In a recent article, I posed the question, “Is Critical Race Theory coming to an elementary school near you?” 

The answer is yes. And deceptive groups want to use taxpayer dollars to ensure Critical 

Theory infiltrates not just elementary schools and pre-K programs but families’ homes, too. 

The Idaho House previously killed House Bill 226, a budget bill that would have given a $6 million federal grant to a non-profit education organization called the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (IDAEYC). 

Soon, the Legislature is set to reconsider giving this grant to the IDAEYC.

The grant, aimed at improving early childhood education, will be implemented by IDAEYC in partnership with several groups who have radical agendas. 

First, the IDAEYC will partner with the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) to “provide resources, information, and training for parents and librarians including purchasing sets of age appropriate books to enhance the inventory at small, rural libraries.” The ICfL was recently given a “welcoming libraries grant” to increase “equity, diversity and inclusion” in Idaho libraries. This sounds like a friendly cause, until one realizes these funds are being used to traffic books on Critical Race Theory, Queer Theory, and Social Justice into libraries across Idaho and propagandize children with these pernicious and divisive ideas.

ICfL supports anti-bias education, an idea developed by the IDAEYC’s parent group the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) who is known for its book “Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.” 

Anti-bias education peddles the idea that America is systemically and irredeemably racist and sexist; that white children, especially boys, are complicit in that racism and sexism; and educators must discriminate in their treatment of white and black, male and female students to erase perceived “biases.” 

ICfL provides a “Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books” by Louise Derman Sparks of Social Justice Books, who co-authored NAEYC’s well known book. The guide explains children need to be exposed to books that include “families with two dads or two moms” and “transgender adults and children.” For example, the group suggests reading to kids “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson et al. which is about homosexual penguins who adopt a baby penguin. 

The ICfL recommends the resource “Storytime Saves the World: Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion” by Soraya Silverman-Montana of Storytime Underground. Public libraries should make diversity and social justice displays and not celebrate holidays because many holidays have religious foundations and mothers/fathers day excludes LGBTQ families, according to Storytime Underground. 

ICfL provides a Diverse bookfinder resource which recommends reading “Sparkle Boy” by Leslea Newman to children. “Sparkle Boy” tells the fictional story of a little boy whose parents encourage him to crossdress in his sister’s “shimmery skirt,” and anyone who disagrees with encouraging “gender performances” by children should be perceived as “homophobic” or “transphobic.” 

Another recommendation is “Anti-Racist Baby” by Ibram X. Kendi, which claims white babies are racists and black babies are born into a systemically and irredeemably racist America. The claim “babies are racist” comes from the repeatedly debunked pseudoscience known as implicit bias which claims to be capable of predicting behavior.

Idaho’s public libraries need to undergo “diversity audits” to make sure they have “enough” social justice books available for kids, according to ICfL. For example, classic books like “The Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingels Wilder need to be replaced with “The Birchbark House” by Louise Erdich because it is written from a Native American perspective rather than a white perspective.

Next, IDAEYC will work with Idaho STEM Action Center, in partnership with Boise State University (BSU), to bring instructional practices to early childhood education programs, families, and librarians throughout the state. Idaho STEM and BSU seek to align all aspects of their work, including “curriculum, teaching, and relationships with families,” with the NAEYC’s standards. 

The groups directly incorporate the NAEYC’s anti-bias education into their own instruction. For example, the groups instruct parents during home visits to construct “identity self portraits,” students draw self-portraits representing “areas of interest related to diversity, anti-bias or social justice,” an idea borrowed from Learning for Justice (formerly known as Teaching Tolerance!). This project idea is directly connected to anti-bias education, which was developed by the NAEYC, according to Learning for Justice. “The process of creating self-portraits … is central to the goals of anti-bias education” as it teaches children to associate themselves with a singular group identity. In other words, projects like this introduce children to identity politics. 

The BSU and Idaho Stem Action Center partnership emphasize fostering “Culturally Responsive” learners. What does “culturally responsive” mean? BSU cites activist Geneva Gay, who argues Culturally Responsive teaching must be used in classrooms to achieve the transformative agenda of social justice.

The development of Culturally Responsive or Anti-Racism education comes from the idea that racism is a white problem. White people convinced they are innocent of racism, a concept known as “white innocence,” need “Culturally Responsive” education to discount any views a white person expresses that do not make race and racism a central feature of their analysis of society, especially in any case of disparate outcomes. 

This form of indoctrination is essential to Critical Race Theorists consistent conclusion that all racially disparate outcomes are a result of systemic racism, and white people must admit their complicity in such discrimination. Creating “Culturally Responsive” children's classrooms, particularly in STEM or STEAM classes, is an idea promoted by the NAEYC too. For example, the NAEYC suggests it is productive to replace math lessons with discussions on Anti-Racism or Culturally Responsive topics.

It’s no coincidence that the IDAEYC has decided to partner with groups that align with the divisive Critical Theories peddled by their parent organization the NAEYC. The grant provides IDAEYC with strategic partnerships to carry out its mission to transform schools from institutions that exist to educate children into institutions dedicated to indoctrination.

When it comes to our children's education many parents will conclude that it's necessary and important for children to learn about issues like racism and sexism. We trust our educators to communicate truth to our kids so we can build a stronger society. This well-intentioned view misunderstands the goals of Critical Theory. Woke educators who adhere to Critical Social Justice, Queer theory and Race theory, desire to make sure children grow up not to think critically but to think only in terms of Critical Theories. For example, parents want their child to be taught how to do mathematics. Instead, woke educators teach kids how math maintains racial oppression. 

The ultimate purpose of Critical Theories is to rot a civilization from within. And it uses racism and sexism to do it. Thirty-four legislators previously voted in favor of infiltrating this rot into homes, communities, and schools. In the next vote, citizens will find out which lawmakers care to stop this unmitigated disaster.

This article has been updated. This revised version removes all references to the Early Learning Institute.