The Dogwhistle

Dog whistles in Santa Barbara are not like the overt Trump claims of law and order. Dog whistles in S.B. are more subtle and have been engineered by the leadership of Fair Education. People like Eric Early, James Fenkner, and others are claiming reverse racism against white Christians. While they falsely use the language of equity, their real intention is to stop Ethnic Studies from being implemented in the schools. The title of their first meeting at Ronald Reagan Ranch Library was, “Breaking the Social Justice Stranglehold on Public Education.”

Ethnic Studies has been supported unanimously by the Santa Barbara school board and Governor Gavin Newsom. At school board meetings during public comments, you will hear the same statistics repeated by Fair Education members: 54 percent and 47 percent proficiency in English and math respectively. They want more literacy. We all do. The difference is that the school board understands that Ethnic Studies has proven through evidence-based studies (see http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/NBI-2010-3-value-of-ethnic-studies.pdf) that scores in math and reading increase along with graduation rates when Ethnic Studies is implemented.

Those who mention these percentages when they make a public comment are repeating over and over what Fair Education really means, “Don’t teach Ethnic Studies.” What these mostly white folks are afraid of is that their children will become critical thinkers and be able to turn against their bigotry when they study the struggles of Black, Brown, Asian, LGBTQ+ and people who have disabilities.

So, the question is, what are Fair Ed. people afraid of? They are afraid of this map — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/10/changing-face-america/ — which shows how the complexion of the American population is becoming less and less white. They are afraid that their power and supremacy as White people will end.