Whether this will have any effect on policy, or even the District’s pronouncements, is hard to tell. Still, it seemed worth noting, especially given my comments two years ago on one aspect of the Office’s work:
Seattle Public Schools’ Web Site Says Individualism is a Form of “Cultural Racism”:
From “Definitions of Racism”:
Cultural Racism:
Those aspects of society that overtly and covertly attribute value and normality to white people and Whiteness, and devalue, stereotype, and label people of color as “other”, different, less than, or render them invisible. Examples of these norms include defining white skin tones as nude or flesh colored, having a future time orientation, emphasizing individualism as opposed to a more collective ideology, defining one form of English as standard, and identifying only Whites as great writers or composers.Also included: “Defining one form of English as standard,” and “identifying only Whites as great writers or composers.” I should say that assuming that only Whites can be great writers or composers is of course indeed racism; but providing a list of the greatest composers and writers that consists only of whites may be perfectly legitimate, depending on your criteria (which could be entirely fair, though not indisputable, criteria) of greatness.
(The definition was taken down following complaints that were seemingly spurred by media coverage of the Web page.) Thanks to Rick Thiel for the pointer.