From the Homeschool Front … Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words by Colleen Hroncich

On a recent trip to Washington, DC, I had the opportunity to attend a screening of a documentary that will be released in 2020. Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words is an emotional journey through a turbulent time in U.S. history.

The movie producer spent 30 hours with Clarence Thomas and his wife Gini, which is an incredible level of access to a Supreme Court judge. Especially one who typically stays away from the media spotlight. The result is a fascinating look at Thomas’ life that gives the viewer powerful insight into the challenges he’s overcome. 

The film takes us to Thomas’ early days growing up in poverty in rural Georgia amidst rampant racism and segregation. He and his brother eventually moved to Savannah with their mom who found work there. Thomas recalls how different the squalor of urban poverty was compared to the relative security of rural poverty. Before too long, both boys moved in with their maternal grandparents, where they had access to indoor plumbing—and enough food—for the first time.

Having faced racism and inequality, Thomas was a revolutionary in college. He went to Yale Law School but no one would hire him when he graduated; in his mind that was because a black man’s Yale degree was viewed with skepticism. He was ultimately hired by Missouri Attorney General John Danforth—a Republican. At first, Thomas didn’t think he could work for a Republican. Eventually, Danforth became a mentor and a friend. 

Thomas gradually came to realize the solutions to the problems faced by minorities and the poor couldn’t be solved by government. He began to study conservatism and the philosophy of limited government and individual rights. 

After President George H.W. Bush nominated Thomas to the Supreme Court, one of his former employees accused him of sexual harassment. He vehemently denied the charges:

"This is a circus. It is a national disgrace. And from my standpoint, as a black American, as far as I am concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity-blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas, and it is a message that, unless you kow-tow to an old order, this is what will happen to you, you will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate, rather than hung from a tree."

Thomas won his confirmation battle and is now the longest-serving judge on the court. 

Clarence Thomas’ road to the Supreme Court wasn’t simple or smooth. He overcame poverty, a broken family, and systemic racism. Created Equal lets Thomas tell his own story. It’s tragic. It’s funny. It’s depressing. It’s uplifting. Whatever your views on Justice Clarence Thomas, you owe it to yourself to see this film when it airs on PBS in May 2020.

Colleen Hroncich loves that homeschooling allows her to learn right alongside her children. A published author and former policy analyst, Colleen’s favorite subjects are economics/public policy and history. She has been active in several homeschool co-ops and is a speech and debate coach.

Equality: Outcomes vs. Opportunities by Brian McGarry

Two popular themes often pushed in schools are "celebrating diversity" and "preaching tolerance." At first glance, these ideas sound really nice. However, the roots of these messages stem from an ugly past in which people were judged by the color of their skin (or gender/ethnicity), rather than the content of their character. The battle Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.  and others fought was intended to make these debates obsolete.

Today our schools are filled with children making posters, flying balloons, and drawing colorful rainbow pictures showing the blending of cultures and acceptance of others' beliefs in order to showcase their collective tolerance for one another. This helps create a school environment that discourages discrimination.

"Teachers need to distinguish the important difference between equal outcomes, which inevitably lead to greater government controls, and equal opportunities, which free the individual to succeed and to make mistakes."

Most students have an intrinsic sense of fairness and sharing. When teachers appeal to the idea of equality, students tend to gravitate towards it. Therefore, teachers need to distinguish the important difference between equal outcomes, which inevitably lead to greater government controls, and equal opportunities, which free the individual to succeed and to make mistakes. Simply talking about equality as a global ideal can easily be misinterpreted.

Each year, I do an experiment in my classroom that highlights the problems with forcing equal outcomes. I adjust the grades from a chapter test by rewriting the "new" grade to account for the successes and failures of each student. For example, those who score in the 90s receive an altered grade in the 70s. Those in the 50s jump to the 70s. Seeing the reactions of those who celebrate their sudden fortunes and the anger from those who have seen their intellectual efforts destroyed by a "central authority's" arbitrary decision is quite interesting. Give it a try with your class.

izzit.org's video 2081 presents educators with an entertaining and graphic example of what happens when you force equal outcomes. The students see how equal outcomes drag the successful down, while institutionalizing mediocrity and incompetence. The heavy hand of government is highlighted in this wonderful adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's dystopian short story "Harrison Bergeron."

The production value matches the important message. My kids watch intently and are actively engaged in class discussion after viewing it. I ask them to compare and contrast the video with Lois Lowry's The Giver, which is another dystopian novel we read.

I think I have about 20 videos from izzit.org. Thanks to izzit, I can show students that rugged individualism and free-market economics are not merely about making money. These principles also help people tear down the many barriers that tend to make people judgmental and intolerant, without the government attempting to equalize all outcomes.

No Longer OutCastes - Another New Release

As seen on public television!!

In India, those born into the lowest caste are breaking barriers! Find out how by watching our new video.

No Longer OutCastes is available for immediate downloading or streaming from www.izzit.org! You can also stream this program from our YouTube channel, Vimeo channel and Roku channel (internet connection and Roku streaming devices are necessary).

New Release: "Personal Best"

Freedom and equality are spelled out in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Signed in 1776, it says "all men are created equal.

Those words weren't always backed up with action. Numerous groups experienced discrimination that prevented individuals from achieving their personal best. The 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution outlawed slavery and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

But segregation and discrimination against various groups continued afterwards, in blatant violation of the Constitution. Other steps have been taken to rectify it. But those steps have had unintended consequences.

Are the words in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution now reality? How can each individual achieve their Personal Best? Explore this topic with our new DVD. To learn more about it, click here or watch the clip.