Covert Warriors for Social Justice still operates in White County schools

Business

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – A covert organization is still operating in White County Schools, but the substitute teacher who blew the whistle is gone.

Shortly after he exposed the covert Warriors for Social Justice — a group of high-ranking school district officials, principals and teachers, that he said promotes social justice initiatives similar to Critical Race Theory – James King was told his services are no longer needed.

At the July Board of Education meeting, King shared documents he collected from the Google Classroom belonging to Warriors for Social Justice where the group claims to be “dedicated to the covert program within the schools.”

Members of the Warriors for Social Justice include Superintendent Dr. Laurie Burkett, Director of Student Improvement Cindy Free, Director of Student Services Mary Kay Berry, Tesnatee Gap Elementary Principal Octavius Mulligan, White County Middle School Principal Nara Allen, Jennifer Cesarone, Ellen Gann, Tera Johnston, Patty Kidd, Valerie Mateen, Kelly Williams, Kristen Dennis, Wayne Wilkes, Sarah Spillers, Francesca Smith, Gretchin Anglin, Lindsey Olliver and Erica Owens.

James King

White County Board of Education Chairwoman Missy Jarrard has defended the group saying it is merely a teacher study group and that Critical Race Theory is not being taught in White County schools.

“The Superintendent and chairwoman have misrepresented this group’s activities,” King said. “I have shared all the information I have with the Board of Education and they are still lying to the public about what this group is doing. It is very clandestine and very much a threat.”

WSJ posts a Vision Statement and Mission Statement on Google Classroom, in addition to minutes of meetings and recruitment information. “Study groups don’t do those things,” King said. “It is very clear they expect their members to have certain conversations with students, to read certain books and to incorporate certain lessons into their classes.”

Books on the WSJ recommended reading list include many that are closely associated with the Critical Race Theory:

  • Nine children’s books on police brutality;
  • Resources for discussing police violence, race and racism;
  • White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, an advocate of Critical Race Theory;
  • Black Dignity In a World of Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown;
  • Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad.

King said he wants the School Board to disband WSJ because of their activities. “We want the Board of Education to enact policies that would prohibit similar groups from being formed and we want policies that promote transparency. This Board has not been transparent and that has created a lack of trust in the Board.”

Critical Race Theory has become an educational flashpoint banned in nearly half the states. Georgia legislators are expected to discuss a ban when the General Assembly is back in session in the fall. Opponents say CRT is Marxism-based and it pits people of color against white people.

Parents all across Georgia are protesting the insertion of social justice initiatives in their schools. In Forsyth County, more than 200 parents have shown up at the last three Board of Education meetings to protest the schools’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy.

Aware of the negative publicity that CRT attracts, most school systems claim their social justice initiatives are not CRT but Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or Social Emotional Learning. Opponents claim those are CRT by another name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Comments

  1. Fio Weaver August 10, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    CRT, SEL and DEI have NO place in our schools. Teach students math, grammar, syntax, logic, documented history and the REAL U.S. Constitution. Enough with these socialistic intrusions and tearing down of family values!

    • Bill Johnson August 11, 2021 at 6:24 am

      Thank you for reading Fetch Your News I agree. These Marxist-based programs label all white students as oppressors and all black students as oppressed. Parents beware. School Boards universally deny they teach CRT. They do so because they know parents do not want their children participating in the program. So School Boards say they teach SEL or DEI. Folks, they are the same thing and they should be banned. Period.

  2. Anna Robertson August 13, 2021 at 11:57 am

    I have subbed with King when he was a student teacher for music. His presence and connection with the students are about as engaging as a moldy avocado compared to the teachers listed in this study group. These trained, qualified, experienced, and empathic educators know what our students are facing in White County and trying to educate themselves to be better equipped to answer questions about race and police violence that are being asked BY THE STUDENTS. The adults do not sit and ponder these topics but the students do. These teachers in this group are some of the best in the county and should be commended for their efforts to make our schools a safe zone for learning and discussion.

    • Bill Johnson August 18, 2021 at 10:19 am

      Respectfully, Anna, you completely miss the point. It’s not about who is or is not a quality educator. It is about transparency. Taxpayers expect school board business to be conducted in the open. For the superintendent, principals and top administration officials to be part of a “covert program in White County schools” is unconscionable and should be halted immediately. If the Board of Commissioners were to conduct a “covert program” inside county government would lead to a recall.

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