ETFO 'white privilege' workshop. Thoughts?

Ms.FemmeFatale

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Jun 18, 2011
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The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is offering their members a workshop on “white privilege.” Article below

TORONTO - The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is offering their members a workshop on “white privilege.”

That’s right. It doesn’t question whether white privilege exists.

That’s a given. No debate about whether all white people have special status. They just do.

And the union representing more than 76,000 teachers is teaching its membership how to deal with it.

White privilege exists, therefore ETFO will have a workshop on it.

Frankly, as a white person who’s struggled all my life to become privileged, I really wish I knew what white privilege is, because I’d like a heaping helping.

If I’d had a chunk of white privilege, I wouldn’t have had to bust my butt every day working to make a living. I could be eating bonbons on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

A note on the ETFO website says the union is looking for people to put on the workshops.

The “ideal presenter” will have “demonstrated commitment and understanding of white privilege and systemic issues.”

Interested in the job? Then you should submit a cover letter that outlines “your understanding of white privilege.”

Well, here’s my understanding of white privilege.

It doesn’t exist.

This is a racist notion put forward by ETFO and it is as dangerous as it is corrosive.

I don’t know what “systemic issues” they’re talking about, but it’s presupposing a whole bunch of false assumptions.

By their very nature and label, these workshops are aimed at creating resentment of one race by all others.

What on earth is a union doing giving workshops on something that’s so alien to Canadian society?

The purpose is clearly to indoctrinate teachers into believing it exists.

The next step is for them to brainwash the children in their classrooms.

Do you really want that? Should white parents allow their children to be guilted by their teachers into believing they’re privileged because they’re white?

This has no place in our society.

We don’t have a problem with “white privilege.”

We have a society built on successive waves of immigration. We have no deep-rooted aristocracy that inherits wealth.

Just living in this great country that rewards hard work, ingenuity and initiative is a privilege — no matter what your colour.

Most people who consider themselves “privileged,” do so because either they, their parents or their grandparents made incredible sacrifices to give them the way of life they enjoy.

A teacher forwarded the information on the workshops to the Toronto Sun. His question was why the union is putting on toxic workshops like this when they should be dealing with education issues.

The teacher, who didn’t want to be identified, says his union should be fighting for more up-to-date textbooks and better classroom materials. The ones he’s working with now are old, decrepit and inadequate.

Shouldn’t teachers be taking workshops that refresh their teaching skills in subjects such as math, French, English and geography?

ETFO turned down my request for a comment Thursday.

“The decision is that at this point in time we do not wish to comment on that,” said spokesman Jennifer Drope, wishing me “good luck with your story.”

Well, thank you for that.

Other topics for workshops include “Islamophobia” and “homophobia.”

Hmm. Wonder if they’ve checked what Islam’s view on homosexuality is.

“Dated resources and teachers spending their own money on supplementing the elementary school system in Ontario impacts teachers more than ‘Islamophobia’ or ‘white privilege,’” said the teacher, by e-mail. I suspect most teachers agree.

Their union should stick to doing what their members pay dues for — representing them at the bargaining table, supporting them in the classroom and helping them in disputes with school boards.

Stirring up hatred, resentment and division in a society that does its best to promote tolerance, equity and understanding is stunning in its stupidity.


http://www.torontosun.com/2014/10/02/etfo-white-privilege-workshop-dangerous

For reference. From the ETFO website:

Re-Thinking White Privilege Workshop (Fall 2014)
This new workshop takes an exploratory look at white privilege and builds awareness and understanding of what educators can do to re-think their own privilege. Opportunities will be provided to enter into professional dialogue and courageous conversations about white privilege and other forms of privilege. Educators will examine what can be done to address privilege in themselves and their classrooms.
Thoughts?
 

Celticman

Into Ties and Tail
Aug 13, 2009
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Another example of why I think that education should be taken out of the hands of the "educators". These pervasive social engineering views can filter into the classrooms. How about a public backed Ministry of Education program with strict standards and curriculum in the classrooms with mandatory, audited results. Then no child would be left behind . Well, not so many. Codes of behavior in terms of subtle agendas. Non-compliance would incur an invitation to find alternate employment.

