University of Minnesota site warns of a ‘whiteness pandemic,’ urges White parents to ‘re-educate’
A webpage hosted by the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities’ “Culture and Family Lab” has sparked controversy by labeling the concept of “whiteness” as a pandemic that needs to be addressed. This initiative is part of the Institute of Child Development and aims to provide resources for individuals, particularly white adults, to reflect on their racial identity and take antiracist actions. The site asserts that growing up in the United States inherently socializes individuals into a “Whiteness Pandemic,” which the university describes as a cultural phenomenon characterized by colorblindness, passivity, and fragility—traits that contribute to systemic racism. The webpage suggests that while individuals may not be responsible for their upbringing in this culture, they do have a responsibility as adults to engage in self-reflection and proactive measures against racism.
The resources provided on the website include literature from well-known authors in the field of racial studies, such as Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo, along with practical tips for white parents on how to foster a healthy racial identity in their children. The initiative has drawn criticism from various quarters, with some experts arguing that it represents a troubling trend in higher education where leftist ideologies are being legitimized through academic discourse. Rhyen Staley, research director at Defending Education, expressed concern over the persistence of such programs, emphasizing the need for universities to reassess their commitment to what he calls “absurd ideas” that stem from activist-academic scholarship. In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for the University of Minnesota reiterated the institution’s dedication to academic freedom, indicating that the university stands by its educational initiatives, despite the controversy surrounding them.
Critics of the webpage argue that its framing of whiteness as a pandemic shifts focus away from the victims of racism and instead places blame on white individuals, potentially fostering division rather than understanding. The initiative’s funding from sources like the National Institute of Mental Health raises further questions about the influence of government grants on academic research and the promotion of specific ideological frameworks. This situation reflects broader debates in society regarding race, privilege, and the role of education in addressing systemic issues, highlighting the ongoing tensions between differing viewpoints on how best to achieve racial equity and understanding in America.
FIRST ON FOX:
A website belonging to the “Culture and Family Lab” at
Minnesota’s
flagship university hosts a webpage warning against a “whiteness pandemic” that provides “resources” on how to “halt and reverse” the issue.
“If you were born or raised in the United States, you have grown up in the Whiteness Pandemic, and you can play a role in halting and reversing this pandemic, especially if you are White because of the power and privilege you hold in this racialized society,” explains the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
webpage
, which is part of the Institute of Child Development.
“If you were socialized into the culture of Whiteness during childhood, it is not your fault, but as an adult it is now your responsibility to self-reflect, re-educate yourself, and act. If you are a White adult, antiracist action involves an ongoing process of self-reflection in order to develop a healthy positive White identity while engaging in courageous antiracist parenting/caregiving.”
The website goes on to explain that racism should be viewed as an “epidemic” or “pandemic” but that “another” pandemic is “lurking” behind and driving that issue. The “whiteness pandemic.”
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Several experts are listed on the website, some of whom provide resources on the subject, including some subject matter meant “especially for white parents” mentioning the death of George Floyd, along with tips on how to develop a “healthy white racial identity.”
“Whiteness refers to culture, not biology: the centuries-old culture of Whiteness features colorblindness, passivity, and White fragility, which are all covert expressions of racism common in the United States,” the university says.
“Naming the Whiteness Pandemic shifts our gaze from the victims and effects of racism onto the systems that perpetrate and perpetuate racism, starting with the family system. At birth, young children growing up in White families begin to be socialized into the culture of Whiteness, making the family system one of the most powerful systems involved in systemic racism.”
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One of the papers on the website that surveyed mostly liberal White female mothers with an average income over $125,000, concluded that “Family socialization into the centuries-old culture of Whiteness – involving colorblindness, passivity, and fragility – perpetrates and perpetuates U.S. racism, reflecting an insidious Whiteness pandemic.”
Funding for the project comes from a variety of sources, including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Other resources listed on the site include literature from Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo, along with a link titled, “How to explain white privilege in terms simple enough for a child.”
Rhyen Staley, research director at Defending Education, told Fox News Digital, “This far-left programming at a major public university is another example of how ingrained DEI is in higher education and is not going away any time soon.”
Staley added, “It is not only concerning that these programs appear to still be up and running, but that absurd ideas like ‘whiteness’ also gain legitimacy through dubious activist-academic ‘scholarship.’ Universities must end this nonsense yesterday.”
A University of Minnesota spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that the school is “steadfast in its commitment to the principles of academic freedom.”
Last month, Fox News Digital
first reported
on a report from Defending Education revealing that the University of Minnesota is supplying K-12 teachers with ethnic studies lessons that promote a variety of left-wing causes, including defunding the police, Black Lives Matter, and the dangers of “white supremacy” and “settler colonialism.”
