Governor Youngkin Has a Teachers Tattletale Hotline on Race Discussions
Governor Youngkin set up a special hotline so conservatives can complain about school discussions on race in society. Why stop there?
In fact, he has also endorsed a bill in the legislature outlawing any discussion of “inherently divisive concepts” in classrooms. Hmm…Let’s think about the other topics he could ban.
[Editor’s note: What follows is a modest proposal in the form of an open letter that makes suggestions to the governor on how he might take to its logical conclusion his proposal to eliminate divisive discourse.]
“Dear Governor Youngkin:
I am writing to comment on your efforts to remove “inherently divisive concepts” from the public school system. If there is one idea parents should unite behind it is not teaching a subject in the classroom on which there is not already compete agreement. However, I fear that you may not be casting the net widely enough by limiting this ban to discussions about racism and not including other notably factious issues. I have therefore provided a list of additional subjects that should be removed from school curricula.
(1) Please no discussions about the role of capitalism in the making of America.
It pains me to say this as a capitalist born and bred, but the bottom line is that there is just no profit in taking on such an inherently divisive topic. For example: some believe that capitalism is a perfect economic system; others think it is nearly perfect, but the imperfections are so minor we should just leave it alone; and still others feel, although it has only minor imperfections, we could still try to make it somewhat better. Once partisans dig in behind such wildly divergent positions, there may be no way they can be reconciled. Take care, for wars have been fought over lesser issues (though none are so well supplied as when capitalist countries are involved).
(2) I beg you, no discussions about the role of religion in the history of the United States.
Don’t get me wrong. Lord knows we could all use some spiritual uplifting. But if you want to avoid inherently divisive discussions, I can assure you — having been raised a Baptist — you wouldn’t be able to get through a moment of silence in the school cafeteria without a fight breaking out between them and the Methodists and Presbyterians about whether the daily bread symbolized the body of Christ, was actually His body, or merely was made available by Him as an answer to our prayers. Wars may have been fought over matters more trivial, but they certainly have been fought over this one specifically.
(3) If you know what’s good for you — and for all of us wanting to avoid inherently divisive items — you will not allow any discussions about the Constitution’s second amendment.
Few conversations will get a group of people locking and loading their high-velocity metaphors more rapidly than the right to bear arms. Is this essentially a divine right (consider John Calvin and see previous paragraph)? Is it a natural right (think Thomas Hobbes and the state of nature)? It could just be common sense since guns don’t kill people, it’s people who might kill off guns (perhaps Calvin and Hobbes?). And few actions are more likely to put the riot back in patriot than the unpermitted exercise of the first amendment in some inherently divisive way over the objections of a second amendment advocate.
With these changes I hope you agree we can complete the task of achieving harmony by removing inherently divisive debates from our classrooms. And what’s even better is that this concept, once implemented, will be impossible to reverse since even suggesting that it should be revised will itself be inherently divisive and therefore not allowed. Freeing ourselves from the dialectical bonds of conflict resolution will open the door to so many other possibilities for liberating the minds of students, allowing us to move on to other matters on which there also seems to be complete agreement —like banning other people’s books.
Signed,
Wesley P. Warren
A Concerned Grandparent”
[Editor’s postscript: Virginia parents concerned about freedom of education and what their children are being taught in the public schools can comment by emailing Governor Youngkin at: helpeducation@governor.virginia.gov]
