The claim by the Chicago teachers' union that Black students cannot pass standardized tests is met with disapproval by mom.

A Black mom criticized the president of an American Federations of Teachers' affiliate in Chicago for stating on a radio station that standardized tests are "junk science rooted in White supremacy" and "eugenics."

Last week, Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union and executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, was questioned by a Black radio station about the declining reading and math scores of public school students. The criticism targeted Gates for suggesting that teachers' contracts be boosted with funds that would be more effectively used to improve student achievement.

She responded that gauging student achievement through testing was the problem.

"The way we perceive learning and achievement is heavily influenced by testing, which is essentially junk science that stems from White supremacy. If you have an extra hour, I can explain how standardized tests were born from the eugenics movement, which viewed Black people as inferior to non-Black individuals."

"You cannot use an instrument designed to prove black children's inferiority for testing purposes," she stated. "This is also about liberating our people from a standard that is intended for their failure."

A Black mom in Chicago strongly disagrees with Gates' assertion that Black children cannot pass tests.

"The literacy gap is not being addressed, and I believe that the Chicago Teachers' Union is not qualified to provide curriculum expertise. Therefore, I think that Chicago Public Schools should be responsible for providing the proper curriculum for our students."

The mother stated that as a parent, they are not prepared to surpass standardized testing at this time.

"I passed every standardized test, and I want my children to do the same, even though I'm Black. This does not mean I cannot achieve on standardized tests. Our children need to be able to do so that they can be competitive. However, our focus should be on addressing the literacy gap that Black children face, which is not being adequately addressed."

The Chicago Teachers' Union did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.

Gates emphasized the significance of teaching critical race theory (CRT) during the interview.

""The ability to teach CRT is crucial because it enables us to scrutinize our decision-making processes," she stated. "CRT is a vital component of our education system, which is why the Republicans are targeting it directly," she added."

Randi Weingarten, the head of the AFT, has previously stated that CRT is not part of K-12 education, attributing the misconception to "culture warriors."

"Critical race theory is not taught in elementary or high schools, but it is a method of examination taught in law school and college."

Other teacher union leaders have made similar claims.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association union, wrote a letter to social media companies, requesting them to address the rise of a radicalized group of adults who spread false information about K-12 public schools teaching racism through graduate-level courses, which has led to alarming growth.