Presenter Was Paid $5,000 For Controversial Talk On "White Privilege"

  • Saturday, August 17, 2019

A presenter was paid $5,000 for a controversial talk at an in-service training for county school teachers on topics that included "white privilege."

Robert M. Jackson, of Indianapolis, collected the fee after the talk at Bayside Baptist Church was condemned by some and praised by others.

Board member Rhonda Thurman said Supt. Bryan Johnson advised her that administration screens upcoming presentations, but failed to do so after Dr. Jackson told them he was "on the road."

The talk on Aug. 2 was to Opportunity Zone Schools teachers and administrators.

It was on "Cultural Diversity, Implicit Bias and Building Strong Relationships."

The expected outcome was listed as "Teachers feel more equipped and prepared to serve students in an urban population. I will provide them with strategies to meet the needs of urban students."

The goal is to raise student achievement, retain teachers, and reduce chronic absenteeism."

Dr. Jackson said, "Most people fear what they do not understand. The lack of understanding of our youth among leaders causes potentially bright individuals from reaching their potential."  

One slide from the recent speaker says, "White privilege is both a legacy and a cause of racism." 

The slide also says, "White privilege exists because of historic, enduring racism and biases."

Another slide says of 'white privilege':

- Less likely to be followed, interrogated or searched by law enforcement

- Skin tone will not affect their credit or financial responsibility

- When accused of crime, portrayed as good person

- Don't lose opportunities when mistakes are made

A slide on Racism says:

- People of color cannot be racist because they lack the institutional power to affect white lives

- Even if minorities sometimes complain about whites, such complaints serve as coping mechanisms to withstand racism rather than actual anti-white bias

- Even when minorities express or practice racism against whites, they are not racists.

 

 

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