Kamala Harris' niece Meena, 37, pens Washington Post op-ed telling parents to 'teach anti-racism at home' by saying the US was founded by white supremacists, reading Nikole Hannah-Jones and joining her book club
- Meena Harris, the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, told parents to teach their kids that U.S. was founded by 'white supremacists'
- 'They need to tell stories that say what politicians are afraid to, and what so many teachers now can't,' she wrote in a Washington Post op/ed on Tuesday
- She continued: '[T]his country was stolen from Indigenous people, founded by white supremacists, and built on the backs of enslaved people.'
- Her op/ed also promoted her new book club, 'which spotlights the work of underrepresented authors, particularly women of color'
- It comes as Republicans across the country oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory in their kids schools
Kamala Harris' niece Meena has said parents can teach 'anti-racism at home' by telling their children the U.S. was founded by white supremacists and by filling their bookshelves with the works of 1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones.
In a Washington Post op/ed published Tuesday night, Harris detailed how parents can educate kids by talking to them about the 'racism' that shapes America and how the country was 'stolen from Indigenous people'.
She also took the opportunity to promote her own book club, Phenomenal Books, 'which spotlights the work of underrepresented authors, particularly women of color.'
'It's time all American families start taking time at home to discuss the injustices that shaped our nation's past, the work still to be done in our present, and the values that should define our future,' she wrote.
'Titles that teach kids to value — not just tolerate — each other's differences are certainly important,' Harris continued. 'But with many of our schools failing to offer a curriculum or environment that combats racism, simply reading representative books to our kids isn't enough.'
She further explained: 'Parents need to share narratives with their children that are historically accurate and anti-racist.'
'They need to tell stories that say what politicians are afraid to, and what so many teachers now can't: that this country was stolen from Indigenous people, founded by white supremacists, and built on the backs of enslaved people — and that racism shapes our society to this day,' she penned.
Diddy accused of hiring 50 Cent's ex for sex as rap war escalates
Gogglebox stars who have died remembered after George Gilbey tragedy
David Beckham trades £5million yacht for a £16MILLION upgrade
Related Articles
Meenakshi Harris, 37, is married to Nikolas Ajagu. The couple have two daughters, Amara and Leela. Harris is also the niece of the first female and minority vice president.
The goal of Harris' op/ed was to provide tips to parents on how to teach their kids about racism and tolerance at home if schools are failing in that area – specifically referencing Republican states that have banned or oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
She highlighted two books in her piece – The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson and Your Legacy by Broadway director Schele Williams.
Born on the Water is one of the two inaugural books being featured in Harris' Phenomenal Book Club. The other is The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
'Over the last year-and-a-half, as the coronavirus pandemic triggered school closures, haphazard virtual learning setups, and confusing safety guidelines, parents of school-age children have been driven to the brink — juggling their jobs with a full-time commitment to ensuring their kids are getting a safe, quality education,' Harris added.
'For parents of color, including myself, that health crisis has been compounded by a racial justice crisis,' she continued. 'While we navigated both crises, Republican lawmakers in 28 states have sought to bar educators from discussing racism, equity and justice in classrooms.'
The op/ed comes as the teaching of CRT in public schools has become one of the central debates regarding education across the country.
It became a focal point of the Virginia gubernatorial race which saw Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin storm to victory over Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
One of the core teachings of CRT claims that racism is rooted in the creation of America and affects every aspect of the nation's society, specifically U.S. law and the criminal justice system.
Harris said the at-home teaching has become particularly important recently as school closures have affected much of the country in the midst of the near two-year pandemic.
Harris is a lawyer, children's book author and the founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, which creates fashion to support charity – of the latter came her newest endeavor with a book club.
Most Read News
Could Kate Garraway be forced to sell her £1.7m second home? Good Morning Britain host still owns...
Comments
Comments
{{formattedShortCount}}
comments