On Friday’s Morning Edition, NPR lamented the “surge” in book bans across America. Apparently, democracy works best in America when educators get to assign left-wing propaganda about how America is deeply racist, and no one objects. The headline on their website:
1 parent is responsible for a book ban in North Carolina
But even their summary undercut that assertion: “In a North Carolina school district newly controlled by Republicans, it took just one parent’s complaint to remove a book from the curriculum.”
So one parent started a political movement. If that one parent spurred the opposite movement — resisting a book by say, Clarence Thomas or Thomas Sowell — they’d get the Conquering Hero treatment. But here, it’s terrible. At least the parent was quoted:
RACHEL KEITH: Katie Gates was upset that her daughter’s teacher assigned the book Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, And You in an AP language and composition class. She told the school board at a packed public hearing the book is anti-American.
KATIE GATES: They brainwash the reader that all the white people are racist and are to blame for everything wrong in America. How do you think these claims make everyday average white students required to read this book feel?
KEITH: Gates was demanding the removal of the book from the curriculum. Stamped is a frequent target for book bans across the country.
NPR never explained why they’re teaching “anti-racism” in an English class — specifically, a writing class — and not in social studies or history. But here’s what’s funny about this three-and-a-half minute story. There’s no mention this is a book by radical leftist Ibram X. Kendi, one of the most infamous Critical Race Theory voices. This isn’t merely about education, it’s about social change. This ad runs on the book’s Amazon page:
The progressive elites love this book for its advocacy. Amazon also runs the Kirkus Reviews rave: “Readers who want to truly understand how deeply embedded racism is in the very fabric of the U.S., its history, and its systems will come away educated and enlightened. Worthy of inclusion in every home and in curricula and libraries everywhere. Impressive and much needed.”
NPR never focused on the actual contents of the book, other than airing the Gates complaint. All the Gates critics merely get to speak in favor of “critical thinking.” The local NAACP functionary complained “it’s going to make teachers who decide the curriculum to pick the safe route instead of the route that will envelop more critical thinking.” As NPR summarized, “the school board is ignoring important Black voices.” Voices that shall remain nameless!
The comical highlight of this story was when Keith said the words “what they call liberal indoctrination in schools.” NPR is what we call liberal indoctrination on the radio.
KEITH: Last November, Republicans swept the elections, taking control from Democrats. Those GOP candidates campaigned on parental rights and stopping what they call liberal indoctrination in schools.
They turned to the poor teacher who became “powerless” in the face of a parental-rights movement: “As for the teacher, Kelli Kidwell, who had required the book, she now has to choose another text that the board said needs to be, quote, ‘balanced.’ She says she’s disappointed that one parent can have so much control over her classroom.”
Now just imagine if we could make NPR quote-unquote “balanced.”
PS: Rachel Keith has another, earlier story on this controversy here.