Acalanes District Presentation Divides Students Into Categories of ‘Privilege’ or ‘Oppression’

By Kendall Tietz, Fox News, February 24, 2023

Students at a California school district were given a presentation on oppression that listed types of people who would be considered part of a privileged "non-target group" or an oppressed "target group."Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) Director of Student Support, Equity and Inclusion Dr. Lynnā McPhatter-Harris reportedly presented student leadership in the district with a worksheet that broke down different characteristics and attributes that could mean someone is either privileged or oppressed, according to an anonymous tip by a district parent and a photo of the worksheet that was reportedly passed out during the presentation and obtained by Fox News Digital. 

The oppression worksheet was divided into four different categories, "Type of Oppression," "Variable," "Non-Target Groups (Privilege)" and "Target Groups (Oppression).”

Types of oppression included racism, sexism, genderism, classism, elitism, religious oppression, militarism, ageism, adultism, heterosexism, ableism, xenophobia and linguistic oppression. 

"Non-Target Groups" or those who would benefit from their "privilege" included White people, men, gender-conforming people, the middle or upper class, formally educated individuals, Christians, Protestants, adults, heterosexuals, a person without a disability, the U.S. born, English speakers and WWI, WWII, Korean, Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. 

"Target Groups" or those who would experience "oppression" include people of color, women, transgender or gender non-conforming people, the poor or working class, informally education individuals, Muslims, Catholics or Jews, children, elders "(40+ by law)," lesbians, gays, bisexuals, a person with a disability, immigrants and non-English speaking people.  

AUHSD Superintendent John Nickerson did not deny that the worksheet was used for instruction at the school district. 

"The framework was used to stimulate discussion among a group of student leaders interested in developing a campus climate that fosters a sense of belonging for all students considering the many different experiences and perspectives students hold," he told Fox News Digital. 

AUHSD hosted an event for all employees of color on February 8, but McPhatter-Harris reminded employees that their White peers should not be invited to participate, according to an email shared exclusively by Libs of TikTok with Fox News Digital. 

"Hello POCC staff, we are ready for out first coming together in 2023," McPhatter-Harris' email read. "We are looking forward to seeing our people of color in the district. Please invite any employee of color to this event."

"Be reminded that we have avoided inviting people that are not of color as there remains feelings of uneasiness and mistrust and we need this to be a safe space for our people of color," the email continued. "Please reach out to me if you have any questions of concerns.”

AUHSD has emerged as a battleground in the education debate in recent years, including frustrations toward leadership which mounted during the pandemic and brought to light a "lack of leadership," Mark Woolway, a father of four, who ran for the district's school board previously told Fox News Digital. McPhatter-Harris did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.