Erika Sanzi: What Are Schools Really Teaching?

Reason Podcasts

What are the schools really teaching our kids? It's back-to-school season, which means the curriculum wars are back on the agenda. The right has accused activist infiltrators of "indoctrinating" the next generation with woke struggle sessions, confusing kids about their gender and sexuality, and turning K-12 campuses into war zones by replacing discipline with pseudoscientific therapy. The left has accused the right of authoritarian book bans, whitewashing history, and discriminating against LGBT students and teachers. What's actually happening on campus? Joining us to talk about it today is Erika Sanzi. She's the Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, a nonprofit with a stated mission of fighting "indoctrination in schools" and "promoting the restoration of a healthy, nonpolitical education for our kids." She's also serves on the board of the Boys Initiative and is a mother of three teenage sons. Parents Defending Education falls clearly on the side of believing that schools are in danger of becoming full-on "indoctrination centers." In fact, their website features an "IndoctriNation Map" which lists examples from around the country. The conversation opens by defining the difference between indoctrination and education. Sources referenced in the conversation: IndoctriNation Map - Parents Defending Education New York City Public Schools introduces mandatory Black Studies curriculum for PreK-12th grades exploring oppression and activism - Parents Defending Education Parents Defending Education vs. Wellesly School District Gender Triangle Education Guide | GLSEN used in Jefferson County, Colorado. Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2023 - Institute of Education Sciences Use of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices at School: A Systematic Literature Review (mdpi.com) Consultant Report Card - Parents Defending Education PEN America: 2023 "Banned" Books Update Just Asking Questions: Ruth Whippman: How Is Masculinity Changing? Chapters: 00:00 Coming up… 00:20 Introduction 01:52 Indoctrination vs education 04:41 How bad is NYC? 06:40 What is the actual purpose of school? 10:16 NYC mandates "black studies" for K-12 23:46 America's literacy rates are terrible 30:19 Minority families vs. gender curriculum 41:26 What's the deal with these "consultants"? 46:59 Consultants and "social-emotional learning" 51:09 Discussing book "bans" 57:15 These are sexually explicit books 1:05:21 "Bans" skew the debate 1:11:10 Schools are deceiving parents on gender identity 01:20:06 Why are boys failing so badly?