A California primary school spent $250,000 in federal dollars to educate teachers to deliver anti-oppression courses and “disrupt whiteness.” The San Francisco Chronicle claimed that Glassbrook Elementary School adopted Woke Kindergarten to improve exam results and attendance. The curriculum supposedly includes “wonderings,” which organizers identify as “unconventional questions rooted in liberatory thought.” “If we challenge the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, how might we transfer power back to the people?” a simple question.
Another asks, “If the United States defunded the Israeli military, how could this money be used to rebuild Palestine?” The curriculum also includes ‘woke word of the day,’ ‘woke read aloud,’ ‘Lil’ comrade convos,’ and ‘teach Palestine.’ According to the website Influencewatch, “Woke Kindergarten is a for-profit consulting organization situated in Germantown, Maryland that offers clients critical race theory-aligned ‘antiracism’ services and products. It was formed and is run by left-of-centre Tactivist Akiea Gross.” According to the Woke Kindergarten website, “Akiea “Ki” Gross (they/them) is an abolitionist early educator, cultural organizer, and creative who is currently creating ways to resist, heal, free, and create through their pedagogy.
Woke Kindergarten is described on its website as an abolitionist early education and pro-black and queer trans liberation
Gross has previously declared that they are “anti-Israel” and “pro-Palestine.” “I am completely anti-Israel. I believe that Israel has no right to exist. I feel that the United States has no right to exist. “I believe that any settler colony that has committed genocide against indigenous people has no right to exist,” they stated. Woke Kindergarten is also described on its website as a “global, abolitionist early childhood ecosystem and visionary creative portal supporting children, families, educators and organizations in their commitment to abolitionist early education and pro-black and queer trans liberation.” Meanwhile, after two years of Woke Kindergarten at Glassbrook Elementary, children’s scores declined. Last year, less than 4% were proficient in mathematics. In English, fewer than 12% were at grade level.
Tiger Craven-Neeley, a third-grade Glassbrook Elementary teacher, said at a board of education meeting last week, “I just want to express my disappointment that Hayward has spent $200,000 to bring abolitionist training to our school. Not that some of the content isn’t worthy; it is. But just $200,000, I just can’t help but think where else that money could have been spent. A great percentage of our students at our school are reading below grade level. I just can’t help with thinking how much reading intervention, tutors, and staff could have been paid for using that money.”
