After watching hours of the leaked videos, we now fully grasp the danger of this ideology in schools.
A father fed up with an elite Manhattan prep school’s heavy-handed focus on race won’t re-enroll his daughter in the fall, accusing the school of trying to “brainwash” kids with woke philosophies rather than teaching them how to think on their own.
Andrew Gutmann, 45, has faced an onslaught of media attention since sending former New York Times editor Bari Weiss a scathing letter addressed to Brearley parents, saying the $54,000-a-year institution’s “obsession with race must stop” and criticizing its “antiracism initiatives” as divisive.
His daughter, meanwhile, “has handled the situation with strength and courage,” Gutmann said.
According to DailyMail, famous alumni of this school include Caroline Kennedy, Tea Leoni, Elisabeth Murdoch, Dorothy Schiff, and Alice Gore King. Nevertheless, Gutmann wants more and is furious with the school because he was labeled “offensive and harmful” after he criticized the program’s antiracism training.
Now, Gutmann has pulled his daughter out of the exclusive school in Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood. The school recently instituted antiracism training for students and parents, which enraged Gutmann, who fears that the diversity training will cause his daughter to hate America.
Gutmann, a wealthy former investment banker who now heads his family’s chemical business, does not regret writing the letter.
“She hasn’t been brainwashed yet by the school — but she’s had me at home,” Gutmann said. “I’m not so sure that’s true of the other kids.”
He said he grew increasingly concerned and frustrated by what he saw happening at the school. Last year he refused to sign the school’s anti-racism pledge. “I thought they were going to kick my daughter out then,” Gutmann said. “They didn’t but next year they have the pledge built into the yearly school contract.”
The pledge asks that parents of prospective students explain how their family’s values align with the school’s “commitment to creating an anti-racist and inclusive school community.” The application also states that the school “requires all members, including at least one parent/guardian, to participate in required anti-racist training and ongoing reflection.”
According to Gutmann, his daughter and others at the all-girl school are being indoctrinated by the new “woke” policies.
“Systemic racism, properly understood, is segregated schools and separate lunch counters. It is the interning of the Japanese and the exterminating of Jews. Systemic racism is unequivocally not a small number of isolated incidences over a period of decades,” he said. “Over the past several months, I have personally spoken to many Brearley parents as well as parents of children at peer institutions. It is abundantly clear that the majority of parents believe that Brearley’s antiracism policies are misguided, divisive, counterproductive, and cancerous.
“Many believe, as I do, that these policies will ultimately destroy what was, until recently, a wonderful educational institution. But as I am sure will come as no surprise to you, given the insidious cancel culture that has of late permeated our society, most parents are too fearful to speak up.”
He added, “I object to mandatory antiracism training for parents… These sessions, in both their content and delivery, are so sophomoric and simplistic, so unsophisticated and inane, that I would be embarrassed if they were taught to Brearley kindergarteners. They are an insult to parents and unbecoming of any educational institution, let alone one of Brearley’s caliber.”
In response, the school refused to bow down to Gutmann’s complaints and further explained its position to educate girls on civil rights issues.
Jane Fried, the head of the school, wrote:
“Many have written to say that they found the opinions expressed in the letter to be deeply offensive and harmful, and we agree. Our students noted that as this letter, which denies the presence of systemic racism, crossed their doorways, the evidence of ongoing racism – systemic and otherwise – is daily present in our headlines. Many of our students of color, especially those who identify as Black, felt the letter questioned their belonging in the Brearley community. Their belonging and their excellence are unquestionable.”
Social media posters applauded Gutmann‘s letter and passion, even as Brearley Head of School Jane Fried doubled down on its position. Fried said students were “frightened and intimidated” by the fact that the letter was sent to their homes.
Gutmann‘s concerns are not new; parents in and outside New York City have expressed skepticism with certain antiracist teachings, saying they sometimes appear to drive a wedge between students and families.
Watch the video report below for more details:
