By Cassandra Fairbanks
California State University at East Bay is paying faculty $1,200 stipends to participate in a five day Critical Race Theory training seminar later this month.
The Anti-Racist Liberatory Pedagogy Academy sessions will take place between July 19-23.
Incredibly, the call for people to sign up, published on CSU letterhead, quotes cop-killer Assata Shakur.
“In her autobiography, Assata Shakur reminds us that the more we get used to our oppression, the more our tolerance for it grows. Critical pedagogue, Paulo Freire, also reminds us that as historical beings, we live our current moment as a time of possibility, not predetermination,” the document, obtained by Campus Reform, reads.
The five themes for the workshop are listed as “Deepening our understanding of Critical Race Theory and Critical Pedagogies,” “Interrupting racism in the University,” “Becoming an anti-racist educator in your classroom,” “Designing an anti-racist course that is values-directed, sociohistorically-grounded, and higher purpose-driven,” and “Developing an equity-minded lens to critically self-reflect on your teaching/courses.”
The intended outcomes of the workshop, according to the document, include enhanced knowledge and understanding of Critical Race Theory to provide a framework for and to inform their anti-racism pedagogy; developing understanding of the four levels of racism: internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and structural, along with the tools and strategies for interrupting racism in the university setting; and a revised set of standardized syllabus elements to incorporate anti-racist and culturally responsive components and approaches and at least one fully revised syllabus for the Fall 2021 semester designed to meet anti-racism objectives and promote inclusive and equitable learning.
The document also explains that a total of $1,200 will be paid to participants “for the knowledge, skills, or abilities derived from participation in the program as it provides additional benefits to the University in the future.” It states that the stipends will be awarded in two parts — the first half upon completion of the summer sessions and the second half upon completion of the post-academy fall and spring semester sessions.
Campus Reform noted that Biological sciences professor Pascale Guiton, one of the workshop’s faculty participants, tweeted out a list of materials that will be used on Day 4. One of the materials listed is titled “Designing an Anti-Racist Syllabus.”
Guiton frequently uses her Twitter feed for political activism.
On July 7, the professor tweeted, “I have one question? Why are we still talking about Orange Face’s rallies? I only want to hear about him when the headline says he has been indicted! I open the news, my TL and his nasty face is all over…. Media really needs to find better subjects to cover! Ughhh.”
I have one question? Why are we still talking about Orange Face’s rallies? I only want to hear about him when the headline says he has been indicted! I open the news, my TL and his nasty face is all over…. Media really needs to find better subjects to cover! Ughhh
— Dr. Pascale Guiton (@DrGuiton) July 7, 2021
Guiton also mocked both Christians and Conservatives in a tweet about CRT last month.
“CRT is to Conservatives what the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is Creationists. They don’t understand it, but still, rail about it! Oh, wait! The two groups overlap!” Guiton wrote.
Timcast has reached out to the university for comment about both the stipend and Guiton’s tweets. We will update this story if one is provided.
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