Is Social Justice Posturing on Track to Contaminate Montessori Education

American Thinker ^ | 17 Jun, 2021 | C.M. Cushman

[MtnClimber]

Instead of workshops on social justice topics, Montessori organizations should feature seminars on the value and role of the individual in eliminating racism.

Unfortunately, some Montessori organizations are caving in to the social justice movement.[1] Two major Montessori organizations, Association Montessori International/USA (AMI/USA) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) have supported or sponsored conferences that featured workshops or lectures on understanding structural racism, diversity, anti-bias, LGBT students, and much more. These conferences were put on by an organization called Montessori for Social Justice. The website for the AMI/USA conference in 2018 states that Montessori for Social Justice is "dedicated to promoting anti-bias, anti-racist Montessori education. They bring together Montessorians of all trainings to work towards educational equity and the success of all children." Another Montessori organization, the Montessori Foundation, has formed a task force to address and act on several issues such as eradicating prejudices, establishing a social justice curriculum, and so on.

Well, this is news to me. I had no idea that Montessori is a biased, racist educational system or that it isn't for the success of all children. I frequently get emails that mention ending systemic and internal racism. Americans, but especially Montessorians, as educators, should recognize that the answer to ending racism is right under their noses. Here is the explanation.

Racism claims that a person is determined by physical factors out of his control, such as skin color. It holds that a person's values and the content of his mind are either determined before birth or are controlled by his social group. Racism is deterministic; it does not accept free will. It does not recognize any ability of a person to think for himself, come to his own conclusions, and form his own character. Racism is the lowest, crudest, and most evil form of judging

[MtnClimber]

The left is blind to the extreme racism that they practice.

[SauronOfMordor]

The Left is a religion whose fundamental beliefs include the idea that there is NO genetic basis for IQ or general ability, and that all people can be perfected by the right education.

Therefore, any persistent disparity in educational ability or economic achievement MUST be due to oppression by a dominant group.

[Stravinsky]

The craziness has infected everything.

Had a conversation recently with a guy who has his child in a Montessori-based school. He was explaining how the school only allows certain colors of masks because some colors are “triggering” to other students and that all snacks sent by the parents have to be pre-approved for nutrition reasons by the staff AND have to be out of their wrapper so as to not promote commercialism and envy or some crap. He was sharing these things in a way that made it clear he thought it was ridiculous. I wanted to say, but didn’t since I don’t know him well, “Why the (BLEEP) are you paying for that?” Seriously, bad enough that parents don’t throw out school boards when it comes to public schools, but to directly pay for your child to be treated that way? Come on!