Elon Musk, who currently holds the title of the world’s richest man, is facing a common issue that many American families can relate to: woke schools. In a recent excerpt from Walter Isaacson’s upcoming biography on Musk, published in The Wall Street Journal, a startling revelation was made. Musk not only blames his transgender daughter’s progressive school in Los Angeles for their estrangement but also believes that her exposure to the “woke mind virus” at the school influenced his decision to purchase Twitter (now X). He believed that Twitter had also become infected by a similar mindset that suppressed right-wing and anti-establishment voices. Isaacson’s report states that Musk initially took the news of his oldest child, Xavier, being transgender and wanting to be called Jenna with a generally calm attitude. However, Jenna’s transformation into a fervent Marxist and subsequent breakdown of their relationship was what caused Musk distress.
And Musk’s diagnosis is accurate. K-12 schools, particularly elite private institutions, have dramatically shifted their focus and mission in recent years. Academic excellence and classical liberalism have been abandoned, and an emphasis has been placed on adopting a political education that trains progressive activists, while suppressing free speech and open discourse. Musk’s daughter’s school, for instance, highlights their dedication to social justice, which is seamlessly integrated into every student’s experience at Crossroads. Their K-12 curriculum aims to explore historical and current inequities locally, nationally, and internationally.
My own daughter encountered a similar progressive indoctrination at her former school, the Brearley School in New York City. In fact, I shared my concerns in a letter to every Brearley family, which unexpectedly went viral and helped fuel the national parent’s movement. The foundation of every school’s woke indoctrination lies in its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; however, the true meanings behind these words don’t align with what schools claim. Diversity, for example, has transformed from celebrating our differences to segregating society by race, gender, and identity, creating divisions among victims and oppressors. Transgender children are currently the focal point of this identity-centric education, ultimately leading to the indoctrination of Musk’s oldest child, Xavier.
For a school to be considered “inclusive,” it must ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging. This means incorporating students’ identities into every aspect of their education, from books to projects to homework assignments. Moreover, schools strive to create a “safe space” that is free from harm. Unfortunately, these phrases often serve as code words for silencing free speech, as Musk has astutely observed. Lastly, there is the concept of equity. The left’s manipulation of language has twisted equity, equality, justice, democracy, and human rights to all mean the same thing—a world where outcomes are equalized. In simpler terms, it is a world that rejects capitalism, freedom, and embraces Marxism, as Musk has discerned.
While I do not completely agree with Musk’s labeling of woke as solely a “mind virus,” I believe it is more accurately an “institutional virus.” While many young people have indeed been indoctrinated through their schools and social media, the majority of Americans have not. Instead, they have been coerced into silence by our society’s institutions. This is precisely how woke ideology has infiltrated and taken hold of our society—not by conquering individual minds but by seizing control of influential institutions.
As I write this opinion piece from a hotel room in England, not from my former home in New York City or my current residence in Florida, I am forced to confront the reality that even the most prestigious academic institutions in America appear to be affected by the woke virus—a truly alarming thought. I must admit that I am uncertain if there is a single academically rigorous school in the United States that remains untouched by this ideology. Unfortunately, elite British schools are heading down a similar path, despite some still valuing free speech and teaching timeless literature like Shakespeare.
Amidst the fight against illiberal wokeness and the battle to protect free speech, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter stands as a flicker of optimism. However, Musk has astutely recognized an even greater threat to our society—our nation’s schools. If we do not swiftly find a solution to combat the Marxist indoctrination of our children, I fear that not only America but Western civilization as a whole may be lost. Andrew Gutmann is a Republican congressional candidate for Florida’s 22nd district, and these concerns are at the forefront of his campaign.
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