The California Department of Education is facing criticism for a recent webinar titled the “Black Student Achievement Series,” which attendees and critics claim focused on divisive ideologies rather than academic preparedness. The webinar, described as a "bait-and-switch," reportedly delved into dismantling what it termed the "oppressive system" of public education and advocated for "liberatory learning."
Critics contend that the training, instead of offering tools for academic success such as strategies to close learning gaps or interventions based on the state's "Science of Reading" curricula, shifted focus to identity-centered ideologies. A letter was sent to the state Department of Education expressing concerns that such trainings may violate legal protections, but no response has been received.
The state officially requires teachers to integrate Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) in the classroom. While CRE's stated aim is to augment student engagement by connecting classroom lessons to students' backgrounds, critics argue that its application in California has been distorted. They claim the focus has shifted from cultural awareness and academic success to "critical consciousness," which promotes an activist framework viewing interactions through the lens of power dynamics and institutional oppression.
This approach, according to critics, leads educators to emphasize students' racial, ethnic, or religious identities and to frame existing institutions as oppressive systems requiring challenge or dismantling. The premise that effective learning depends on teachers sharing students' exact identities is also contested, with critics arguing it is fundamentally flawed and detracts from academic goals.
Millions in taxpayer dollars are reportedly being spent on these state-hosted webinars, consultant fees, and administrative frameworks that critics argue advance political activism over academic readiness. This is seen as particularly detrimental to vulnerable children, who are allegedly left "politically activated but academically neglected."
There are calls for California to reclaim Culturally Responsive Education from special interests and their political agendas, urging a reinvestment in core educational promises. This includes teaching foundational skills like reading, writing, and critical thinking, and preparing students to participate as citizens in American democracy. The goal, proponents argue, should be to use cultural awareness as a bridge to understanding diverse histories and fostering mutual respect, rather than as a tool for radicalization. Critics assert that schools have become political battlegrounds instead of institutions for learning, and that children need quality education empowering them to reach their potential, not lessons in "institutional despair."