The THINC Foundation (Transparency, Honesty, and Integrity in the Classroom), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting inclusive rather than "Liberated" Ethnic Studies in K-12 curricula, has officially launched with a new nationwide survey of about 1,500 parents with children ages 0-17.
SAN DIEGO, Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today we are proud to announce the official launch of the THINC Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Transparency, Honesty, and Integrity in the Classroom by advocating for inclusive rather than "Liberated" Ethnic Studies (LES) in K-12 curricula.
The THINC Foundation's mission is to prevent harmful and divisive political ideologies from being taught to K-12 students. THINC will raise awareness of the danger and prevalence of LES, offer resources to parents, educators, advocates, and others, and promote a positive vision for Ethnic Studies education.
LES, which is being introduced or discussed in public school districts around the country, is a corruption of Ethnic Studies, which, when taught properly, seeks to promote greater understanding of the histories, experiences, and cultures of racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.
By contrast, LES instructs children that some ethnic groups are inherently "oppressors" while others are "oppressed," and holds those groups to different standards. Children in the "oppressor" groups are made to feel guilty for things they didn't do, while "oppressed" children are taught to be suspicious and resentful of people who look like their supposed "oppressors". LES's binary worldview attributes all differences in group outcomes to discrimination and condemns alternative viewpoints as racist.
LES, which often goes by other names such as "critical ethnic studies" or "critical race theory," openly admits that its lessons are political and aimed at turning children into activists, inverting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous dream by teaching them to judge others by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character.
By contrast, the THINC Foundation supports critical thinking in the classroom as well as inclusive Ethnic Studies education which promotes acceptance, multiculturalism, and curiosity. American society is both traditionally and increasingly diverse, and a sound grounding in the history and cultures of our many ethnic groups – including uncomfortable instances of prejudice and discrimination – has become a prerequisite for success in our pluralistic democracy.
A nationwide survey of 1,463 parents of children ages 0-17, commissioned by THINC and conducted by a leading U.S. market research firm, showed that supermajorities of American parents support Dr. King's dream (93%), believe in colorblind equality (81%), and consider differences of viewpoints an important component of diversity alongside race and ethnicity (83%). These figures are more than twice as high as support for LES being taught in the classroom (40%).
63% of American parents believe that it is unacceptable for teachers to share their political beliefs in the classroom.
Mitch Siegler, Founder and CEO of the THINC Foundation, said, "The survey results show exactly what we have known all along: that most American parents want their children to be taught to respect others as complex individuals. They believe in pluralism and oppose teachers bringing political ideology into the classroom. They are not proponents of LES radicalism, which treats ethnic groups as monoliths and emphasizes grievance over cooperation and understanding."
Those values lead 70% of parents to support an inclusive approach to Ethnic Studies, which the survey defined as "A nonpolitical framework that teaches students about various ethnic groups and cultures which comprise American society, including their struggles and contributions to our country." By contrast, only 40% of parents supported LES, which the survey defined as "An explicitly political framework that excludes the histories of ethnic groups deemed to be white and encourages students to participate in social justice activism and to 'engage in acts of resistance.'"
LES material is often inserted into teaching materials without the knowledge or consent of parents, 88% of whom favor public access to K-12 curricula.
All of this speaks to a groundswell of public opinion that supports transparency in the K-12 classroom and the importance of instilling the values of equal opportunity and diversity of opinion in our children.
"Our schools should teach children how to marshal facts and think critically, not to unquestioningly accept a rigid worldview," said Siegler. "Our survey shows that large majorities of American parents share our philosophy, and it's time to come together and prevent LES from causing further harm to our students, schools, and society. The stakes are too high to wait any longer."
For more information on the THINC Foundation, please visit https://thinc.org.
About the THINC Foundation
The THINC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing and fighting against harmful political ideologies – under the guise of "Liberated Ethnic Studies" (LES) – in K-12 classrooms. By gathering data, increasing awareness, and providing educational resources and support to grassroots advocates, THINC works toward an educational system in which all students are equally valued and respected, and aims to foster acceptance of individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, openness to diverse perspectives, and critical thinking in American classrooms. For more information about THINC, please visit https://thinc.org.
Media Contact
Jared Sorhaindo, The THINC Foundation, 954-379-2115, thinc@redbanyan.com, https://thinc.org/
SOURCE The THINC Foundation; The THINC Foundation
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