As for union activity like this current example and political activism on behalf of the party that will pay their ransom at the bargaining table, there should be mandatory member voting. My blood boils when I think of a couple of single mothers that I know that are struggling to get by, and their direct and indirect tax dollars are going to the lavish salaries of teachers. I suspect that this union activism is at the hands of a few fellow travelers who manage to inculcate themselves into positions of influence in the upper echelons of unions.
 

freespirit

Your ultimate MILF GFE!
Another example of why I think that education should be taken out of the hands of the "educators". These pervasive social engineering views can filter into the classrooms. How about a public backed Ministry of Education program with strict standards and curriculum in the classrooms with mandatory, audited results. Then no child would be left behind . Well, not so many. Codes of behavior in terms of subtle agendas. Non-compliance would incur an invitation to find alternate employment.

As for union activity like this current example and political activism on behalf of the party that will pay their ransom at the bargaining table, there should be mandatory member voting. My blood boils when I think of a couple of single mothers that I know that are struggling to get by, and their direct and indirect tax dollars are going to the lavish salaries of teachers. I suspect that this union activism is at the hands of a few fellow travelers who manage to inculcate themselves into positions of influence in the upper echelons of unions.
Here we go again. Another thread bashing teachers. Nice.

First of all, do you think it's the teachers who designed and implemented this "white privilege" workshop??? Seriously?
Second, ALL single mothers struggle to get by. Why blame the teachers for losing all their hard-earned tax dollars. Do you really think teachers are overpaid? Would YOU want to deal with a room full of 30 kids all day, 5 days a week (who are all different needs levels), half of whom are behavioural?? Not only that, but you have to deal with their parents too who think their children can do no wrong. If you think you can do a better job than the teachers, go for it.

I don't agree with this whole "white privilege" thing. Caucasians are becoming (or already are) a minority in North America. I'm all for the "multicultural mosaic" aspect of Canada as long as all races are respectful and follow the rules of our country, however, you can't say that Caucasians have it "easy" because they are white.

I highly doubt this workshop is mandatory. I'm sure there are a lot of teachers who disagree with the whole concept.

The fact that this is obviously going to instantly turn into a teacher-bashing thread makes my "blood boil".

Diana
xo
 

Mr Deeds

Muff Diver Extraordinaire
Mar 10, 2013
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Why dont they have a workshop on white trash. I mean they could do it in a trailer park and have Bubbles as a guest speaker
 

rhuarc29

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2009
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I remember in high school one of the (male) teachers was giving a rant about how sexist our society is against women. After about five minutes of this one-sided conversation, one of my female classmates raised her hand. She gave a counter-rant that left the teacher speechless. I don't think he was expecting someone to dare speak a word against the notion that women weren't treated equal by the system. And of course, none of the boys would; it'd be social suicide! But luckily we had this one girl willing to look through social programming and say it how it is.

It's the same thing with white privilege. Yes, there were systemic problems in the past, and yes there are still lingering effects of that (although much of the problems attributed to systemic problems has little actually to do with it). However, they are coming up with solutions to archaic problems that no longer exist. Rather than giving a helping hand to help the underprivileged, they are instead lowering the bar for them while maintaining standards for everyone else. All that does is create more systemic problems.
 

basketcase

Well-known member
Dec 29, 2005
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That’s right. It doesn’t question whether white privilege exists.

That’s a given. No debate about whether all white people have special status. They just do.
Yep, it is.

Of course that doesn't mean life is perfect for us whites but if you look around most well paying professions, especially ones where connections and interpersonal skills are important you will find a significant majority of the power players in Canada to be white. I'm sure that there is more to it such as family values, upbringing, and economic opportunity.

I wouldn't think it is simply a result of racism but the natural tendency for people to be more comfortable around people they have things in common with and therefore more likely to hire people like them (or for teachers instinctively give preference to certain kids). And I don't know how much things have changed but I'd put good money that a significant majority of elementary teachers are white, well out of proportion to Toronto's population.

Now if the ETFO was giving workshops on male privilege I'd wonder. Of course guys are extremely advantaged in business but education is hugely dominated by women.
 

freespirit

Your ultimate MILF GFE!
Yep, it is.

Of course that doesn't mean life is perfect for us whites but if you look around most well paying professions, especially ones where connections and interpersonal skills are important you will find a significant majority of the power players in Canada to be white. I'm sure that there is more to it such as family values, upbringing, and economic opportunity.

I wouldn't think it is simply a result of racism but the natural tendency for people to be more comfortable around people they have things in common with and therefore more likely to hire people like them (or for teachers instinctively give preference to certain kids). And I don't know how much things have changed but I'd put good money that a significant majority of elementary teachers are white, well out of proportion to Toronto's population.

