When you’re deep in the muck of progressive education reform, you may find yourself scratching your head while simultaneously rolling your eyes. This new fad, dubbed “cultural discipline” or “transformative education,” is sweeping through schools like a bad case of the flu—spreading misinformation and diluting accountability quicker than a politician can flip-flop on an issue. The real kicker here? Schools are bending over backwards to ensure that certain demographics—specifically black students—get a free pass when it comes to discipline, all in the name of equity. Because who needs discipline when you can just lower the standards, right?
Imagine a classroom where those with the highest misbehavior rates—let’s say they come from fatherless homes and cultures that sometimes celebrate “thuggery”—are suddenly shielded from consequences to prevent the schools from being labeled “racist.” In this brave new world, lower grades and more detentions just turn into whimsical opportunities for administrators to pat themselves on the back for trying to “equitize” things. It’s like saying, “Let’s just ignore those pesky rules, because labeling them as unfair might hurt someone’s feelings.” As if a lack of discipline is somehow a better alternative.
The policies being rolled out in some school districts read like a satire piece. Missing class? No problem. You can just skip that assignment and continue scrolling through TikTok instead. Late assignments? There’s no penalty! In fact, why even have deadlines at all? This is not just progressive education; this is a sitcom waiting for a laugh track. It’s as if school administrators are playing a game of educational limbo: “How low can we go before the whole system collapses?” Spoiler alert: The answer is sub-basement levels.
But wait! There’s a twist to this already convoluted saga. You see, standardized tests have also been declared “racist.” Yes, you heard that right—an objective measure of academic performance is somehow oppressive. A man named Ibram X. Kendi presents himself as an authority on the subject, touting a worldview in which tests designed to be the same for everyone are tools of the oppressor. The underlying question is always deflected: Why, oh why, are certain demographic groups underperforming? The answer must lie in an insidious plot by, you guessed it, white supremacy! What a delightful game of blame-shifting.
Under the shining banner of “equity,” schools have started dismantling honor classes and gifted programs, under the notion that fewer white and Asian faces in these classes can only mean one thing: systemic discrimination. Or, as the left would love to reframe it, not enough diversity. The fix? Lowering educational standards for everyone to make sure the underperformers can shine. It’s basically a participation trophy for education—because everyone knows that an inflated GPA means you’re just as smart, right?
In an age where the term “equity” has taken on new meanings, expect a lot of absurdities to come. The difference between equality and equity has never been clearer; one ensures everyone starts at the same point, while the other meets you with a paintbrush and says, “Let’s make this picture a little more colorful, shall we?” As schools throw regulations out the window like last year’s fashion trends, one can only hope that someday the educational system might remember that discipline and accountability are the foundations that actually make students succeed—something that seems far less likely with each passing day.
And let’s hope that the next administration doesn’t just sweep this nonsense under the rug because the cultural elite dictate what’s “acceptable” discourse. One can dream, right? Until then, we’ll be watching this circus from the bleachers, popcorn in hand, waiting for the next episode of “How Low Can the Standards Go?” If nothing else, at least it gives us all a reason to laugh—and fear—for the future of education.
