Twice Cooked Speech: How Omitting Diverse Perspectives Skews Intent and Truth
In a speech I prepared that was interrupted at the Pennridge School Board meeting in Perkasie, Pennsylvania on Monday, I attempted to persuade the board that DEI initiatives in school better equip their students to be, as Paul Robeson put it, citizens of the world. The focus was unity, and how we are all better enriched through learning about one another’s histories, struggles, triumphs, and perspectives.
My speech was less well received there than others that claimed that DEI initiatives were harmful, and one which claimed allowing this in the curriculum meant people of color and other marginalized groups were out to get their houses and bank accounts.
We were even told to “Look it up” in regards to this claim.
I can’t make this stuff up. Nor would I want to. But again, it happened.
The board voted to remove great American authors such as James Baldwin, Nicola Yoon, Jason Reynolds, Brandon Kiely, Julia Alvarez, and others not just from the required reading list, but from a list consisting of an array of possible options from which students could choose, on their own, what to read.
Let me repeat — They didn’t even want these voices to be options in a list of optional material.
Ironically this is exactly why we need to learn the truth about the cultures, needs, and expressions of groups other than the ones we are accustomed to. Students of every background suffer as a result of decisions like this, made by those whose job it is to prepare them to enter a more diversifying globally-connected world.
To illustrate how omitting voices to spite inclusivity efforts skews context and erases entire swaths of the populace, I’ve prepared two copies of my interrupted presentation. One is unifying and complete. The other is redacted and…less so. Here they both are. First, all-inclusive:
Pennridge School Board Speech — Perkasie, PA 8/23/2021
“Whether I like it or not, or whether you like it or not, we are bound together forever. We are part of each other…There is no way around this. I am suggesting that these walls — these artificial walls — which have been up so long to protect us from something we fear, must come down…The one thing that all Americans have in common is that they have no other identity apart from the identity which is being achieved on this continent.”
These are the words of James Baldwin. This is the man, the American man whose voice you wish to exclude from your students’ awareness. And he’s not the only voice. The effort to continue to silence perspectives that will allow students of color to finally see their contributions to this country in full, and in the end enrich the educational foundations of every racialized group, even whites, should be frowned upon by everyone.
We all have so much more to gain by unity within diversity than we do lobbing baseless claims of indoctrination by those who seek to simply correct for a long overdue omission of talented American perspectives.
The efforts to counter this are not Indoctrination, including voices of color are not overwhelming. This is American history, and knowing it allows for a more cohesive body of knowledge for those that inherit the future. This school exists for the sole purpose of preparing students to be — as the late great Paul Robison said — citizens of the world. And if you have never heard of Paul Robeson, well — that only underscores my point.
If you don’t teach about slavery, then students miss out on the inspirational journeys of Harriet Tubman, of whom a statue stands less than an hour from here; and the underground railroad, of which a stop was right here in Bucks County. And that may be what you wish. But you also can’t then teach about Thomas Garrett, and the number of other white Quakers who aided her in her attempts.
If you don’t teach about the reconstruction era students may not learn about the Greenwood Massacre. And that may be what you wish. But it also means they don’t learn about Thomas E. Watson, who said “You are made to hate each other because upon that hatred is rested the keystone of the arch of financial despotism which enslaves you both.”
If you don’t teach about civil-rights era oppression, you may not learn about Paul Robeson (already mentioned). And that may be what you wish. But it also means you can’t teach about Virginia Foster Durr, who was white, and went down in history for her contributions to helping pass the voting act of 1965, and her induction into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame.
If you don’t teach about modern-day inequality (that’s right — we are nowhere near done this journey) students may not know about Stacey Abrams, Bree Newsome, Ta-Nehisi Coates. But they also miss out on the contributions of Jane Elliot, and her famed blue-eyed experiment, which revealed novel, dare I say, eye-opening ways in which children will inevitably see racial advantage and disadvantage.
Those with the most to gain are the Students. And this is an effort to make all of us whites, blacks, browns, and all other marginalized groups proud to be American.
