An underperforming elementary school in the Bay Area implemented a “Woke Kindergarten” initiative focused on “abolitionist education.” This program aims to empower teachers to dismantle barriers to learning by addressing racism and oppression. However, the school witnessed a decline in children’s test scores following its implementation.
Two years ago, Glassbrook Elementary School in Hayward signed a three-year, $250,000 contract with Woke Kindergarten. The aim was to enhance students’ performance by training educators to address learning obstacles such as oppression, racism, and white supremacy, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Woke Kindergarten describes itself as a “global, abolitionist early childhood ecosystem” that advocates “abolitionist early education and pro-black and queer and trans liberation” by training teachers how to use “abolitionist” educational concepts and curricula.
The company, which operates for profit, was established by Akiea Gross, a non-binary early educator who uses they/them pronouns. Gross describes themselves as “an abolitionist early educator, cultural organizer, and creator.” They are currently developing innovative approaches to resist, heal, liberate, and create through their educational philosophy, known as Woke Kindergarten.
However, after two years of implementing the Woke Kindergarten program, the test scores of Glassbrook students haven’t just failed to show significant improvement—they’ve actually