Diversity education is a divisive education

This is a response to an editorial in the Tacoma News Tribune. The text in black is the original. The red text is my translation.

Diversity education is a divisive education

The Great Seal of the United States proclaims the achievement of the
American Revolutionary generation: “E Pluribus Unum – out of many, one.”

I would like to start my argument by referencing a motto written by the
white men that so closely resemble me, in which they clearly state the
opposite of what I am about to say.  Putting aside the fact that the “many”
that they refer to most definitely meant white land-holding men.

Now comes a measure introduced into the Washington Legislature that,
if adopted, will turn this achievement on its head, proclaiming the goal
of mandating a public schools curriculum that emphasizes “diversity” and
“global citizenship.”

Now the Washington Legislature is trying to celebrate the diversity of the
many and expand our American ideals globally, and I don’t like it. I know
it is merely a suggestion, but I am afraid that if adopted, I may have to teach
about the blacks in months other than February. I just spent the last
twenty-eight days teaching about Martin Luther Coo King. Isn’t that enough
diversity?

House Bill 1314, supported by a host of the usual liberal suspects, would
direct the state school superintendent’s office to develop an ethnic studies
curriculum.

While not mandated as a graduation requirement, the bill’s sponsors hope
schools choose to add the curriculum to their 7th through 12th grade
course offerings.

The language of the bill clearly states that it is not mandatory, but I thought
I would take the opportunity to remind everyone that I have a deep seated
fear of people that are not white.

Given the overall leftist influence in our state public schools, a great
many districts are likely to expose students to this proposed curriculum.

Again, this is not mandated, but I am going to play on your tribalist fears of
the radical left. Honestly if I could justifiably put a picture of AOC with this
column, then I would. This is just another attempt by the left to brainwash
our students. I know I am in the classroom, but teachers on the right just
don’t have the same power as those on the left. Even though I tell students
(40% of whom are not white) that they should all act white they just won’t buy
into it.

HB 1314 is a bad idea and should not be approved. The great goal of the
common neighborhood public schools was to provide an environment where
children of immigrants would, over time, be welcomed into the common
American culture.

I would like to now state an opinion about free public schools that is
unsubstantiated by any facts, examples, or references. I am most likely
referring to our grand history of missionary schools that stole Native
American children from their families in order to beat the brown out of
them.

Even immigrant adults would attend night schools to learn English as
quickly as possible. To become “American” did not mean immigrants had to
forgo the language and ceremonial life of their country of origin. However,
most made it their primary goal to enter into the common culture as quickly
as possible.

I am fond of using made up statistics. I will disguise this fact by not actually
typing any numbers, but instead referring to “most” to reassure the reader
thatwhat I am saying is true, and as long as the number is over 50% nobody
can call me on my bullshit. Honestly, I don’t even realize I am doing this.
Many people have said that I am a good writer, and I have been published in
the best newspapers.

Of course, this increasing emphasis on cultural diversity is not just about
school curriculum but part of a larger agenda to implement the goals of
identity politics.

This is my new favorite phrase. I’m not exactly sure what it means, and I am
surely not going to explain it. I just know that  “identity politics” is a bad thing
and if I repeat it three times, the Fox will appear to agree with me.

This way of thinking is based on the assumption that certain groups of
Americans are inherently marginalized in our society and are the victims of
ongoing discrimination.

As an educated person, I am perfectly aware that certain groups are
systematically marginalized by our institutions and continually victimized by
ongoing discrimination, but I am going to pretend that this is not the case. It
is not fair that white people can’t maintain their grip on our cultural
institutions, so I am going to conveniently discover “equality” now that it
benefits me.

But the increasing emphasis on some identifying characteristic, such as race,
gender, sexual orientation or nationality, undermines a historical American
achievement:

Our historical achievement of building the most powerful nation in the world
on the back of brown people and slaughtering the millions that lived here
before us.

Creating institutions, like broad-based political parties, has served to unite
diverse groups around policy proposals that bond Americans to a common
enterprise. Even if this goal has not always been realized, it was assumed the
effort ought to always point toward its achievement.

I am going to seriously suggest that our current political system is bringing
people together, and not rapidly causing a retreat to the opposite poles of the
political spectrum.

The real problem is this: The proponents of measures like HB 1314 no longer
support the American experiment. They don’t want to encourage new
immigrants and new citizens to integrate. They think America is inherently
racist and discriminatory at every turn.

Obviously, those on the left hate America. I will also exaggerate their
argument, so that you will have no option other than to disagree. I mean if
they see racism everywhere (they don’t), then they must be wrong.

In their view the best way to change the country is to call into question the
common stories that serve to sustain a common American identity. In its place
they will substitute alternative stories – those of diversity, which aim to divide
and not unite.

I will continue creating a false sense of their political view and point out that
they don’t like white people because they try to tell everyone’s story. Even
though telling additional stories does not erase the old ones, I will strongly
suggest that the left is creating a new false history of the U.S. As a history
teacher I choose to believe the one that I have been teaching from the
textbook. Politics has never played a role in textbook adoption. If the left
would stop pointing out that people are different, then we could unite under
one supreme culture.

What can be done, beyond saying no to HB 1314? This is not a call to ignore
the real transgressions of justice in American history. It is, however, a
reminder that this country was not created on the assumption that no
injustices would occur, or that all existing injustices would be immediately
eliminated.

I am going to cover my ass, by pointing out that there may have been a couple
of dark moments in our history, but I mean come on, nobody is perfect. And
obviously we can’t make all injustice go away immediately. Come on, can’t
YOU people just wait a little longer?

As President Abraham Lincoln once observed, the right should always be
looked to even if it could not be achieved all at once.

I am referencing Lincoln because I know that black people like him, though I
will ignore that he wanted the “better angels of our nature” to touch the
chords of memory, and focus on some idea that we can’t achieve everything at
once. Though don’t expect a quote, because that would cause me to slow down
my rant.

This is probably the worst result of the identity politics of those who want to
push a diversity education agenda in our schools. The movement represents a
loss of faith in the foundational institutions of the American experiment, and
worse, undermines those institutions.

I am particularly fond of hyperbole, so I am going back to that well again.
You see if we learn about other people then it will DESTROY EVERYTHING
we love about America. By everything, I mean whiteness.

I can do no better than to end with the wisdom of Lincoln: “A House divided
against itself cannot stand.” That’s exactly what will be accomplished by
diversity education: a house divided.

Oh, now I have a quote because I want to emphasize that if we passed this
non-binding legislation, then it will lead to a civil war.

Mike Jankanish is chair of the history department at Tacoma’s Wilson High School.