What is Critical Race Theory – South Bay Education Alliance

South Bay Education Alliance (SBEA) is a nonpartisan organization created to ensure Excellence in Education remains a top priority in our schools.

Our group was formed in response to disturbing trends in our local schools that seek to weave Critical Race Theory across all aspects of education.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a divisive ideology that teaches people that America was founded on racist principles, categorizes people as oppressors or oppressed and denigrates the family unit, with an end goal of destroying our constitution’s guiding principles.

During an unprecedented year of school closures, our school boards and school administrators have focused their time and efforts towards CRT related initiatives. Proof of this are their recent decisions to hire consultants as a way of beginning the indoctrination process of students:

Manhattan Beach USD hired CLEAR, a radical, political propaganda organization. Nothing about them represents an independent, unbiased voice. CLEAR will be conducting audits/interviews of staff, parents and students in order to uncover and expose “bias and racism”. Do they appear to be tolerant of other views and do they believe in free speech? Answer that for yourself by viewing their Facebook page: (20+) The Center for Leadership, Equity, and Research | Facebook

Concepts that originated on college campuses such as “microaggressions” are now further expanded to a point that defies logic – now supported by MBUSD. Read for yourself here. Is this productive? This is going to lead to an environment on campus where students will be afraid to talk for fear of repercussions. How is this “healthy”?

Hermosa Beach Schools hired Sheri Atwater, who stated that it is developmentally appropriate to confront elementary aged children and lecture them on underlying implicit biases. She seeks to indoctrinate the youngest of children and writes extensively about white privilege and biases. Read one of her writings here. View a clip of her value system here as she brands anyone who claims they are not racist as a liar:

There is plenty of published information about Critical Race Theory. CRT was initially pushed on college campuses and is now on our doorstep. For those of unfamiliar with CRT, a well written article can be found here.

Critical Social Justice Ideology is the underpinning philosophy guiding CRT. This is a long read, but important to understand their radical beliefs, so many of which run counter to longstanding American values. See article here.

There is a purposeful strategy that is being implemented in schools across the country, and our school board members are following the same approach:

Once parents truly understand the nature of these initiatives and push back, the schools tell parents that these consultants are only working with teachers.
Parents then breathe a sigh of relief and assume all of this is just an exaggeration.
The consultants force these destructive ideologies onto teachers, seek out the ones who disagree, either terminating their employment or pressuring them to hide their real views. They do this vis-a-vis their “interviews and audits” (their words).
Once the teachers have acquiesced to the new approach to teaching, CRT is now woven across all aspects of the curriculum.
Speakers are invited to discuss how to be an “anti-racist” and lecture the students on the new way of thinking.
Classical literature is removed and replaced with “woke” books that teach CRT principles.
Advanced classes are no longer offered because they do not promote equity (equal outcomes).
By the time parents wake up to the changes, it is too late.

We at the SBEA believe the school boards and administrators are not addressing the real problems our students are facing:

The shutdowns over the past year have harmed all student’s academic progress, and that needs to be the top priority of all school districts. DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)/Social Justice initiatives take away from valuable instruction time. There is a fixed number of instructional minutes and this has not been increased.
MBUSD recently announced the failure rate in secondary schools has doubled. Yet, school board members spend time encouraging students to become activists and protest curriculum.
Hermosa Beach schools recently announced they were headed towards a financial cliff, due to dropping enrollment. At the same time, they claim there is systemic racism in the school district and they are blaming children/parents for the color of their skin for creating these perceived problems. Does this attract more parents to the district or repel them ?

How Can You Push Back Against This Educational Movement?

1. Make your voice heard by commenting at school board meetings and completing school surveys. Get others to write in and comment.

2. We need volunteers! Please offer to help by sending an email HERE!

3. Get involved, for the sake of the future of your children and future generations. Watch school board meetings.

4. When the school boards look for volunteers to serve on any sort of task force, get involved! We need to be part of the discussion.

5. Express your concerns to school board members about their actions and remind them that they are accountable to the public. There are important elections in 2022 and current members who support this should not be re-elected.

These newsletters will provide alerts about upcoming school board meetings and provide information about discussions and decisions made by the school board and school administrators.

Stay Tuned and Speak Up!

Do Not Remain Silent!

We need ALL Stakeholders in the South Bay to Make Their Voice Heard.

We DO support diversity of thought in the classroom and high standards for students of all ethnicities.

We DO support teaching students how to think but not what to think.

We DO NOT support the new educational ideology that prioritizes equal outcomes (equity) ahead of excellence and seeks to divide us on the basis of race.

We have STRENGTH in numbers, and TOGETHER we can be a force that pushes back against these changes and instead pushes for EXCELLENCE and an APOLITICAL educational environment that allows students to develop critical thinking skills, the ability to debate varying points of view and above all, continue to strive for excellence in education.