Now if the ETFO was giving workshops on male privilege I'd wonder. Of course guys are extremely advantaged in business but education is hugely dominated by women.
A workshop on male privilege would make more sense actually. Yes, there are more women in education. Why do you think that is?? Maybe because women are more capable in dealing with that many children all day every day? Not even sure what your point is here.
 

basketcase

Well-known member
Dec 29, 2005
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... Caucasians are becoming (or already are) a minority in North America....
Um? Canada is something like 85% European descent.

(especially funny since "Caucasian" usually includes many from the Middle East through Iran and into South Asia so we'd be well into the 90's)
 

Celticman

Into Ties and Tail
Aug 13, 2009
8,915
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Here we go again. Another thread bashing teachers. Nice.

First of all, do you think it's the teachers who designed and implemented this "white privilege" workshop??? Seriously?
Second, ALL single mothers struggle to get by. Why blame the teachers for losing all their hard-earned tax dollars. Do you really think teachers are overpaid? Would YOU want to deal with a room full of 30 kids all day, 5 days a week (who are all different needs levels), half of whom are behavioural?? Not only that, but you have to deal with their parents too who think their children can do no wrong. If you think you can do a better job than the teachers, go for it.

I don't agree with this whole "white privilege" thing. Caucasians are becoming (or already are) a minority in North America. I'm all for the "multicultural mosaic" aspect of Canada as long as all races are respectful and follow the rules of our country, however, you can't say that Caucasians have it "easy" because they are white.

I highly doubt this workshop is mandatory. I'm sure there are a lot of teachers who disagree with the whole concept.

The fact that this is obviously going to instantly turn into a teacher-bashing thread makes my "blood boil".

Diana
xo
My comments were mainly directed to leadership. But as body I see their demands for salary and benefits as rapacious and growing beyond societal ability to sustain the. In answer to the tired retort could I do their job? Yes, and I would enjoy the holiday benefits. Teachers might be in for a culture shock if they tackled the pressure and hours of my corporate world. To your point about a lot of teachers that might disagree with the union sponsored workshops, that was my point. Union leadership should not be setup to indulge their special little social engineering agendas. I hope your blood has turned down from boil to simmer.
 

one.of.a.kind

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Dec 31, 2013
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Here we go again. Another thread bashing teachers. Nice.

First of all, do you think it's the teachers who designed and implemented this "white privilege" workshop??? Seriously?
Second, ALL single mothers struggle to get by. NOT TRUE MY MOM WAS A SINGLE MOM Why blame the teachers for losing all their hard-earned tax dollars. Do you really think teachers are overpaid? YES Would YOU want to deal with a room full of 30 kids all day, 5 days a week THEIR CHOICE INCLUDING TWO MONTHS OFF IN THE SUMMER AND A HUGE PENSION FUND(who are all different needs levels), half of whom are behavioural?? Not only that, but you have to deal with their parents too who think their children can do no wrong. If you think you can do a better job than the teachers, go for it.

I don't agree with this whole "white privilege" thing. BEING BORN WHITE GIVES ONE A HUGE ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT LIFE EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE LUCK OF THE DRAW Caucasians are becoming (or already are) a minority in North America. NOT RELEVANT I'm all for the "multicultural mosaic" aspect of Canada as long as all races are respectful and follow the rules of our country, however, you can't say that Caucasians have it "easy" because they are white. NO. BEING WHITE HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HARD WORK

I highly doubt this workshop is mandatory. I'm sure there are a lot of teachers who disagree with the whole concept.

The fact that this is obviously going to instantly turn into a teacher-bashing thread makes my "blood boil".

Diana
xo

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 

Aardvark154

New member
Jan 19, 2006
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While it's not likely to happen in my lifetime decertification of the Teachers Unions is overdue.

They long ago abandoned providing services for teachers and attempting to obtain the best contracts.
 

Kenny-sauga

New member
Feb 20, 2005
577
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My comments were mainly directed to leadership. But as body I see their demands for salary and benefits as rapacious and growing beyond societal ability to sustain the. In answer to the tired retort could I do their job? Yes, and I would enjoy the holiday benefits. Teachers might be in for a culture shock if they tackled the pressure and hours of my corporate world. To your point about a lot of teachers that might disagree with the union sponsored workshops, that was my point. Union leadership should not be setup to indulge their special little social engineering agendas. I hope your blood has turned down from boil to simmer.
Roger that...nothing against teachers but the reality is they are far away from reality. There is corporate pressure as mentioned and there are many other occupations that are more "hazardous" than having 30 odd kids...some with no holiday benefit except the mere statutory one and no pensions. I truly believe teachers needs to wake up. Many positions at lecturer level even pay less than Ontario teachers and less benefits....dah
 
Ashley Madison
Toronto Escorts