On June 8, the HSE School Board voted 4-3 in favor of prohibiting “microaggressions,” which were defined in the policy as
…everyday, subtle, intentional or unintentional interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.
Opponents of the policy repeatedly pointed out that nobody knows exactly what is supposed to count as a “microaggression” and it isn’t very clear how students who violate the policy will ultimately be punished.
The worry, of course, is that “microaggression” just means “offends a left-wing snowflake.” People are worried about this because, if you google “examples of microaggressions” you get stuff like:
“America is a melting pot”
“When I look at you, I don’t see color”
“You are so articulate”
“Where are you from?”
“I believe the most qualified person should get the job”
Obviously, it’s absurd to suggest that statements like these should be banned. Unfortunately, there are those on the fringe-left who want to control our every word and thought. So that’s the worry, but nobody really knew how the HSE administrators were going to understand the term “microaggression” so it wasn’t clear at first how concerned we should be.
How HSE Understands “Microaggression”
I now have evidence that we were correct to worry. Here are screenshots of a packet from an HSE mandatory training on microaggressions from sometime in the last year, which was handed out to HSE employees:
So let me sum this up for you. Among the “microaggressions” that HSE has now prohibited are things like saying “hey guys” to a group of mixed-gender students, asking an immigrant friend where he is from, telling someone that she speaks “good English” or is articulate, and expressing belief in the traditional American views that we should dream of a colorblind society in which race is as irrelevant as hair or eye color, or that you can succeed in our society if you work hard. And of course, if you disagree with them, then you are perpetuating “White Supremacy”.
I’d say that this confirms our worst fears. They are trying to prohibit our children from saying things that are completely harmless.
How will Students be Punished?
The other part of the worry is that it isn’t clear how this policy will be enforced. What happens if a student decides to repeatedly say these harmless things, perhaps specifically to flout the ridiculous policy? Could such students be expelled?
I think we don’t know. The four Board Members who passed this policy have never said that anyone would be expelled, and the policy itself does not say that. Rather, the policy says, first, that violators will be “educated” through “restorative conversations”:
Nobody really knows what being “educated” through “restorative conversations” means, and it does not sound pleasant to me. But it isn’t expulsion.
However, the policy goes on to suggest that a habitual violator will be punished when it says:
Habitual occurrences could lead to consequences applicable to inappropriate conduct as defined in section 28.
You can read section 28 yourself here. It consists of a long list of “inappropriate conduct,” including conduct as mild as using profanity all the way up to something as serious as violating state or federal law. The section then ends by saying that such behaviors will be subject to “reasonable disciplinary action.”
What kind of punishment would constitute “reasonable disciplinary action” in this case? It depends on how seriously the administration at HSE takes habitual microaggressions. And, at present, we simply don’t know what they think. I asked Superintendent Stokes and Assistant Superintendent Kegley on July 12, but they did not immediately reply. (I’ll update the post if they do respond.)
In short, then, the policy suggests some sort of leftist re-education for a one-time violator, and we do not presently know specifically what would happen to a student who habitually violates the policy. All we are told is that such a student would be subject to “reasonable disciplinary action.”
Board Member Michelle Fullhart Weighs In
Michelle Fullhart—one of the Board Members who voted for this ridiculous policy—made a statement on Twitter that disagrees with what I have just concluded. Specifically, she says confidently that expulsion will not happen:
I could not see how Ms. Fullhart could possibly know that no student will be expelled, at least for habitual violation of the policy. If a student habitually calls his class “guys” precisely to thumb his nose at Ms. Fullhart and the other Board Members who voted for this, the authorities at the student’s school would surely have to do something according to the policy. And if the student insisted on continuing to behave this way, it’s hard to see what option the district would have short of expulsion, especially if the student’s parents were backing him up. So I emailed Ms. Fullhart to ask her how she would avoid expulsion in such a case.
In response, she said she could not answer, and referred me to Dr. Stokes, apparently undermining her previous statement that there would be no expulsion.
She also made the false statement that the policy is not punitive. As I explained to Ms. Fullhart, while the policy is not punitive for a one-time offender, it is punitive for a habitual offender. Ms. Fullhart apparently does not understand the policy she voted for.
Then, like a true politician, she had to get in some irrelevant talking points:
The handbook language was requested by some students
The language was approved by the teachers union
The policy is “not a policy” but is instead “wording in a handbook” which she says “serves as a guidepost”. (Huh?)
Finally, she said it appears to her that I don’t understand what a microaggression is, and she advised me to consult with my own employer, whose website she linked. I found that last bit sort of creepy and vaguely threatening.
What to do?
Let’s vote out Michelle Fullhart, who passes terrible policies and then makes false statements about them and issues vague threats to concerned parents. Dawn Lang is running to replace her, and Dawn is great.
Second, it’s important not to let these folks put you on eggshells with your speech. If you as a parent like to say “hey guys” to mixed gender groups, there’s nothing wrong with that, and you should keep doing so. Don’t let them control you. Heck, maybe even get a tee shirt!
