Reaching All Students

For John, BLUF:  The Lowell School Department is under pressure to help students do better.  Thus new lines of pedagogical improvement are being sought.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Lowell School Committee hears plans for culturally and linguistically sustaining practices

Here is the sub-headline:

Member Mike Dillon blasts as “Marxist”

From The [Lowell] Sun, by Reporter Alana Melanson (amelanson@lowellsun.com), 5 May 2021, 10:43 p.m.

Here is the lede plus three:

Lowell Public Schools have been working on a plan to unify and strengthen culturally and linguistically sustaining practices (CLSP) within the district, but some of the components may be a tough hurdle for some school officials.

Committee member Mike Dillon blasted the efforts as “Marxist” and not having enough “diversity of thought or politics.”

Chief Equity & Engagement Officer Latifah Phillips presented the plans to the School Committee Wednesday night, which include a proposal to hire a CLSP coordinator at an estimated $100,000 salary in the next school year to support the initiatives.

In outlining the three-step process of building a CLSP continuum, Phillips said it starts with understanding one’s own culture, lens of viewing of world and personal biases.  Next comes trust and relationship building, followed by developing cultural proficiency and practices that empower students, she said.

It appears that Lowell School Committee Member Mike Dillon thinks CLSP is the thin edge of the wedge of Critical Race Theory (CRT).  (See him talk at this link https://youtu.be/Cz_S1fQkQlg)  He is asking as to if CLSP is a neo-Marxist attempt to replace class consciousness and conflict with racial consciousness and conflict, with an end goal of replacing capitalism (and democracy) with a government controlled economy.

I expect that this will be resolved by discussions at the sub-committee level and by reassuring interactions between School Committee Members and School Staff.

There should be no doubt that there are disparities for students along racial lines.  The above linked Slide Presentation shows that.  But, it appears there are also issues within racial groups, which suggests there are cultural differences within racial and ethnic groups.  These need to be addressed and resolved.  Perhaps CLSP is the answer.  On the other hand, Critical Race Theory only promises misery.  It brings Venezuela on its wings.

Regards  —  Cliff