A San Francisco Bay-area elementary school recently spent $250,000 in federal funds on a curriculum created by an organization called “Woke Kindergarten.” The organization’s leader, Akiea “Ki” Gross, has posted statements on social media calling for the destruction of the United States and Israel.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after two years of using the “Woke Kindergarten” curriculum, test scores have worsened at the school. The statements made by the organization’s leader and the apparent lack of positive impact on student achievement raise questions about the appropriateness and effectiveness of this curriculum.
Calls to Abolish the U.S. And Israel
The curriculum and materials designed by Gross and “Woke Kindergarten” have reportedly been utilized in numerous schools. On its website, “Woke Kindergarten” is described as “supporting children, families, educators and organizations in their commitment to abolitionist early education and pro-black and queer and trans liberation.”
In a separate social media post from January, Gross reiterated that America should cease to exist as a nation. Gross also called for the abolition of schools, stating, “I think about land back to Indigenous peoples globally. I think about the fact that we would not have to participate in these systems because none of them would exist. That means kids wouldn’t have to go to school because the world would ultimately be their classroom.”
Belief in Extraterrestrial Oppression
Akiea ‘Ki’ Gross, the leader of “Woke Kindergarten,” has promoted some unorthodox views, including the belief that extraterrestrials face oppression. In a January 2021 Twitter post, Gross stated, “Solidarity with all oppressed BEINGS.
That’s what I meant, how I feel, and what I should have said. Human, non-human animal and extraterrestrial alike. Universally. Infinitely. Always.” This remarkable claim suggests that Gross believes intelligent alien life not only exists but faces systemic discrimination and mistreatment.
Aliens Exist and Face Oppression
Gross’s extraterrestrial oppression claims also raise questions about the nature and content of the “Woke Kindergarten” curriculum. If Gross openly professes belief in ideas lacking evidentiary basis, similar beliefs could influence or work their way into the organization’s teaching materials and methods.
However, without further details on the curriculum, it is difficult to determine if or how Gross’s views on alien oppression may impact “Woke Kindergarten’s” educational programs. Akiea Gross’s statements endorsing the notion of extraterrestrial oppression appear to reflect an openness to highly speculative beliefs not grounded in facts.
Abolishing Schools and “Liberating” Children
In place of schools, Gross proposes creating “ecosystems of community care” where children can learn unstructured through interacting with community members. Gross claims that in such a system, “kids wouldn’t have to go to school because the world would ultimately be their classroom.” Children would “learn with us, they would learn from us.
We would learn from them.” Without schools, Gross believes, “we would have so much joy in ourselves that we would need someplace to move it, someplace for it to land.” While Gross’ vision of education without schools in favor of community-based learning may sound appealing in theory, the approach could be problematic in practice.
Pedagogy Focused on “Abolitionist Early Education“
The curriculum designed by Woke Kindergarten focuses on what the organization refers to as “abolitionist early education.” According to the Woke Kindergarten website, this pedagogy aims to “resist, heal, liberate and create.”
The head of Woke Kindergarten, Akiea “Ki” Gross, has expressed beliefs that appear to show opposition to the existence of the U.S. and Israel as countries. In social media posts, Gross stated, “I believe the United States has no right to exist. I believe every settler colony who has committed genocide against native peoples, against Indigenous people, has no right to exist.” Gross said, “I believe in a free Palestine from the river to the sea.”
Woke Curriculum Is Radical and Counterproductive
The concepts promoted in the “Woke Kindergarten” curriculum have been criticized as radical and counterproductive. Glassbrook Elementary School in Hayward, California, spent $250,000 over two years implementing the “Woke Kindergarten” curriculum, but students’ test scores reportedly declined.
While proponents argue that traditional measures like standardized testing fail to capture the full benefits of progressive pedagogy, others argue that the curriculum’s focus on social justice issues comes at the expense of fundamentals. The use of fringe curricula like that designed by Gross has sparked debate over the role of public schools in promoting certain ideological agendas.
Federal Funds Spent on “Woke Kindergarten“
The controversial organization known as “Woke Kindergarten” received $250,000 in federal funds from Glassbrook Elementary, a school in Hayward, California, to help improve test scores. However, after two years of implementing the organization’s curriculum, students’ scores have declined, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Woke Kindergarten is led by Akiea’ Ki’ Gross, who has expressed anti-American and anti-Israel sentiments on social media. In a recent Instagram post, Gross stated, “I believe the United States has no right to exist. I believe every settler colony who has committed genocide against native peoples, against Indigenous people, has no right to exist.”
Declining Test Scores
According to reports, after two years of implementing Woke Kindergarten’s curriculum, students’ test scores at Glassbrook Elementary have declined. This indicates the experimental program has failed to achieve its goal of helping “boost test scores for some of the country’s lowest-performing schools,” as the federal funds were intended.
The concerning drop in scores, combined with the extremist views of the organization’s leader, raises questions about whether the program should continue to receive public funding and whether it is appropriate for elementary schools.
Children Need Schools, not Activism.
The controversial views promoted in the “Woke Kindergarten” curriculum and the organization’s calls to abolish schools and nations are problematic. An elementary school curriculum should focus on fundamental skills and subjects, not push radical ideological agendas.
Public schools have an obligation to provide students with the foundational skills and knowledge to become informed and productive citizens. A curriculum that aims to “resist and liberate” while calling for the destruction of nations does not fulfill this obligation or serve the best interests of students.
Balancing Progressive Ideas with Practical Realities
The views expressed by “Woke Kindergarten” raise complex questions about balancing progressive ideals with practical realities. While seeking a more just society is admirable, the approach promoted appears flawed. Effective change requires open and thoughtful discussion, not condemnation.
And children deserve to learn in environments that nurture their growth, not push political agendas. Ultimately, the path forward must value wisdom over ideology if the needs of students and teachers are to be served. There may be no easy answers, but solutions will come through engagement, not alienation.
