Bailey told Alcyone that the group bent over backwards to make sure her views were heard, then moved the meeting on.
“You did listen to me today and I appreciate it,” Alcyone said.
TEAM Westport member Ramin Ganeshram said it was her understanding CRT is a graduate-level study, not K-12.
“I think it would being really great if you stopped using the term CRT because it is graduate work,” she said.
Can we stop with this at this point? Yes, CRT is a subject you can study in grad school. But you study it in order to apply it in real life. Whether in the law or in education. What people are complaining about is the application of the CRT approach to education. It’s not just about teaching about slavery and racism. We are already doing that. Have any of us not been exposed to these topics in our K-12 studies? They are discussed at length. What is new is how they want to teach these subjects now, how they want to re-engineer schools, what they are trying to do with our kids. All of these things need to be debated. One point of view cannot just declare all other points of view impermissible- but that is the arrogance of the CRT movement. You are with them or against them. It’s revolting how many people go for this nonsense. Get off your high horse people. Stop insulting us. We’re not stupid. We get it. We get what you’re trying to do. You’re ultimately not going to win because your ideas are ridiculous and unsustainable. No one wants to live with that bleak world view. Oh and most of all, enough with the accusations. You know the people you are accusing are normal, nice people. Look in the mirror and ask yourself why you keep saying normal, nice people are monsters.
Dear Mr. O, Can you help me understand to what you are referring? Your comment indicates considerable ire and frustration, but, honestly I am not sure what this means: What is new is how they want to teach these subjects now, how they want to re-engineer schools, what they are trying to do with our kids. What specific evidence is there that in the Westport schools re-engineering of schools is occurring? and also, what do the changes to the curriculum (that you are pointing to) specifically do to our kids?
I really want to understand the specifics of your concerns. I certainly agree with you that underpinning philosophies and perspectives that guide curriculum and instruction should be closely explored and openly aired. But, I just am unclear about what your specific concerns are.
Jill, thank you for your questions. There is a movement afoot across the United States to transform K-12 education. This movement comes out of the Critical Social Justice movement. CRT is a useful way to describe the broader ideology but without getting lost in semantics, when you hear about anti-racism, equity, DEI, anti-whiteness, white hegemony— all of these new or repurposed terms that you never heard two years ago- this is what we are talking about. The progressive left wants to change education in profound ways. Is it already happening in our schools? Yes I think there is evidence of it, thanks to TEAM. TEAM is a group of hardcore social justice activists. They buy into this stuff 100 percent and are foisting it on our schools and our town generally. The recent statement by the Town committing to “relentless” advocacy of DEI in all we do- this is TEAM in action, an unelected group of activists forcing their (in my opinion toxic and illiberal) ideology on all of us.
So yes we have the kids being assigned Stamped, a book that celebrates the work of known antisemites. Ask any parent and you will be made aware of social justice propaganda seeping into the classroom. But to be fair, the argument is not so much that it is CURRENTLY running rampant in the schools. It’s what is coming down the pike. Westport has engaged with a far left radical organization called the NYU Metro Center to conduct this “equity” study (a CRT term of course). After TEAM held an essay contest to make the case Westport is systemically racist, the schools with the prodding of TEAM set off to work with NYU Metro who will of course be concluding that Westport is very systemically racist (they always do) and they will prescribe next steps. What will these next steps look like? We don’t know yet and hopefully there is enough community pushback that the changes are insignificant. But we’ve seen many schools and school systems really suffer due to the CRT progressives getting their way. Have you followed the chaos that has occurred at the elite NYC private schools? Have you noticed that NYC canceled gifted and talented? These people mean business. And as we’ve seen in this election campaign, they don’t take prisoners. Anyone who says a word challenging their agenda is branded a racist. Not even challenging, merely not condemning rational criticism of this horrible agenda is some kind of act of extreme bigotry now. It’s absurd. Westport Dems are truly acting disgracefully, on some kind of bizarre power trip where they flash the word “equity” around and if you don’t bow down and worship them, you’re some kind of hate/fear mongering monster.
