The Fairfax County Public School District has been criticized for showing anti-police videos to second graders as part of a “Woke Kindergarten” presentation.
An elementary school in Falls Church recently removed the curriculum that was posted on their website, which included critical race theory and Black Lives Matter content, as well as links to articles criticizing white parents as “the problem with public schools.”
In the video post, a young narrator says “I feel safe when there are no police.”
Also on the school’s website were links to social media accounts called “Woke Kindergarten” and “No White Saviors” containing sensitive content not suitable for kids.
The school district later said that the posting was a mistake, according to a report by the Fairfax Times.
Critics responded by calling the curriculum “damaging” for young children, and compared it to indoctrination.
Elizabeth Schultz, a former FCPS school board member, posted photographs of the information to Twitter.
“This is Not Education. It is indoctrination. School Boards in Fairfax & beyond: STOP targeting CRT, sexualized, & politicized content to little children; lying to parents that you’re not doing it; & pressing employees into professional development to make them complicit,” she tweeted.
Others, like social media activist Savannah Edwards, argued that such curriculum was “counterintuitive” and could worsen relationships between young black people and police.
“It reminds me of when I was an elementary school student and so much effort was put into building relationships with the police – and that we’re pulling away from that seems counterintuitive,” she told Fox News. “Because if relations with police are so bad, why aren’t we making effort to rebuild those relationships so that our children will have better relationships with the police?”
The release of the video in Falls Church is one of several similar incidents in North Virginia schools. Neighboring Loudoun County experienced severe backlash from parents and community leaders after the police’s public comment was interrupted and shut down by activists at a meeting.
Parents expressed outrage at the school’s inclusion of critical race theory into curriculums for young students. Conservative former State Sen. Dick Black, R-Loudoun likewise blamed the curriculum for “teaching children to hate each other because of their skin color.”
Parent and local education advocate Asra Nomani warned parents to remain vigilant.
We must all remain vigilant about what is happening in our local schools, prioritizing always the wellbeing – not corruption – of our youth.”
