New York’s 3rd Congressional District, September 22, 2020 – Mirroring public schools across New York State, the new curriculum at Half Hollow Hills High School West places strong focus on social theories which allege systemic civil injustices, especially toward the African-American community, while perpetuating the concept of “white guilt.”
The revamped curriculum includes Harper’s Index, a politically charged stats list with negatively framed numbers on the current Presidency; a TED Talk centered on unfounded social theories derived from subjective scales such as “discourtesy” and “inferior service” to extrapolate health statistics in minority groups; a Trevor Noah segment claiming “the power of whiteness threatens the life of another man and his blackness”; an “Adam Ruins Everything” clip on the inherent racist nature of suburbs, shaming families for their success while selectively looking at data on African-American presence in suburbs; and a letter from James Baldwin which proclaims that the United States considers black people worthless on the occasion their existence is acknowledged. This academic lineup shifts focus toward tenuous social exercises at the expense of reading literary classics and emphasizing STEM education and other practical skills to prepare the next generation for tomorrow’s workforce.
“Schools should not be used as a political tool. We should be focusing on why our education system ranks outside the top ten in the world. Instead, the curriculum is being politicized to the detriment of our youth,” says NY-3 Congressional candidate George Santos.
“It is not the school’s role to instill its political agenda onto my child,” says Vincent, whose son attends the High School. “The point of school is to teach him math, English, science, and other tools he needs to become a successful young adult. I’m a business owner – they want to teach our kids about redlining and how property tax disparities lead to worse infrastructure, but there isn’t a single class that teaches them how to file taxes or how a valuation works. Talk about putting the cart before the horse. This is way over the top. And they’re not even focusing on all the changes that are leading to new, positive patterns! They’re hammering horrible theories while my kid is growing up in a world where he and his younger brother have a diverse group of friends and, frankly, do not see color! Why not focus on the positive changes? The assignments and language these kids are getting is only going to create anger and discord in an environment where there is already strong inclusion.”
