The Girl Scouts told its membership that taking a color-blind approach to life “perpetuates racism,” and parents must have conversations about race and racism “regularly” with their daughters to counterbalance this narrative.
The organization released an online resource for parents designed to help their kids “take action against racism.” Much of the data and resources cited in the article are inspired by “anti-racism” and critical race theory. The resource is primarily aimed at encouraging white parents to have conversations with their children about their privilege.
“While we should be having conversations about race and racism regularly, checking in with your girl is crucial when racist violence claims lives and sparks widespread protest, grief, and unrest around the nation,” the article reads. “Having honest discussions about race is important for all families, and it’s vital to have them on a regular basis, even if you find it uncomfortable or you think your kids already know about racism and understand right from wrong.”
“Saying ‘we’re all the same’ or ‘I don’t see color’ might be well-intentioned, but it perpetuates racism because it disregards part of people’s identities,” the article continues. “Plus, saying everyone is the same implies that everyone has the same experiences and is treated the same in our society — which statistics and the everyday discrimination faced by Black people and other people of color show isn’t the case.”
White Girl Scouts were encouraged to look at the power structures within their neighborhood and school to determine their privilege and understand racism.
“It’s also important to look at how your girl’s life is structured and lived every day,” the website reads. “Who does she see in her neighborhood, at school, and in positions of power around her?”
The Girl Scouts’ guide also claims that parents who feel “uncomfortable” partaking in conversations about race may be perpetuating unfair “justice, health, and education systems.”
“It may be tempting to avoid the topic of race and racism altogether — especially for those who were taught it’s something that isn’t polite to discuss — but statistics show that justice, health, and education systems aren’t fair in basic ways that can negatively affect a girl’s life on a foundational level,” the guide reads.
The guide cited data claiming that young children can show a “bias toward whiteness.” It suggested curtailing this bias by making children play with diverse toys and watching diverse television shows.
At the bottom of the guide is a list of resources for parents to increase their knowledge on racism and discussing racism with their kids. Examples include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which distributed literature that claims hard work, being on time, being polite, and objectivity are aspects of whiteness, and EmbraceRace, which promotes the teachings of anti-racism.
Among the resources was a link to the nonprofit organization The Conscious Kid, which made headlines for hosting a training session that told Hasbro employees that babies as young as three months old can show racial preferences.
The Conscious Kid is also linked to the “cancellation” of Dr. Seuss books and Nickelodeon’s race-based special. The nonprofit also teamed up with Google’s charity arm to create an “anti-racist” book list for K-12 teachers.
Girl Scouts did not respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
Related: Nonprofit Responsible For Canceling Dr. Seuss Teams Up With Google