The Dangers of Woke-Influenced Curriculums Such as Critical Race Theory or Identity Politics

Do you know what “woke” means? If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s essentially a state of awareness or consciousness of social injustice issues. There has been an increase in woke-influenced curricula in recent years, such as critical race theory or identity politics courses. While these topics are important to discuss, they can only be safe if they’re taught with proper consideration of learners’ cognitive abilities and developmental stages.

This blog post will take a closer look at the dangers of woke-influenced curricula and ways to mitigate these dangers.

What are Woke-Influenced Curriculums?

Woke-influenced curriculums refer to curriculum that focuses on issues of social justice and identity politics. These topics are often discussed regarding race, gender, sexuality, and other marginalized identities.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with discussing these topics in schools, it’s important to realize that not all learners have the cognitive abilities or developmental stages to process these concepts effectively. This can lead to many negative consequences for both the students themselves and society at large.

One example of a woke-influenced curriculum is critical race theory (CRT), which is a framework that explores how racism and racial inequities are embedded in society. Another example is identity politics, which teaches learners about the various social identities and how they affect people’s experiences in life.

What are the Dangers of Woke-Influenced Curriculums?

There are many dangers associated with woke-influenced curricula, but we’ve narrowed it down to the seven most significant ones.

1. Overwhelming Learners with Too Much Information

When discussing controversial topics such as race and racism, it’s important to be mindful of how much information is presented to learners at one time. Overloading them with too much information can be overwhelming and cause them to shut down completely. This is especially true for younger learners who may not have the cognitive ability to process complex concepts.

When presented with too much information, such learners may become overwhelmed and confused, which can lead to negative outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

2. Reinforcing Stereotypes and Prejudice

Woke-influenced curriculums can also reinforce existing stereotypes and prejudices. For example, if a course on critical race theory only focuses on the negative experiences of people of color, it can reinforce the stereotype that all people of color are criminals or lazy.

On the other hand, if a course on identity politics only discusses the struggles of marginalized groups, it can reinforce the belief that these groups are weak and powerless.

3. It Can Fuel Political Correctness and Cancel Culture

Another danger of woke-influenced curricula is that they can fuel political correctness and cancel culture. Critical race theory and identity politics are often used to justify politically correct language and behavior. Also, these curriculums often focus on avoiding offending marginalized groups.

While it’s important to be respectful of others, this type of thinking can lead to an environment where people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being labeled as bigoted or racist. This can lead to a stifling of intellectual discourse and the silencing of dissenting voices.

4. It Can Lead to the Disconnect of Individuals from Society

Another danger of woke-influenced curricula is that they can lead to the disconnect of individuals from society. This is because these curriculums often focus on how different social groups are marginalized by society. This can lead to students feeling that they are part of a certain group and that other groups are the enemy. This can create an us-versus-them mentality that can lead to isolation and loneliness.

Additionally, this type of thinking can also lead to a feeling of being misunderstood or unappreciated by society.

5. It Can Encourage Hypersensitivity

Another danger of woke-influenced curricula is that they can encourage hypersensitivity. This is because these curriculums often focus on the need to avoid offending marginalized groups.

While it’s important to be respectful of others, this type of thinking can lead to an environment where people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being labeled as bigoted or racist. This can lead to a stifling of intellectual discourse and the silencing of dissenting voices.

Additionally, it can lead to people becoming overly sensitive to criticism, even if it is constructive.

6. Ignoring The Structural Causes of Social Injustice

Woke-influenced curricula often ignore the structural causes of social injustice. This means that they often blame individuals instead of looking at the bigger picture. For example, they may focus on how racism is caused by individual prejudice instead of looking at how institutional policies and practices perpetuate it.

Additionally, they may focus on how sexism is caused by individual misogyny instead of looking at how a patriarchal system perpetuates it. This type of thinking can lead to a feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness. It can also lead people to believe that social change is not possible.

