I teach in Florida schools and in this gray world, I better be 'woke.' You can look it up

[teach1st]

I teach in Florida schools and in this gray world, I better be ‘woke.’ You can look it up
Tampa Bay Times, 1/25/2023, Guest Column by Chris Fulton

Chris Fulton teaches Cambridge Literature/General Paper classes at Tarpon Springs High School (Pinellas County). He has been in the classroom for more than 23 years.

...

Just for kicks, I sometimes randomly place this question on a quiz: Why is it important to always keep an open mind?
The answer, of course, is that we reside in a decidedly gray world, and those who attempt to narrowly frame it as either black or white are thoughtlessly traveling a myopic road that can only lead to frustration and discontent.

All of which leads to the ridiculous hubbub about critical race theory being taught in schools and teachers “grooming” students. I recently conducted a conclusive, completely unscientific survey about CRT and 76% of my colleagues thought it to be an acronym for the subway system of some northeastern city. As far as grooming, 95% think good personal hygiene is important and strongly encourage it; when placed in the context of unscrupulous teachers magically turning kids gay, 83% laughed out loud while the remaining 17% groaned and rolled their eyes.

Are most teachers woke? I fervently hope so — and you should as well — because if not they’re doing a disservice to their students and society. And while I’m sure there are those who will label me as just another Godless left-wing weed-smoking brainwasher, the reality is my instructional focus is on honing informed critical thinking skills. When I’m not out getting high on a church lawn with the rest of my devious socialist peers, that is.

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently proclaimed Florida as the state where “‘Woke’ goes to die.” Having just checked my pulse, I’m obliged to disagree.

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2023/01/25/i-teach-florida-schools-this-gray-world-i-better-be-woke-you-can-look-it-up-column/

No paywall (I think)

[Diamond_Dog]

1. Kick

I love this essay. All teachers should be able to teach like this.

[MissMillie]

2. The link for "no paywall" works. It's a great op-ed (n/t)

.

[teach1st]

3. Thanks for letting me know

I think the Tampa Bay Times has figured out how to bypass archive.ph, and so I tried to find another route so that everybody could read the entire piece.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Excerpt is excellent point against binary-all-or-nothing thinking. . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. "state where woke goes to die": a lot more than woke goes there to die

In fact, woke is likely to flee the state in increasing numbers if it is not already.

If Florida gets flooded with red elderly boomers wanting to kill woke, the state will die.

[ananda]

7. Make that has been flooded with red elderly voters.

...

[mollie8]

9. One solution

Maybe climate change will sink the whole state.

[sanatanadharma]

6. I can imagine the early "Dark Ages" dialogs in towns and farms

The 'common knowledge' then was that all that urban Roman pretension, Educated Friars, and multicultural travelers and ideas are destroying our Grandparents' world and we don't need it.

Thus the Dark Ages were born.
Now imagine a future wherein the electrons don't flow and the wealth of computer-stored knowledge and family pictures are lost forever.
Imagine nothing left behind that archeology, history, genealogy, and future-photo-colorists could find.

[mjvpi]

14. Exactly. Until they 2016 I couldn't understand the Dark Ages or Nazi Germany.

[Martin Eden]

8. K&R for Sanity

Unfortunately, American "conservatism" exemplified by DeSantis is batguano crazy, or evil, or some combination thereof.

[StClone]

10. Jeebus first what the hell is "woke" I don't know or care to consider that made up b.s.

[ShazzieB]

16. Here you go.

A history of “wokeness”
Stay woke: How a Black activist watchword got co-opted in the culture war.

https://www.vox.com/culture/21437879/stay-woke-wokeness-history-origin-evolution-controversy

[StClone]

17. Thanks. I have read that before and the corruption or knee-jerk use by the "bad people"...

...of "woke" has less to do with its history, or even perversion, only that it sounds negative. Therefore with major apes like DeSantis pushing the word, the flying monkeys feel good to throw at their presumed enemies, too. I avoid using or even talking about it as a rule.

[Lovie777]

11. Florida is so laser focus on banning books, woke this and crt that.....

Black History ban, denial of COVID, denial of vaccines, denial of history except the White one, denial of health care, total gerrymandering and voter suppression, denial of women's rights, POC rights, Civil Rights, etc.

Florida is sinking. Dictator DeSatan even concerned about that?

[IronLionZion]

12. Fewer people want to be teachers these days

there's the GOP war on education, book banning, don't say gay, CRT, etc.

Crazy parents

School shootings

Low pay/benefits

One of many ways GOP uses to insult Dems is that many teachers attend our Democratic National Convention, in summer, during summer vacation.

A civilized society would value education as a priority that improves other societal problems.

TFG always boasted that he loves the poorly educated.

[Prairie_Seagull]

13. I'm all for trading floriduh for Puero Rico.

Would not even have to change our flags. Not that i really care. 49 sounds just fine.

That hot humid weather must be having an effect. Waters rising, it must be end days. So to start with we will ban books in classrooms and call teachers brain washers and toss them in jail. Doctors that treat people who choose for themselves will at least have someone to talk to in jail. Thank dog we still have our guns.

Yea 49 is sounding better and better.

Only half joking, WTF floriduh.

[mjvpi]

15. DeSantis is actively driving out teachers and welcoming corrupt policeman. What could go wrong?

On principle, I abstain from name calling. DeSantis is one scary Ratfucker. He is creating a no principle zone.