Rantz: School ‘celebrated’ Fidel Castro as ‘hero’ during MLK assembly

A local high school celebrated Fidel Castro as a “hero” during a Martin Luther King Jr. assembly last week, according to the mother of a student in attendance. The student took a photo of the assembly presentation that featured Castro.

Shorecrest High School celebrated MLK Day on Jan. 18 via a presentation by staff. A portion of the presentation focused on Castro. The mom, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution by the school, exclusively told The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH that her son texted her about the incident when it happened. She said her son told her he was “disturbed” when the school “celebrated Fidel Castro as a social rights hero of some sort.”

“Makes me angry and concerned that they are teaching our kids that a communist dictator is a hero. Right up there with MLK!” the mom exclusively explained to The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “They are whitewashing history, leaving out how horrible this man was to his people. If they are so blatant to do this at an assembly, what are they teaching in the classroom?”

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Decolonization celebrated

Neither the school nor the district will publicly explain why Castro would be discussed during an MLK Day assembly. Shoreline School District spokesperson Rachel Belfield did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment from The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH and our sister station KIRO Newsradio. But an internal email forwarded to The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH showed a staff member explaining that student planners chose to feature Castro because he “worked for the decolonization of this country.”

The email said the presentation noted he was “a problematic person and figure, too.” The staff member celebrated the fact that kids were having this discussion.

Alarming trend of indoctrination

That Castro is celebrated for being anti-colonialist strongly suggests students are being indoctrinated by radical educators at an early age. And Castro was far more than “problematic.” He was a dictator who abused human rights, jailed political opponents and exiled Cubans. He also pushed the country into an economic hole, creating mass poverty.

“I am outraged because it’s simply not true [that he’s a hero],” the mom said. “Someone thought it was a good idea to celebrate an evil man who forced and killed anyone who opposed him. It’s reckless and irresponsible. I just want some answers from the adult that approved that slide show to tell us, parents, why we should celebrate this man.”

Whatever the reason to include Castro, the mom said she’s proud that her son was wise enough to question the celebration. But she wonders how many other students are questioning partisan material presented as facts. She worries that the students are being indoctrinated because it’s been relentless.

“I’ll have to say that he [her son] wasn’t really surprised by the rhetoric they are trying to sell. He was a little surprised more kids weren’t talking about it after,” the mom explained. “He’s been used to it since probably fifth grade when they started in on the DEI program in schools. It’s gotten progressively worse adding in all this social justice, activism.”

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Deprogramming left-wing indoctrination

Since the Black Lives Matter rallies and riots in 2020, radical educators have been openly flaunting their partisanship around political and social issues. As parents across the state paid closer attention to the curriculum, many have been shocked to learn what’s been taught to their kids.

In Seattle’s Chief Sealth High School, a teacher failed a student on a quiz for saying men cannot get pregnant. He also scolded students for using the identifier “straight,” arguing it implies people who aren’t straight are “crooked.” White students in an eighth-grade class at Canyon Park Middle School were told their skin color gave them unearned privilege. At Timberline High School in Lacey, a social studies teacher portrayed Republicans as uneducated, bigoted, warmongers.

Radical Educators seldom face consequences for their actions. The responsibility has fallen on parents to deprogram their children so they don’t become victims to ideological manipulation.

Students are leaving public schools

Some parents have used the left-wing indoctrination campaign as an opportunity to have more meaningful conversations with their children.

“I am very proud of my son. We talk to him at home about having to use critical thinking and to not fall for a lot of this crap in school,” the mom said. “I wish his environment at school was safe for him and others to have an open dialogue, but that simply won’t happen in the name of DEI.”

The partisan agenda has been a cause of the student exodus from public schools. Some of the state’s most left-leaning school districts have been hit the hardest. The Shoreline School District was among those that felt the declining enrollment. School funding is dependent on the number of enrolled students. Dwindling enrollment forced the district to consider drastic cuts to staff and programs to make up for the resulting smaller budget.

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