Alabama Governor Kay Ivey Apparently Feels Empathy is a “Woke” Concept

Hard to believe how absurd and damaging “anti-woke” politics has become.

Governor Ivey,

I am dismayed that you asked — forced according to the Alabama Reflector — the secretary of early childhood education to resign because of her support of a resource for educators, a book your communications director said included “woke concepts.”

First, the term “woke” should be banished from any government communication. It’s a pejorative, inflammatory political term that plays to your conservative base and precludes a thoughtful, reasoned discussion of any legitimate concerns about the book published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Second, the NAEYC is a respected organization, formed in 1926, that helps educators and schools create a supportive learning environment for children through age 8. NAEYC’s policies and recommended practices are based on decades of research. 25 years ago, the preschool my two children attended was accredited by NAEYC after a rigorous audit to assure the school’s program was appropriate for their stages of development.

Third, it’s so important that young children begin developing socialization skills: seeing that everyone is different, learning that each person deserves respect, and beginning to feel empathy for the other. According to the Alabama Reflector, your office received a complaint about the NAEYC book, claiming it teaches “white privilege, structural racism and messaging promoting ‘equality, dignity and worth’ around LGBTQIA+ identities.” If that was indeed the complaint, it’s a gross distortion that mirrors the bias, fear, and political agenda of the person making the complaint.

An actual passage from the book encourages teachers “to be particularly aware of providing supporting environments and responses to children who are members of marginalized groups and those who have been targets of bias and stereotyping.” Bullying based on perceived differences — gender, racial, ethnic, language, economic, academic, athletic — is a significant issue in our schools, with potential outcomes that increase in severity as children progress from preschool through high school. Telling teachers to ignore the innate diversity of our children won’t solve these issues and yield a more civil society.

Last, I’m confident all parents want their children’s teachers to see and encourage their uniqueness, helping them gain the confidence to pursue their potential. That’s the vision promoted by the NAEYC and what makes this complaint of “wokeness” — which is counter to acceptance and encouragement — so perplexing.

Perhaps you reacted to the word reflexively, not looking beyond the term to see the accusation as the unfair and fearful political play it is. Unfortunately, Alabama has lost Ms. Cooper’s talent and devotion to our children.