And here it is again in the spirit of removing all due diversity, equity, and inclusion:
Pennridge School Board Speech (redacted) — Perkasie, PA 8/23/2021
“Whether I like it or not, or whether you like it or not, we are bound together forever. W̵e̵ ̵a̵r̵e̵ ̵p̵a̵r̵t̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵e̵a̵c̵h̵ ̵o̵t̵h̵e̵r̵…There is no way around this. I̵ ̵a̵m̵ ̵s̵u̵g̵g̵e̵s̵t̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵t̵h̵a̵t̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵s̵e̵ ̵w̵a̵l̵l̵s̵ ̵-̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵s̵e̵ ̵a̵r̵t̵i̵f̵i̵c̵i̵a̵l̵ ̵w̵a̵l̵l̵s̵ ̵-̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵c̵h̵ ̵h̵a̵v̵e̵ ̵b̵e̵e̵n̵ ̵u̵p̵ ̵s̵o̵ ̵l̵o̵n̵g̵ ̵t̵o̵ ̵p̵r̵o̵t̵e̵c̵t̵ ̵u̵s̵ ̵f̵r̵o̵m̵ ̵s̵o̵m̵e̵t̵h̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵w̵e̵ ̵f̵e̵a̵r̵,̵ ̵m̵u̵s̵t̵ ̵c̵o̵m̵e̵ ̵d̵o̵w̵n̵…̵T̵h̵e̵ ̵o̵n̵e̵ ̵t̵h̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵t̵h̵a̵t̵ ̵a̵l̵l̵ ̵A̵m̵e̵r̵i̵c̵a̵n̵s̵ ̵h̵a̵v̵e̵ ̵i̵n̵ ̵c̵o̵m̵m̵o̵n̵ ̵i̵s̵ ̵t̵h̵a̵t̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵y̵ ̵h̵a̵v̵e̵ ̵n̵o̵ ̵o̵t̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵i̵d̵e̵n̵t̵i̵t̵y̵ ̵a̵p̵a̵r̵t̵ ̵f̵r̵o̵m̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵i̵d̵e̵n̵t̵i̵t̵y̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵c̵h̵ ̵i̵s̵ ̵b̵e̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵a̵c̵h̵i̵e̵v̵e̵d̵ ̵o̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵i̵s̵ ̵c̵o̵n̵t̵i̵n̵e̵n̵t̵.̵”̵
These are the words of James Baldwin. This is the man, the American man whose voice you wish to exclude from your students’ awareness. And he’s not the only voice. The effort to continue to silence perspectives that will allow students of color to finally see their contributions to this country in full, a̵n̵d̵ ̵i̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵e̵n̵d̵ ̵e̵n̵r̵i̵c̵h̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵e̵d̵u̵c̵a̵t̵i̵o̵n̵a̵l̵ ̵f̵o̵u̵n̵d̵a̵t̵i̵o̵n̵s̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵e̵v̵e̵r̵y̵ ̵r̵a̵c̵i̵a̵l̵i̵z̵e̵d̵ ̵g̵r̵o̵u̵p̵,̵ ̵e̵v̵e̵n̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵t̵e̵s̵,̵ should be frowned upon by everyone.
We all have so much more t̵o̵ ̵g̵a̵i̵n̵ ̵b̵y̵ ̵u̵n̵i̵t̵y̵ ̵w̵i̵t̵h̵i̵n̵ ̵d̵i̵v̵e̵r̵s̵i̵t̵y̵ than w̵e̵ ̵d̵o̵ lobbing baseless claims of indoctrination by those who seek to simply correct for a long overdue omission of talented American perspectives.
The efforts to counter this are not Indoctrination, including voices of color are not overwhelming. This is American history, and knowing it allows for a̵ ̵m̵o̵r̵e̵ ̵c̵o̵h̵e̵s̵i̵v̵e̵ ̵b̵o̵d̵y̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵k̵n̵o̵w̵l̵e̵d̵g̵e̵ ̵f̵o̵r̵ ̵t̵h̵o̵s̵e̵ ̵t̵h̵a̵t̵ ̵i̵n̵h̵e̵r̵i̵t̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵f̵u̵t̵u̵r̵e̵.̵ ̵T̵h̵i̵s̵ ̵s̵c̵h̵o̵o̵l̵ ̵e̵x̵i̵s̵t̵s̵ ̵f̵o̵r̵ the sole purpose of preparing students to be — as the late great Paul Robison said — citizens of the world. And if you have never heard of Paul Robeson, well — that only underscores my point.
