There are boys in this country, and likely in Washington state, whose teachers and school administrators convey to them an ideology which paints males monolithically as “oppressors”. Let us have compassion for these boys. Let us also spare them exposure to such misandry and prejudice until an age when they have the psychological maturity to handle it and the intellectual ability to evaluate its merits.
The resignation of a schoolteacher in New Jersey named Dana Stengel-Plowe made headlines this past June. The teacher objected to a divisive ideology that had become dominant at the private school where she taught for seven years. Some sources reported on a letter the teacher’s former student sent her after she resigned. The young man who wrote the letter thanked her for her bravery.
In republishing the content of the letter below, we draw attention via bolding to the portions where the boy expresses sadness over being made to feel bad in school due to his maleness.
“People don’t realize how strongly it affects boys”
June 9th, 2021
Dear Mrs. Stangel-Plowe,
I truly hope you do read this email, but I understand if you are too busy to. I am extremely grateful that you were my teacher this year, and for the ideas you finally brought to light recently. I hope you realize how big of an impact you made on our community. Unfortunately, all of what you said is true; I know many students that are scared to speak out on their opinions in fear. I have reluctantly prohibited myself from saying certain things in class also in fear of sounding politically incorrect. I see the negative effects of this toxic community in my fellow students and faculty every day.
Namely, my eighth grade English teacher taught us for the first two weeks about pretty much how awful white men are. For two weeks, I did not speak a single word in her class. My fellow white male classmates left the classroom every time feeling the same way. For lack of a better word, those teachings made me feel like horse shit, like worthless scum undeserving of living.
Related: How the goodness of boys shined through a girls basketball team –
Pilar Corder’s story [Video]
Later during that year, in my history class, my white classmates were constantly using the pronoun “we” when talking about slavery. Eventually, I had to raise my hand and remind them: that “we” were not and are not a part of these despicable acts. Most of our parents were refugees from foreign countries, whose ancestors were also oppressed and persecuted. This year, I have battled with countless generalizing and oppression towards white men. There are girls, whom I am friends with, that genuinely believe that all men are misogynistic. I see movements on social media like #KAM which stands for “Kill all men”; people don’t realize how strongly that affects boys in an extremely negative way.
Even now, I am struggling and frightened to fully express my opinion to my girlfriend, who believes that most white men are oppressive beings. Everyone is talking about your letter, many many students including myself are extremely grateful for what you’ve done. My friends and classmates feel much more comfortable expressing their voices and many minds are changing. So I am once again thanking you for trying to improve our school. I wish I could put into words the extent to which I admire and thank you. I wish I could describe to you the good that you have done. I aspire to be as brave as you some day.
With endless amounts of love and respect,
– Your former D-E student.