7. It Can Undermine Academic Freedom

Another danger of woke-influenced curricula is that they can undermine academic freedom. Critical race theory and identity politics have been accused of having a chilling effect on free speech and academic freedom. For instance, in 2016, the University of Chicago released a statement reaffirming its commitment to academic freedom. The statement was in response to the growing number of colleges and universities adopting policies limiting free speech.

Additionally, in 2017, Professor Bret Weinstein was forced to resign from Evergreen State College after he spoke out against a plan to have a day without white people on campus. These examples illustrate how woke-influenced curricula can lead to an environment where dissent is not tolerated and where people are afraid to speak their minds.

8. Promoting Division Instead of Unity

Woke-influenced curricula can also promote division instead of unity. This is because these curriculums often focus on the ways in which different social groups are marginalized by society. This can lead to students feeling that they are part of a certain group and that other groups are the enemy.

Additionally, this type of thinking can also lead to people becoming overly sensitive to any type of criticism, even if it is constructive. As a result, people can become divided into two camps: those who support the woke agenda and those who oppose it. This can lead to tension and even violence, as we’ve seen in recent years with the rise of hate crimes.

9. It Can Distract from the Real Issues

The other danger of woke-influenced curricula is that they can distract from the real issues. This is because these curriculums often focus on the ways in which different social groups are marginalized by society. While this is an important issue, it can overshadow other important issues that may be addressed.

For instance, while racism and sexism are two important issues that need to be addressed, they are not the only issues that need to be addressed. There are also issues such as poverty, violence, and war that also need to be addressed. By focusing too much on identity politics, woke-influenced curricula can take attention away from these other important issues.

10. Promoting a Political Agenda

Finally, woke-influenced curriculums can be used to promote a political agenda. This is often done in a subtle way, but it can still have a profound impact on learners. When these topics are presented in a one-sided manner, it can influence learners to adopt a certain political perspective.

Additionally, when these topics are presented in a way designed to evoke an emotional response, it can lead to people making decisions based on their feelings rather than logic or reason. This can have dangerous consequences, as it can lead to people making ill-informed decisions about important issues.

These are just some of the dangers associated with woke-influenced curricula. It’s important to be aware of these dangers so that we can make sure that our schools are providing students with an education that is balanced and fair.

How to Mitigate the Dangers of Woke-Influenced Curriculum?

While there are some dangers associated with woke-influenced curriculum, there are also ways to mitigate these dangers. Below are a few suggestions:

1. Implement an Age-Appropriate Curriculum

When discussing controversial topics such as race and racism, it’s important to ensure that the curriculum is age-appropriate. Younger learners may need to gain the cognitive ability to process complex concepts. As such, it’s important to present the material in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

2. Encourage Critical Thinking

Another way to mitigate the dangers of woke-influenced curriculums is to encourage critical thinking. When learners are given the opportunity to think critically about the material, they’re more likely to come to their own conclusions instead of blindly accepting what they’re being taught.

3. Balance Different Perspectives

It’s also important to balance different perspectives when discussing controversial topics. If only one side of the story is being presented, it can lead to a distorted view of the issue. By presenting different perspectives, learners can develop a more well-rounded understanding of the topic.

4. Avoid Indoctrination

Finally, it’s important to avoid indoctrination when teaching controversial topics. Indoctrination is defined as “the act of teaching someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.” When learners are being brainwashed, they’re not being given the opportunity to think for themselves. This can lead to dangerous consequences, such as extremism.

When implementing a woke-influenced curriculum, it’s important to keep the above suggestions in mind to avoid potential dangers. By doing so, you can create a safe and effective curriculum.

Final Thoughts!

As we have seen, woke-influenced curriculums such as Critical Race Theory and Identity Politics can be dangerous to the academic success of our students. Educators must be aware of these dangers and take steps to mitigate them in their classrooms.

If you are looking for a school that does not promote these divisive ideologies, look no further than High School of America. Our faculty is dedicated to providing a quality education for all students, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Contact us today to learn more about our curriculum and how we can help your child achieve their academic goals.