Critical Race Theory III

 

Children Will Listen

Careful the wish you make,
Wishes are children
Careful the path you take,
Wishes come true.

Careful the spell you cast,
Not just on children
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see,
And turn against you.
Careful the tale you tell
That is the spell,
Children will listen...

Can children handle the Truth?

On May 17th, 2022,  the Mansfield, Massachusetts Town Meeting will vote on Article 20 “To see if the Town will vote to prohibit public K-12 schools in the Town of Mansfield from teaching, instructing or training students to adopt or believe, or causing anyone else to teach, instruct or train any students to adopt or believe, certain DIVISIVE CONCEPTS, regarding race or sex.”   Is it necessary to explain what these DIVISIVE CONCEPTS are?

The problem appears to be that certain truths are “inconvenient" and make people uncomfortable.  But that is no reason to shield children from the Truth.  Children will understand as much of the Truth as they are ready to understand. 

Which reminds me of a joke.  A second grader comes into a room and asks his father “What is sex?”.  His father is surprised to face this question so early and proceeds to deliver the “Talk”.  His son’s eyes glaze over and after the talk is over he asks,  “But I don’t understand.  Do I check the “M” box or the “F” box when the form asks the Sex question?”.

I am old enough to know the Truth about Santa Claus.  But if you drive past my home in December you will see a lighted display where Santa’s Sleigh is flying through the air. Because I know that children will also want the Truth about Santa.  And like the response to Virginia long ago, I believe that the Truth about Santa is “He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. ‘

I have lived in Mansfield for more than 40 years, but it was not until last year that I found that the Town was named in honor of  William Murray, the First Earl of Mansfield.  He was Chief Justice of England before the Revolutionary War.  During his illustrious career, one of his most famous decisions was the Somerset  decision.  James Somerset was a slave who escaped in England and was recaptured by his “owner”, a Boston Customs official.  Somerset was to be transported by his "owner" to Jamaica and sold.  The question Lord Mansfield was asked to resolve was whether he should be allowed to be transported from England. He ruled that slavery was not legal under English Law and that "no master ever was allowed here (England) to take a slave by force to be sold abroad".

I believe that this is not taught in Mansfield School today.  My sons were never taught this.  To protect school children from ever hearing such a DIVISIVE CONCEPT, I would propose that if the voters approve Article 20, that they also change the name of the Town from Mansfield.

Children will listen.  Our children will learn from this proposed Article that you should hide from the Truth. Is this the lesson that we want to be teaching?