Email reveals Miguel Cardona worried about making sure teachers were behind new 'woke' curriculum


When serving as Connecticut’s education commissioner, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote a 2019 email saying he wanted to ensure teachers were supportive of the state’s new ‘woke’ curriculum.

In a series of emails obtained by Fox News, Cardona and others discuss an advisory group tasked with formulating the curriculum.  

An October 31, 2019 message invited recipients to an informal meeting about working on an advisory group operated from the State Education Resource Center (SERC).

The following day, Laura Stefon, Cardona’s chief of staff said she thought the State Department of Education’s social studies consultant should be involved in the SERC group. 

‘We need to be involved,’ Cardona agreed.

That same day, he made a separate request for a specific teacher to be involved.

When serving as Connecticut's education commissioner, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote a 2019 email saying he wanted to ensure teachers were supportive of the state's new 'woke' curriculum [File photo]

When serving as Connecticut’s education commissioner, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote a 2019 email saying he wanted to ensure teachers were supportive of the state’s new ‘woke’ curriculum [File photo]

‘I want the new Teacher of the Year (2020) Meghan Hatch-Geary on it also, for several reasons,’ Cardona wrote, elaborating: ‘We need teachers behind this wave of our curriculum becoming more ‘woke”.

The comments came as Connecticut’s education department was tasked with putting together a new high school course called African-America, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino Studies. 

The course will be optional for the upcoming school year but required from the fall of 2022, Fox News reported. 

In his November 1 email, Cardona also noted that Hatch-Geary would be a good candidate for the group because of her previous experience in subjects the curriculum tackles.

He noted that she ‘studied Black and Latino studies for her Master’s Program… Has created programming incorporating social justice, for race and gender inequalities… Her application included more references to the importance of Black leaders in History than anything I have read before… She volunteered teaching in Ghana and Ecuador… Understands curriculum reduces invisibility for students of color and creates global preparedness for all students.’

‘Sends the right message that we are asking the ToY to help us do better,’ Cardona said, using an abbreviation for Teacher of the Year.

The curriculum was fully approved by the state in December 2020.

Cardona said he wanted 2020 Teacher of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary involved in the curriculum's advisory group partly because of her expertise teaching

Cardona said he wanted 2020 Teacher of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary involved in the curriculum’s advisory group partly because of her expertise teaching 

‘Identities matter, especially when 27 percent of our students identify as Hispanic or Latino and 13 percent identify as Black or African-American,’ Cardona said in a press release at the time. 

‘This curriculum acknowledges that by connecting the story of people of color in the U.S. to the larger story of American history. The fact is that more inclusive, culturally relevant content in classrooms leads to greater student engagement and better outcomes for all.’

‘Under the leadership of Secretary Cardona, the Department of Education remains committed to advancing educational quality and ensuring that we prioritize, replicate, and invest in what works for all students, not just some,’ a U.S. Department of Education spokesperson told Fox News. 

The new Connecticut curriculum comes as schools across the country grapple with how to tackle race and history in lessons. 

Two Republican lawmakers have hit out at plans by Cardona to provide grants to teach critical race theory, claiming it would usher in a 'dangerous' curriculum [File photo]

Two Republican lawmakers have hit out at plans by Cardona to provide grants to teach critical race theory, claiming it would usher in a ‘dangerous’ curriculum [File photo]

Some teachers have complained that changing the curriculum to deal with controversial topics is disruptive and has led to backlash from some parents. 

Connecticut’s curriculum asks students to understand ‘the construct of race and why and how it was developed’ and spends three days assessing systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The course also includes readings and discussions on other topics including slavery and ‘What African American, Black, Latino(a), and Puerto Rican histories reveal about the United States, its foundation and how power is structured today?’ 

Two Republican lawmakers have hit out at plans by Cardona to provide grants to teach critical race theory, claiming it would usher in a ‘dangerous’ curriculum.

Cardona is contemplating issuing grants, which would see taxpayer funds being spent on teaching both The 1619 Project, originally from The New York Times, and Ibram X Kendi’s book, How to Be an Anti-Racist. 

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