Class Privilege

Welcome to Guilt 101:

California’s Alameda Unified School District’s ethnic studies curriculum required students to assess their own level of privilege as they were taught Critical Race Theory and extreme gender theory. Students were given handouts including “My Relationship with Privilege and Oppression,” which purports to tell students “whether you are privileged or oppressed.” White, male, Christian students without a criminal record are singled out as the epitome of privilege. The document lists 29 different identities and characteristics—including race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, religion and education level—that are used to determine one’s alleged level of privilege or marginalization. “Who am I as an intersectional human being,” it asks students. Another assignment, called “A Map of Myself,” asks students to audit their own identities, categorizing each as a “position of privilege or marginalization.” “For each identity domain … consider if it puts you in a position of privilege or marginalization,” the assignment reads before asking students to list their race, ethnicity, biological sex, sexual orientation, and religion. Footnotes cite “anti-racist” author Robin DiAngelo and argue that “race is a socially constructed system.” “Considering all your social identities listed in the table above, on a daily basis, which ones are you most aware or conscious of?” the assignment inquires before going on to ask what “the most negative or difficult” thing about that identity is.

Acknowledging your privilege gets you extra credits...