As a member of the school board in Ramona Unified School District in San Diego County, when I first read the “Liberated Ethnic Studies curriculum” of Santa Ana Unified School District, memories from my childhood growing up in the Soviet Union came flooding back.
During the Soviet era, the communist vocabulary I encountered included terms like liberation, oppression, oppressors, oppressed, class struggle, unity, hegemony, Zionism, imperialism, colonialism, collectivism, and the vilification of capitalism and Zionism. The Soviet Communist Party depicted capitalists as oppressors, the working class as oppressed, and labeled capitalists, Israel, and Western countries as enemies.
These were integral parts of Soviet Communist propaganda, and it struck me that they were also deemed essential components of the “Liberated Ethnic Studies curriculum.” Throughout the curriculum, these communist terms felt eerily familiar and omnipresent, a stark contrast to what I had experienced since leaving the Soviet Union in the 70s and 80s. Native-born Americans severely underestimate the severity of communism and Marxism, and the striking similarities between the “Liberated Ethnic Studies curriculum” and communist theories have raised red flags for me.
“Ethnic Studies” was initially designed, along with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory (CRT), as a pathway to infuse Marxist ideology into the education system. While schools may no longer enforce DEI and CRT, ethnic studies courses are mandated in California.
Without vigilance, the “Liberated Ethnic Studies” could very well become a Trojan horse for communism. Since our education cannot exist in isolation, maintaining a high level of vigilance is crucial to weeding out these harmful communist elements; otherwise, children may end up propagating these communist theories throughout California and the U.S.
In California alone, there are countless shadows of politically-charged “liberation” curriculums within the education system. These curriculums continually divide students into oppressors and the oppressed, a typical Marxist tactic. In counties like Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo, students are guided to categorize themselves as either oppressors or victims, good students or bad students based on their physical and internal characteristics such as skin color, gender, mental health, sexual orientation, and body type.
Students are even told that neither actions nor words can change this hierarchical division, eroding their autonomy. They are indoctrinated with the idea that capitalism upholds white supremacy and leads to racism.
In response, the Anti-Defamation League, The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights, and the American Jewish Committee have jointly filed a lawsuit against the Santa Ana Unified School District for implementing an anti-Semitic racial studies curriculum based on the “liberation” theory.
I can never forget the inhumane system of the Soviet Union, the cruelty, intimidation, disregard for human life, disrespect, and normalized contempt governing people under constant fear of the government. Schools taught children that there was no God, that God did not exist, and that nothing was worthy of reverence. However, morals and human values are relative; without belief in God, society loses its morals, and individuals lose their sense of goodness.
Consequently, life under the Soviet Union bred vengeful individuals, devoid of compassion, morality, and regard for commitments… People and the government constantly deceiving each other. Lying, deceiving, and stealing were considered “clever” tactics for success. Honest, upright individuals were viewed as failures. Trust between people evaporated. In such a closed environment, these behaviors became normal societal conditions. The Soviet Union was an evil empire, and people were aware of its deplorable economy, dull life, and the atheistic theories it propagated.
If we are not cautious, all of this could seep into our lives through “Ethnic Studies.” “Liberated Ethnic Studies” serves as a facade for Marxist or communist ideology, using communist concepts, vocabulary, and philosophy.
U.S. educational statutes prohibit schools from teaching Marxism. Lawyers reviewing such curriculums for school districts, unless proponents of Marxism themselves, are either unfamiliar with Marxist concepts or haven’t experienced living in a communist nation like I have.
I have witnessed firsthand the impact of communism on individuals and how it corrodes the soul. I have lived through it, and I refuse to go down that path again.
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” – These words greet visitors at the entrance of the National Archives in the United States.
This article reflects the personal views of the author and may not necessarily represent the stance of The Epoch Times.
About the Author:
Maya Phillips is a member of the school board in Ramona Unified School District in San Diego County.