Virginia mother who endured Maoist China blasts school board’s critical race theory initiative

by Kaelan Deese | Washington Examiner | June 10

A mother in Virginia who survived Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in China before immigrating to the United States slammed a local school board during a public meeting on Tuesday over its backing of critical race theory.

The theory, which claims “racism is a normal and ordinary part of our society, not an aberration,” according to a seminar developed by Fordham Law School’s Center on Race, Law, and Justice, has gained traction in public school curricula since the summer of unrest following the death of George Floyd in May last year.

“I’ve been very alarmed by what’s going on in our schools,” Xi Van Fleet told the Loudoun County School Board. “You are now teaching, training our children to be social justice warriors and to loathe our country and our history.”

The mother compared the theory to a form of “neo-racism,” adding, “This is indeed [the] American version of the Chinese Cultural Revolution,” a purge led by Mao that left 500,000 to 20 million people dead from 1966 to 1976. The vast discrepancy in fatalities is due to the lack of historical record surrounding the revolution.

Independent Women’s Voice on Twitter: “”The Communist regime used the same critical theory to divide people. The only difference is they used class instead of race.” -Xi Van Fleet speaking before the Loudoun County school board. pic.twitter.com/CnDFZLIQr8 / Twitter”

“The Communist regime used the same critical theory to divide people. The only difference is they used class instead of race.” -Xi Van Fleet speaking before the Loudoun County school board. pic.twitter.com/CnDFZLIQr8

The revolution in China started when Van Fleet was 6 years old, she said, claiming “big posters” were hung in school hallways where students could write criticisms against anyone who was deemed ideologically impure.

“One of the teachers was considered bourgeoisie because she liked to wear pretty clothes,” the mother said. “So the students attacked her and spit on her. She was covered with spit … and pretty soon, it became violence.”

She went on to describe how communist squads raided homes and destroyed family relics and anything related to China’s past culture and history.

Van Fleet’s son graduated from Loudoun High School in 2015. In recent months, the Loudoun County School District has come under fire by concerned parents and even staff members for its divisive push for teaching students critical race theory.

In April, several angry Loudoun parents started a petition to recall members of the school board whom they deem responsible for introducing critical race theory into classrooms.

A gym teacher from Leesburg Elementary, a school in the district, was reinstated to his job on Tuesday after he was suspended in May for speaking against a proposed plan that would require county public school teachers to address transgender students by their preferred gender pronouns, another policy that has stoked concern among some parents of students in the district.

Despite efforts by the district to back the controversial curriculum, the Virginia Legislature does not appear to have any proposed measures affirming or requiring instruction of critical race theory or related concepts.

When contacted by the Washington Examiner, a Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson referred to a March 19 superintendent’s statement regarding “misconceptions and misinformation” on the school’s “equity work.”

“In explaining LCPS’ equity priorities, it might be helpful to state what they are not,” the readout said. “They are not an effort to indoctrinate students and staff into a particular philosophy or theory. What they are is an effort to provide a welcoming, inclusive, affirming environment for all students.”

Read more at the Washington Examiner

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