Seattle Public Schools on Racism

[Inqvisitor]

http://www.seattleschools.org/area/equityandrace/definitionofrace.xml

Definitions of Racism Runners

Racism:
The systematic subordination of members of targeted racial groups who have relatively little social power in the United States (Blacks, Latino/as, Native Americans, and Asians), by the members of the agent racial group who have relatively more social power (Whites). The subordination is supported by the actions of individuals, cultural norms and values, and the institutional structures and practices of society.

Individual Racism:
The beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism. Individual racism can occur at both an unconscious and conscious level, and can be both active and passive. Examples include telling a racist joke, using a racial epithet, or believing in the inherent superiority of whites.

Active Racism:
Actions which have as their stated or explicit goal the maintenance of the system of racism and the oppression of those in the targeted racial groups. People who participate in active racism advocate the continued subjugation of members of the targeted groups and protection of “the rights” of members of the agent group. These goals are often supported by a belief in the inferiority of people of color and the superiority of white people, culture, and values.

Passive Racism:
Beliefs, attitudes, and actions that contribute to the maintenance of racism, without openly advocating violence or oppression. The conscious or unconscious maintenance of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that support the system of racism, racial prejudice and racial dominance.

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.

Institutional Racism:
The network of institutional structures, policies, and practices that create advantages and benefits for Whites, and discrimination, oppression, and disadvantages for people from targeted racial groups. The advantages created for Whites are often invisible to them, or are considered “rights” available to everyone as opposed to “privileges” awarded to only some individuals and groups.

Causing quite a stir numerous places online, Seattle Public Schools' new "racism" policy is an absolutely insane amalgam of anti-White absurdities....

Of course only Whites can be racist. And having a "future time orientation" (how dare people innovate for tomorrow?!), "emphasizing individualism" or daring to define "one form of English as standard" are all apparently evil White racist practices...

Disgusting...

 

[Tycoon101]

I saw the word 'whiteness' in that quote, I do not believe that this is good. This is quite a racially biased set of guidelines.

 

[aussieboy]

I'm Asian, but that is racist.

 

[Evie]

Pretty bad.

Racism, has a word itself, has nothing to do with blackness or whiteness : it can be applied by any "racial" group to any other.

Of course, from a cultural and historical standpoint, racism in western (which historically has tended to be white) culture has had rather extreme tendencies to be pro-white and against-others. Even today pro-white racism is still the predominant form (regardless of the anecdotal non-evidence white supremacist et al tend to quote to show how THEIR brand of racism is unfairly repressed).

But that doesn't mean such definition should be given out to children anyway. If they start formign the idea that being racist from anyone-but-white to anyone-else is acceptable as that's not "racism", then we're in trouble.

Bottom line is, what they're giving out is a fine description of historical racism in western culture, but not an out-and-out proper definition of racism.

 

[GenMarshall]

I disagree with the statements Inqvisitor placed forward. Whites (Caucasians) are not the only ones that can be racist. African-Americans can be racist also as well as other races...

...since I see this as a controversial thread and I distaste any form of racism. I am just placing in my $.02 on this topic and avoid this thread as much as possible.

 

[Inqvisitor]

Ah so a "conservative" Bushite is currently the only one here who supports this anti-White racism...not all that surprised personally...

 

[garric]

Ah so a "conservative" Bushite is currently the only one here who supports this anti-White racism...not all that surprised personally...

What's the point of a poll if you're going to phrase it like that? Oh yeah I forgot who I'm talking to.

 

[Xanikk999]

Nevermind this post.

Im just unsure of what inqvisitor is trying to make out of this.

 

[Inqvisitor]

What's the point of a poll if you're going to phrase it like that? Oh yeah I forgot who I'm talking to.

It's a simple yes or no question using the content from "Seattle Public Schools...."

I would expect only social marxists to agree with such absurdities.

 

[Inqvisitor]

What the....

Someone has brainwashed you for sure inqviostor!

I am failing to see your point with that...?

 

[aussieboy]

He was being sarcastic.

 

[Xanikk999]

Sorry i just thought without reading this that this was a troll thread.

