RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers could ban public schools from using lessons that advocate that the U.S. is racist or sexist or was created to oppress members of another race or sex.
The North Carolina House Education Committee backed a new bill unveiled Tuesday that prohibits schools from promoting concepts such as the U.S. being racist and that people are inherently racist or sexist, whether consciously or unconsciously.
The legislation comes after backlash over the state’s newly adopted K-12 social studies standards and a fear from conservatives that schools are painting white people as being racist and sexist.
“It ensures dignity and nondiscrimination in school,” said state Rep. John Torbett, a Gaston County Republican and co-chairman of the Education Committee.
But state Rep. James Galliard, a Nash County Democrat, called it an “anti-education bill.” Gaillard talked about growing up biracial and said the bill would hide the nation’s injustices.
“This is an act to ensure discrimination, fanaticism, bigotry,” Gailliard said. “This is really a don’t hurt my feelings bill. Don’t tell me the truth about our history because it may hurt my feelings.”
House Bill 324 will be voted on Wednesday by the full House.
Lawmakers took an unrelated charter school bill and turned it into the new bill on Tuesday.
Conservative concerns have escalated since the State Board of Education’s Democratic majority in February adopted new social studies standards that include language such as having teachers discuss racism, discrimination and the perspectives of marginalized groups.
Republican critics on the state board charged that the new standards were anti-American and incorporated Critical Race Theory, a view that holds that systemic racism has been part of the nation’s history.
‘”Schools should be places of dignity and respect for ALL students and teachers,” House Speaker Tim Moore tweeted Tuesday. “That’s why the N.C. House Education Committee passed legislation today to address Critical Race Theory and other hateful ideas that are attacking our kids.”
Republican State Superintendent Catherine Truitt endorsed the legislation, calling it “a common-sense bill,” in a news release Tuesday.
Concerns about the new social studies standards led to the Moore County school board considering Monday a policy that would prevent critical race theory from being used in the district’s schools. It was rejected 4-3, with the majority saying the policy would micromanage what teachers could do.
Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson created a task force to collect complaints from parents, students and teachers in public schools across the state about “indoctrination” in the classroom, the News & Observer previously reported.
Last week, the House passed a bill that would require public schools to list online all the instructional material they’re using, such as teacher lesson plans.
Under the bill, public schools would be prohibited from promoting certain concepts, including:
—The U.S. “is racist or sexist or was created by members of a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex.”
—An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.
—An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.
—Any individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress
The bill prohibits schools from using those concepts in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, training or other educational or professional settings that could reasonably give rise to the appearance of official sponsorship, approval or endorsement.
The legislation also says schools can’t contract with, hire or otherwise engage speakers, consultants, diversity trainers and other persons for the purpose of advocating those concepts.
Gailliard, the lawmaker, questioned how schools would teach history under the legislation.
“This is a bill of hatred,” Gailliard said. “This is a bill of classism. This is a bill of privilege. This is a bill of fragility. It has no place in the North Carolina General Assembly.”
Despite the prohibition, the bill says lawmakers “acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions, and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and freedom of speech and association.”
The bill doesn’t bar accessing materials that advocate those concepts for the purpose of research or independent study. It also allows teachers to state those concepts or assign materials that incorporate those concepts “if it is made clear the public school unit does not sponsor, approve or endorse the concepts or works.”