Have a look at the NYU Metro Center website if you want to understand how they intend to advise Westport to change its ways. Will Westport embrace their diseased mindset (which strikes me as a grotesque fusion of Nazi race essentialism and Marxist class warfare)? Hopefully not. But the more we can push back on it- starting now- the better. It is clear that the Dems on the BOE and running for BOE are all in on this hard left social justice stuff. They keep saying trust us to be reasonable. But why should we, when they are all koolaid drinkers? And getting very nasty by the way in their public statements against specific individuals who have the best of intentions. Very nasty. It’s very disappointing and of course disconcerting, God forbid Dems take control of this town. They are like the DEI Taliban at this point. And if I may just one last point, I know Westport is very liberal and sympathetic to the plight of disadvantaged minorities – that is a good impulse- but everyone needs to realize that saying no to this DEI/CRT perspective doesn’t mean you don’t care about minorities- it just means you don’t think this specific ideology is a good way to approach these problems. Have a look at what Condi said on The View this week. Surely, you must be able to open your mind just a little bit to an African American hero who grew up in the segregated south (rather than just listening to all of these woke white Westport Dems barking their accusations all day and night.)
Dear Mr. O. I can hear just how passionate you are about the welfare of Westport. It sounds as though, as you have observed it the Democratic party has been brainwashed into accepting radical notions of justice and they are infusing this perspective into our children’s minds through the current curriculum. Thank you for explaining your perspective.
But, with the exception of the book”Stamped” which you mention is assigned, and a link to the NYU website, I struggle to find the facts amidst your passionate plea for a serious reset.
What are the specific of this :
when you hear about anti-racism, equity, DEI, anti-whiteness, white hegemony— all of these new or repurposed terms that you never heard two years ago- this is what we are talking about
And what movement? As an educator I have not heard about a movement:
There is a movement afoot across the United States to transform K-12 education
Education is always changing, there are new ideas and methodologies all the time,What is this nefarious, dark process? How is it happening in Westport, Honestly, I hear your distress so palpably, but distress is not facts. Please share some specific verifiable facts with me, because I surely do not want the children I tend to to be exposed to …..????
I am really unable to complete this sentence, I would sincerely like to know what exactly should I be worried about children being taught?. And, you seem to have insight into what is coming in the near future.What have you learned is coming, it sounds troubling. What is it that you have learned, what are your sources? I like to take a careful , fact based approach to my opinion building, with the opportunity for close reading of multiple reliable sources. Can you direct me to your sources for this troubling news about the future of our schools and what will be taught?
Lastly, I can tell from your words social justice is an important concept to you, what specific problems have you found in the ideas of social justice promoted by TEAM and Westport public schools?
Do you and TEAM and the school system have different ideas of what justice means?
Do you think it would be possible for the NYU work to be completed, and then for productive meaningful community conversation (mediated by a neutral mutually agreed upon party)
to occur? The idea of this would be for every consideration to be aired and then to find common ground for taking meaningful action (because we will all agree we want Westport to be a great place to live for all our citizens). Right now, I hear you saying it is your observation that the most progressive notions are the only ones that get air time and dissenting view points are hostilely rejected. I have not actually witnessed such targeted rejection, but if you have, then that should be rectified. Would a conversation or process such as the one I am proposing work?
I look forward to learning from you. Thanks for your patience.
If only there were a website, custom made for a Westport audience, that supplied tons of content that speaks directly to your questions. ?
Three things: 1) No more acronyms – spell it out whether it’s CRT or RSVP!!
2) Post online teaching outlines for our children’s courses. I am sure each course must have a teaching outline
and schedule. Take the mystery out of what is being taught in the classroom.
3) Post online outlines of required workshop/education programs for our teachers. Again, it takes the mystery out of
what is being taught to and required of the teachers.
Transparency should bring the temperature down.
Irony defined in 3 examples:
1. A group of non-educators decide they know best how to design curriculum – and presume to tell those who have lived their lives studying education and teaching their kids to “get off their high horse.”
