Public Education's Intellectual Conformity Police

Thanks to the progressive, free-thinking leftists who control Oregon public education, you will soon be eligible to lose your teaching license if you don't think the right thoughts.

That's because - whether or not Senate Bill 50 passes - Oregon's education establishment have already decided that it's appropriate (and that they have the power and discretion) to require all licensed Oregon public school teachers to share a specific political ideology, flying under the code phrase "Cultural Competence."

I'm simple. When I see a phrase like "Cultural Competence" I assume it means things like respect. Courtesy. Not assuming your foreign-born students all know who Abe Lincoln was, or are all aware of (whatever's left of) shared American culture. Perhaps it means not demeaning their country of origin or their heritage, or becoming aware of subtle nonverbal communications habits common to different cultures.

No, ODE says "Cultural Competence" and means teachers need to think alike and share the same political values.

I wish I were making this up.

As detailed in their report, the Oregon Department of Education says they have a consensus that:

...cultural competence is more than more just effectively meeting the needs of all students by providing teachers with the requisite knowledge and skills. Rather, cultural competence entails actively challenging the status quo and advocating for equity and social justice. [p. 3]

So it's not enough if a teacher is "effectively meeting the needs of all students"? I'd be delighted if we were just doing that. But no, teachers must do all that and more - they must be required - their word not mine - required to "advocate" for "social justice".

Lest you consider me an alarmist, look at the details offered by the ODE. They want to:

· Revise rules [...] including possible revocation of licensure for culturally incompetent behavior
· Ensure licensed educators are culturally competent
· Require cultural competence for licensure renewal
[p. 9]

No big deal, right? Just gotta understand your students and teach them, right? Nope. In order to get and keep your teaching license, ODE is contemplating requiring that you "Apply competencies and believe it [p. 60]." A teacher is only safe if s/he "Advocates for social justice [p. 5]," which seems to start off with a nod to equal opportunity but quickly degenerates into economic re-distribution and Socialism Lite.

Conscientious objectors apparently need not apply. So much for honoring diversity.