Just from the comments. Well anyway i have nothing to add.

 

[Inqvisitor]

He was being sarcastic.

"Someone has brainwashed you for sure inqviostor!"

I am still not seeing how that would even work as a sarcastic comment in this context...

 

[Tycoon101]

What's the point of a poll if you're going to phrase it like that? Oh yeah I forgot who I'm talking to.

I suppose that your answering of the poll was sacastic, is it not?

 

[Xanikk999]

"Someone has brainwashed you for sure inqviostor!"

I am still not seeing how that would even work as a sarcastic comment in this context...

I was under the assumption that this was a troll thread.

I take my comments back but you do have a history with this sort of thing.

 

[.Shane.]

What the hell does it mean to have a "future time orientation"?

That stuff is horrible. Just horrible.

 

[garric]

I suppose that your answering of the poll was sacastic, is it not?

Of course it is sarcastic. This whole thread is a troll thread.

And no, it wasn't a simple yes or no question. It was a:

Yes, (If you pick this option you're a moron)
No, (If you pick this option you're right)

Poll.

It was either a troll thread or just very opinionated (not really allowing any room for discussion or disagreement), or maybe even both.

You do realize if people do disagree with you they will just refrain from voting instead of filling your angst against them?

Yes indeed only a communist would think that "Yes" is a correct answer, however, judging the people who visit OT, you never know.

 

[Inqvisitor]

What the hell does it mean to have a "future time orientation"?

That stuff is horrible. Just horrible.

It was discussed a bit on this commentary site I found simply by search engine....

Along with many of our readers, I was confused by the term "future time orientation" as used in the Seattle Public School's definition of cultural racism. (Mentioned in this SP article) So I did some Googling.

It turns out, judging by the number of hits, "time orientation" is a big topic in education and psychology, but hard definitions are not easy to find. The best I've seen is "how people compare the present to the future [or the past]." Even that definition is sketchy, so I'll summarize my impressions from reading a number of pages relating to the subject.

The time orientation of a person or culture can be past, present or future. (There are other dimensions, such as monochronic and polychronic, which we don't need to go into here.) Past-oriented cultures tend to believe all the great decisions were made in the past, and present society is a degenerate version of some past golden age. They don't value innovation highly, preferring to preserve what already exists. Tibet is a good example of such a culture, and fundamentalist Islam fits the definition, too. Future-oriented people, in contrast, believe in setting goals, planning how to reach them and innovating when necessary to accomplish their aims. Western society is the prime example of a future-oriented culture, and even for us it is a relatively recent invention, really only arising during the Renaissance. Present-oriented folks think only about the here and now, not considering how their acts relate to tradition or will effect their happiness in the future. They are impulsive and will not delay immediate gratification for some greater future reward.

Which of these orientations is best? According to the Seattle Public Schools, even asking the question is racist. However, free academic inquiry still exists as an idea, even if it is dying in the academy, so I will attempt an answer.

Future time oriented cultures have higher standards of living and healthier populations than others, because they produce innovations to create a better life. Future-oriented individuals are more likely to sacrifice in the present (such as studying for exams rather than playing) for reward in the future. They are also more likely to plan ahead for career and retirement, and so be less dependent as they get older. Past-oriented people are more passive but at least have strong tradition to fall back on. If that tradition includes saving for a rainy day or being part of an extended family that helps in old age, a person can do rather well. Present-orientation doesn't provide any safeguards. Too many of our citizens fall in this category, spending themselves into debt, having unprotected sex, and engaging in other risky behaviors without thought of the consequences.

 

[Inqvisitor]

Of course it is sarcastic. This whole thread is a troll thread.

So you deliberately skewed the poll results to satisfy your own sense of humour...

 

[garric]

So you deliberately skewed the poll results to satisfy your own sense of humour...

Yes, I sure skewed the poll results alright . Maybe you ought to consider not making a skewed poll, maybe then you can complain about skewed results.

I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of opinion. You made a horribly biased poll that only has one "correct" option. That's not really calling for a correct sample of opinion.

By the way, I don't have a sense of humour.