2. A group made up of anonymous members using fake names is accusing the town of not being “transparent.” Here’s the link to the social studies curriculum, btw. https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Social-Studies/Social-Studies-Frameworks-and-Resources
3. A member of this group, which has littered the town with hundreds of lawn signs, a Facebook page, and a website – all spewing propaganda – is whining that she doesn’t get enough air time. And that Harold Bailey, chair of TEAM Westport, “got to speak for 18 minutes” at this own meeting, which he facilitates, and at which he gave this woman the floor with generous hospitality and which she abused for too long.
Do these people know how fragile they are?
Let’s rename CRT for what it is: history. For which you are not responsible even if your ancestors were
Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social-Economic Learning (SEL), or whatever you want to call it IS being taught in public schools across America. It IS being taught in Westport, even if they don’t call it that. ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ is Cultural Marxism.
Many jurisdictions across America have been caught trying to rebrand CRT into SEL and saying they don’t teach CRT, or it’s a ‘graduate level course’. Those saying this are being instructed to say so by the high priests of Lenin. This is a top-down driven narrative that is a lie. It is driven by the Leftist Democrat Party and its minions. They got caught teaching CRT and are now shape-shifting like something from Star Trek.
The people that believe in this garbage are taking a page right from the Cultural Revolution and The Communist Manifesto. Saying they are not is an ‘alternative fact’.
We should be allowed to have a debate on this ideology. The simple fact the Westport Library is romoving books they don’t like, and shutting down events should be proof enough these people are liars.
They want to indoctrinate our kids, just as Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, etc did. These people are following Karl Marx, a man who allowed his children to starve to death.
It has to stop now.
Dear Mr. Duncan,
Can you please explain what you mean by “Cultural Marxism”
What is it specifically that is being taught that is indoctrination?
Lastly, what do you mean when you say something is an alternative fact?
Thank you for helping me understand what is going on, as I really know nothing specific about the Cultural Revolution and the Communist Manifesto, and you seem to be well versed in these topics.Specifics about how those major events of the past are being played out today in Westport would be helpful.
As I mentioned to Mr.O. I like to form my opinion based on verifiable facts, so any you have to offer would be greatly appreciated
Marxism is essentially the division of society (creating envy and victimhood) in order to gain power. Using ‘cultural’ issues like racism, inquality, etc is straight out of The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx. It essentially involves hating others in order to take their property for your own. It mandates equal outcomes instead of equal opportunity. It has ALWAYS failed when tried as the human spirit is repressed and misery ensues. 200 million people were killed during the 20th century following this ideology.
Westport students are being taught these tenants – that your worth is based on the color of your skin, not the content of your character. CRT is a Marxist principle. BLM are admitted Marxists (the leaders have admitted on video and they used to have it on their website until it was removed).
‘Alternative facts’ are lies.
Mao killed tens of millions of Chinese during The Cultural Revolution.
It all starts exactly like it is happening here. White people are bad. Blacks are oppressed. Eventually it ends up with the seizure of private property and executions.
IT. ALWAYS. ENDS. THE. SAME.
This is informative.
So language and efforts to create divisions in society based on envy and victimhood is the basis of Marxism. Can’t that be said of other influencers these days? There are so many people or groups that are taking sides, feeling taken advantage of (a type of envy), feeling attacked (victims). The strong voices in each case, it seems to me, are interested in power rather than the good (of course what people think is “good” varies) of the community.
I am so glad we can have this informative conversation.
I am not sure I fully understand all of your points, but I understand your concern is about powerful voices dividing members of our community in order to gain power, (and eventually property/seat at the table/desk in the university).
This power dynamic, as you describe it/experience it, silences some while magnifying other voices.
However, is it possible to feel heard and understood, but still be on the “losing side of a conversation”?
In democracy, after all the talk and listening, the majority is in charge. We should work to compromise, which means we all walk away a bit dissatisfied, but we agree to disagree and follow the majority rule. We are not working to consensus.
Would you agree we don’t do enough as a community to listen to all voices equally?
What is the forum you would like to see to safely open the mic to all voices while we work towards the understanding that should precede the ultimate compromise and majority rule?
“Alex Giannini, the library’s associate director of program and events, responded that it had been postponed so that “a more robust event” with an additional speaker could be lined up.”
This is an ‘alternative fact’ and we all know it.