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Toxic and Divisive Environment

Greg Kinsella is living in a parallel universe characterized by confusion, obfuscation, and denial. His uninformed and mean-spirited diatribe (March 24 letter “That Pesky Word”), as well as that of Kristine Ford (March 31, “Wrong to Suggest”), make feeble attempts to distract from the toxic and divisive environment in the Guilford Public Schools under Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Freeman’s incompetent leadership. They do this chiefly by engaging in an unwarranted and dishonest hate fest against Mary Beeman. Mary’s point [“Helping kids of color to feel they belong has a negative effect on White, Christian, or conservative kids.”], made during a 2021 Zoom session, was that all students should be treated with respect and dignity, including, but certainly not limited to, those who are conservative and Christian. But there are those in this community, including the Board of Education chair (Oct. 21, 2021 letter “Can, and Must, Do Better” by Katie Balestracci), who have no sense of decency, and seek to take words out of context to serve their radical political ends. Simply put, they have no shame.

Mary is one of the finest individuals I’ve ever met. She wants the best for all our children, regardless of skin color. Mary’s essential point was a mirror of Condoleezza Rice’s words on The View on Oct. 20, 2021: “I would like Black kids to be completely empowered to know that they are beautiful in their blackness, but, in order to do that, I don’t have to make White kids feel bad for being White.” Anyone who has read Ibram Kendi’s book How to Be an Antiracist that Freeman purchased for all Guilford teachers, should know that that’s not Kendi’s goal. Kendi’s goal is racial revenge. These views, and the radical pedagogy that flows from it, have no place in our schools.

Kendall Svengalis

Guilford