If you don’t teach about slavery, then students miss out on the inspirational journeys of Harriet Tubman, of whom a statue stands less than an hour from here; and the underground railroad, of which a stop was right here in Bucks County. And that may be what you wish. B̵u̵t̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵a̵l̵s̵o̵ ̵c̵a̵n̵’̵t̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵n̵ ̵t̵e̵a̵c̵h̵ ̵a̵b̵o̵u̵t̵ ̵T̵h̵o̵m̵a̵s̵ ̵G̵a̵r̵r̵e̵t̵t̵,̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵n̵u̵m̵b̵e̵r̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵o̵t̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵t̵e̵ ̵Q̵u̵a̵k̵e̵r̵s̵ ̵w̵h̵o̵ ̵a̵i̵d̵e̵d̵ ̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵i̵n̵ ̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵a̵t̵t̵e̵m̵p̵t̵s̵.̵
If you don’t teach about the reconstruction era students may not learn about the Greenwood Massacre. And that may be what you wish. B̵u̵t̵ ̵i̵t̵ ̵a̵l̵s̵o̵ ̵m̵e̵a̵n̵s̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵y̵ ̵d̵o̵n̵’̵t̵ ̵l̵e̵a̵r̵n̵ ̵a̵b̵o̵u̵t̵ ̵T̵h̵o̵m̵a̵s̵ ̵E̵.̵ ̵W̵a̵t̵s̵o̵n̵,̵ ̵w̵h̵o̵ ̵s̵a̵i̵d̵ ̵”̵Y̵o̵u̵ ̵a̵r̵e̵ ̵m̵a̵d̵e̵ ̵t̵o̵ ̵h̵a̵t̵e̵ ̵e̵a̵c̵h̵ ̵o̵t̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵b̵e̵c̵a̵u̵s̵e̵ ̵u̵p̵o̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵a̵t̵ ̵h̵a̵t̵r̵e̵d̵ ̵i̵s̵ ̵r̵e̵s̵t̵e̵d̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵k̵e̵y̵s̵t̵o̵n̵e̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵a̵r̵c̵h̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵f̵i̵n̵a̵n̵c̵i̵a̵l̵ ̵d̵e̵s̵p̵o̵t̵i̵s̵m̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵c̵h̵ ̵e̵n̵s̵l̵a̵v̵e̵s̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵b̵o̵t̵h̵.̵”̵
If you don’t teach about civil-rights era oppression, you may not learn about Paul Robeson (already mentioned). And that may be what you wish. B̵u̵t̵ ̵i̵t̵ ̵a̵l̵s̵o̵ ̵m̵e̵a̵n̵s̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵c̵a̵n̵’̵t̵ ̵t̵e̵a̵c̵h̵ ̵a̵b̵o̵u̵t̵ ̵V̵i̵r̵g̵i̵n̵i̵a̵ ̵F̵o̵s̵t̵e̵r̵ ̵D̵u̵r̵r̵,̵ ̵w̵h̵o̵ ̵w̵a̵s̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵t̵e̵,̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵w̵e̵n̵t̵ ̵d̵o̵w̵n̵ ̵i̵n̵ ̵h̵i̵s̵t̵o̵r̵y̵ ̵f̵o̵r̵ ̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵c̵o̵n̵t̵r̵i̵b̵u̵t̵i̵o̵n̵s̵ ̵t̵o̵ ̵h̵e̵l̵p̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵p̵a̵s̵s̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵v̵o̵t̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵a̵c̵t̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵1̵9̵6̵5̵,̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵i̵n̵d̵u̵c̵t̵i̵o̵n̵ ̵i̵n̵t̵o̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵A̵l̵a̵b̵a̵m̵a̵ ̵W̵o̵m̵e̵n̵’̵s̵ ̵H̵a̵l̵l̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵F̵a̵m̵e̵.̵
If you don’t teach about modern-day inequality (that’s right — we are nowhere near done this journey) students may not know about Stacey Abrams, Bree Newsome, Ta-Nehisi Coates. B̵u̵t̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵y̵ ̵a̵l̵s̵o̵ ̵m̵i̵s̵s̵ ̵o̵u̵t̵ ̵o̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵c̵o̵n̵t̵r̵i̵b̵u̵t̵i̵o̵n̵s̵ ̵o̵f̵ ̵J̵a̵n̵e̵ ̵E̵l̵l̵i̵o̵t̵,̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵h̵e̵r̵ ̵f̵a̵m̵e̵d̵ ̵b̵l̵u̵e̵-̵e̵y̵e̵d̵ ̵e̵x̵p̵e̵r̵i̵m̵e̵n̵t̵,̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵c̵h̵ ̵r̵e̵v̵e̵a̵l̵e̵d̵ ̵n̵o̵v̵e̵l̵,̵ ̵d̵a̵r̵e̵ ̵I̵ ̵s̵a̵y̵,̵ ̵e̵y̵e̵-̵o̵p̵e̵n̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵w̵a̵y̵s̵ ̵i̵n̵ ̵w̵h̵i̵c̵h̵ children will inevitably see racial advantage and disadvantage.
Those with the most to gain are the Students. And this is an effort to make all of us w̵h̵i̵t̵e̵s̵, blacks, browns, and all other marginalized groups proud to be American.
There is no substitute for including all perspectives in education. Any attempts to omit voices that helped shape this nation, this world, fall short of honesty.
And we all deserve better than that — but especially our students.
