School's art department changing its name because 'acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture'

CORRECTION: This incident happened at the San Francisco Unified School District, not the San Diego Unified School District as identified in the original post. We regret the error.

The San Diego Unified School District just announced name changes to 44 schools named after people with “ties to racism” or “dishonorable legacies” … people such as Abraham Lincoln, who did not demonstrate that “black lives mattered to him.” The district also has its sights set on Lowell High School, which uses academic merit as an admissions criterion — which is a racist system that is the antithesis of just. A lottery it is then; so long, gifted programs, hello justice.

Now we’re learning that the San Francisco schools’ arts department is changing its name from VAPA, which is short for visual and performing arts, because acronyms are “a symptom of white supremacy culture.” ABC 7 News reports:

The director of that department said, “We are prioritizing antiracist arts instruction in our work.” So they got rid of the acronym “VAPA,” which is short for visual and performing arts.

From now on, they’ll simply be called SFUSD Arts Department.

…

In a letter, he explains that acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture.

“The use of so many acronyms within the educational field often tends to alienate those who may not speak English to understand the acronym,” he added.

That’s based on a 1999 paper written by author Tema Okun titled “White Supremacy Culture.” Okun told me that, “Our culture perpetuates racism when things continue to be written down in a certain way.”

The crazy thing is there’s a fine idea here — avoid obscure acronyms — and a plausible one — this might be especially helpful to non-English speakers — but now every argument must be expressed in terms of a relationship to white supremacy, so you say something ridiculous.

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) February 2, 2021

Also, if expressing yourself in clear language is an anti-racist imperative, I have bad news for certain self-proclaimed anti-racists.

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) February 2, 2021

They are going to change it to VAPID because that's a word and pretty much describes the school district.

— Crosspatch (@VictorB123) February 2, 2021

You can't fix stupid.

— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) February 2, 2021

Stupid isn't the problem. Lenin wasn't stupid. Neither was Robespierre.

The problem is the culture isn't standing up to them and saying "no", so they keep taking more power.

— Dr. Doug Butt (@doug_butt) February 2, 2021

Was nice knowing you, SCLC, SNCC and NAACP.

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) February 2, 2021

Can you even imagine what it’s like being a student at this school?

— Jonas Mann (@jpmann) February 2, 2021

unfortunately yes

— Tyler Dinucci (@TylerDinucci) February 2, 2021

The new acronym-less name is "SFUSD Arts Department." Amazing.

— J Hinkes (@jhinkes) February 2, 2021

From the article linked:

"It was not clear whether SFUSD was also considered a racist acronym."

— A Dram in Exchange for the Pox (@mattbrauer) February 2, 2021

Calls acronyms a symptom of white supremacy … but chooses new name to be "SFUSD Arts Department"

— David V. Johnson (@contrarianp) February 2, 2021

So sad

— Dustin Moskovitz (@moskov) February 2, 2021

They're going to be renaming schools every 10 years or so….

— Barbara S. ?? (@babs_to_you) February 2, 2021

One day the city of San Francisco will leave this world as it finally disappears into its own rectum in a singularity of smugness.

— John Burnier (@john_wice) February 2, 2021

It's a town I've visited and loved, but JFC, this.

— Zippy (@xshadow23x) February 2, 2021

@AlphXLang pic.twitter.com/g5LtgPub4F

— Weͫrͣᶰwͤoͩlfram (@Werwolfram) February 2, 2021

So close to VAPID, which really would have hit the spot.

Y'know, a lot of the political types talk about the importance of running for local stuff like school boards because it needs better infusions of people and ideas.

Boy, if this ain't the proof of that.

— Belli (@bellisaurius) February 2, 2021

San Francisco is having some kind of meltdown.

Why can't they do something of actual substance to improve education?

— Diana Aulicino ? ? ? (@DianaNicoleA) February 2, 2021

Because there’s no one left who has any idea how to do that. The generation that earned degrees in social justice and gender studies is now running things.

Related:

Dana Loesch says NBC has dropped in on her school board meeting about adopting a critical race theory curriculum https://t.co/hI1gYV7dL4

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 2, 2021