Iowa teachers were subjected to mandatory training from the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency that categorized the phrase “Make America Great Again” as one example of “covert white supremacy,” leaked documents show.
Other examples of “covert white supremacy” include Columbus Day, U.S. immigration law, and a denial of white privilege.
Turning Point USA’s Benny Johnson posted the slides on Twitter, showing what he called a “rock solid, real world application of Critical Race Theory being used as a *political* weapon to target Republicans.”
“This is NOT education,” he added. “It is naked political vengeance using the state education system and our children’s educators. This training is CRT in practice.”
Teachers of Iowa are being INSTRUCTED to classify the vast majority of Iowan children as Racist & White Supremacist.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
Iowa is Trump country. Trump carried 94 out of 99 Iowa counties in 2020. The Republican Governor endorsed Trump. The Iowa Senate/House is solid Republican. pic.twitter.com/t9mhy30w1I
This training was MANDATED to ALL educators and employees of the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency, one of the largest school districts in Iowa.
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
The training is stamped with the approval of the school district, which operates under the Iowa Department of Education. pic.twitter.com/9z9giA3k2J
This slide shows “Terms for Deeper Understanding” and links to two websites that define these terms citing the biggest proponents of CRT, Robin DiAngelo, Ibram X. Kendi and the creators of Critical Race Theory Jean Stefancic and Richard Delgado. pic.twitter.com/bBWIkqOEoS
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
Hundreds of educators and staff have been FORCED to take this training. We have the sign in sheet. Attendees of the meeting were prompted to give their input on drafting an “Anti-Racism” Statement and break into groups to discuss their own whiteness and racism. pic.twitter.com/fQcmKNh08o
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
More slides showing the purpose of the meeting, “Norms”, their definition of “Equity” and “Silence Breakers” pic.twitter.com/InEFpwEMtp
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
At the end of the training the Iowa teachers are given a reading list that includes:
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 22, 2021
- White Fragility: by Robin DiAngelo
- Racial Equity Tools Glossary
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
- Eurocentric Curriculum pic.twitter.com/dGC4NjSDsq
The presentation also points teachers to CRT proponents Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi for “deeper understanding.” Those authors are also on their recommended reading list.
Iowa recently banned CRT in public schools, making this presentation illegal. At the time the presentation was given, however, the bill was making its way through the legislature. Any further teaching would break the law.
In a statement to Johnson, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds called the presentation “indoctrination not education.”
This is “exactly why I took action to ban teaching divisive concepts and critical race theory in Iowa schools. Kids need to be taught how to think and not what to think," she added.