Introduction
Woke ideology is a new phenomenon that is gaining an increasing place in modern society. It represents a new form of political correctness, but it has completely different scales and goals. This ideology is prevalent in the educational sphere, which causes numerous concerns on the part of society. Rush Limbaugh, a representative of the right-wing and controversial figures in today’s political realm, raises this topic on his website. The study of how the topic of woke education is viewed in the context of inclusion will provide an opportunity for the greatest awareness of the need for a transition to more traditional values in this area.
What Is Woke Ideology?
First of all, before proceeding to the study of the main issues related to wake education, it is necessary to gain an understanding of what it is. This term has gained popularity relatively recently but has already spread to many areas of human activity. Many researchers compare this concept with the phenomenon of political correctness. However, it is worth noting that being woke carries a much smaller negative connotation than this phrase. This is because political correctness was often treated as an “unhealthy obsession with not offending anyone” (Zwaagstra, 2022, para. 1). The main difference that distinguishes the woke ideology is a much greater emphasis on the requirements for individuals regarding their attitudes and points of view on various events and phenomena.
Thus, it is essential to define what can be considered as a woke ideology. Research stated that this approach “places such a strong emphasis on personal identity that it sees everything through the lens of race, gender, and sexual orientation” (Zwaagstra, 2022, para. 4). In other words, this approach involves learning to be more neutral about what is happening around. An example would be getting rid of gender pronouns such as he or she and switching to more gender-neutral ones so as not to offend non-binary people.
The Issue of Woke Education
Lack of Inclusion
The main problem that is emphasized in “Woke Education Is Anything but Inclusive” is the lack of the phenomenon of inclusion promoted by this concept. It is noted that “that is a fundamentally broken system because the teachers have now been put in the unenviable position of being people who must deliver an ideologically skewed educational regime” (para. 2). The main problem within this approach to the educational system, as the speaker notes, is that the approach encouraging homeroom curriculum does not imply such an essential aspect as inclusion.
It is worth paying closer attention to the homeroom curriculum mentioned. Grannis (2022) pointed out that it has “an intent to create a safe space and opportunity to explore topics that are not normally covered in the curriculum classroom, but that are often needed in guiding students through the world today” (para. 1). On the one hand, this statement has enough positive prospects due to the fact that it focuses on providing more clarity for future adults.
However, the problem is that this approach focuses on replacing many concepts that sometimes seem absurd. Because of this, there is a circumstance in which “students continuously feel silenced by this controversial curriculum, and it is clear that the curriculum does nothing to create a sustainable atmosphere or to prepare students for any future endeavors” (Grannis, 2022, para. 10). Thus, it is emphasized that in the context of homeroom curriculum, there can be no question of such a concept as inclusion.
Lack of Critical Thinking Development
Another problem that can be highlighted as part of the promotion of the woke ideology in educational institutions is the binding of points of view to children. An example would be recent events in which Brentwood School in Los Angeles was sued by a student’s parents. The problem was that they were unhappy with the woke curriculum that was being promoted at school. It is stated by one of the parents that “the curriculum change shifted away from teaching students critical thinking skills – how to think – and started indoctrinating them into what to think” (Lowenkron & Bloomberg, 2023, para. 3). This real-life example is a confirmation that the in the article, the concept of the absence of inclusion in education is of particular relevance for woke education.
Professional Ostracism
On the part of education providers, teachers who must teach these programs to children are put under the most significant blow. They may face much criticism from others and can be ostracized. Researchers who are advocates for the promotion of this ideology in educational institutions give various kinds of arguments. Hence, one of them is that “teachers should be awake. They should have a critical disposition, which can be summarized as a willingness to examine the root causes of differences and to question why social groups have unavoidable lived experiences” (Caldera et al., 2023, para. 3).
Despite the fact that this statement carries a valuable emphasis on the importance of finding the causes of problems that are currently relevant to society, it also cannot be applied in real practice. This is due to the fact that in modern realities, many schools do not provide teachers with the opportunity or choice as to what they will teach children. Because of this, many of them become hostages of circumstances, and they have to give students a curriculum that they may not fully support.
Workplace Distraction on Secondary Issues
Another aspect that is noted in the article under study is that woke education is a distraction for individuals. Reno, one of the panelists, stated, “Young people have a distorted view of reality. I mean, pronouns? Worrying about pronouns? I mean, how can you get work done if everybody is tiptoeing around the office worried about, you know, triggering someone?” (“Woke education is anything but inclusive,” 2021, para. 5). Therefore, a lot of insanity and anxiety due to the fear of offending or offending someone with your own words can become an obstacle in reaching heights in the future and contribute to the generalization of individuals among themselves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study “Woke education is anything but inclusive” on the Rush Limbaugh website provided valuable insight regarding this initiative and contributed to the formation of an opinion about the negative aspects it has for society. Hence, despite focusing on inclusion, it deprives people of promotion for students and teachers, and I agree with this claim. Moreover, the woke ideology focuses attention and causes criticism because of the teaching of what to think and not how to think. Because of this, children are deprived of the opportunity to improve their valuable critical thinking skills and common sense, which contributes to their formation as a person.
References
Caldera, A., Bernstein, D., Parker-Hill, K., Testen, k., Kistenbroker, C., & Theermann, J. (2023). The case for woke education. Education Week. Web.
Lowenkron, B. & Bloomberg. (2023). Parents launch a legal war on woke at elite schools for ‘indoctrinating’ their kids with their ‘preferred political fad of the moment.’ Fortune. Web.
Woke education is anything but inclusive. (2021). The Rush Limbaugh Show. Web.
Zwaagstra, M. (2022). Pushing woke ideology in schools. Frontier Center for Public Policy. Web.
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