Colorado Teachers Asked to Take ‘White Privilege’ Survey

Teachers at Cherry Creek School District in Colorado were asked to take a “white privilege” survey to make sure that they “reflect on their own racial identity and to think about how their experience in the world shapes their identity.”

A school district in Colorado asked its teachers to take a “white privilege” survey, according to a report by PJ Media. The worksheet asked teachers a bizarre series of questions that have nothing to do with race, such as, for example, “Because of my race and/or color… If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of hassle-free renting or purchasing in an area in which I would want to live.”

Teachers were then reportedly asked to rate how true those statements are for them — as well as their partners — before and after completing a “racial awareness training.” Given the context of the survey, the hypothetical statements suggest that the situations are correlated with race and skin color.

Each statement in the “white privilege” worksheet was prefaced with, “Because of my race and/or color…” Here are examples of statements from the survey:

I can be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely and positively represented.

 

I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race.

If a police officer pulls me over, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.

The statements were then followed by a page entitled, “What Does It Mean to Be White?” reportedly inspired by a Seattle Times article by Robin DiAngelo. The page lists four categories: Segregation, Individualism, Focus on intentions over impact, and White Fragility as its four areas of concern.

“Segregation: Most whites live, grow, play, learn, love, work and die primarily in racial segregation. Yet, our society does not teach us to see this as a loss,” the page reads, appearing to take issue with segregation — which is perplexing coming from the left, given that leftist dogma in academia currently praises and facilitates racial segregation among students on campuses.

Another category called “Individualism,” claims that only white people are “taught to see themselves as individuals, rather than as part of a racial group.”

PJ Media confirmed the authenticity of the “white privilege” survey via Cherry Creek School District chief communications officer Abbe Smith, who told the blog, “Yes, these worksheets are a part of our Beyond Diversity training, that many of our teachers and staff, though not all, have taken,” adding that they are not mandatory.

When asked if she thought the “white privilege” training may advocate for racial identity politics, Smith said that she disagrees with the interpretation, and suggested that the worksheets are being taken “out of context.”

“The exercise is intended to help participants reflect on their own racial identity and to think about how their experience in the world shapes their identity and impacts how they view other people,” explained Smith.

“The goal is for staff to have access to a common language with which to engage in productive conversations about race,” said Smith.” Ultimately, each of us in the district has a role in ensuring that all students feel safe, welcomed and valued in school and can reach their potential.”

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.