Republican Senators Team Up in Bid to Keep Critical Race Theory Out of Schools
Three GOP senators introduced a resolution on Monday to condemn critical race theory in K-12 public education, arguing the controversial view “has no place in American schools.”
Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Indiana Sen. Mike Braun presented Senate Resolution 246 to push back against liberals who are working to include critical race theory in public schools.
The summary of the resolution says, “Expressing the sense of the Senate that Critical Race Theory serves as a prejudicial ideological tool, rather than an educational tool, and should not be taught in K–12 classrooms as a way to teach students to judge individuals based on sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
Scott said in a statement from the three legislators, “Since America’s founding, our nation has strived to be a land of opportunity for all. While we cannot ignore the scars of our past, we also cannot tolerate the attempts of the woke left to weaponize our history in radical curriculums that teach our children to see America only for its worst days, and the American people only for their darkest hours.”
I won’t allow woke liberals to divide Americans with Critical Race Theory. Our students deserve better. I’m proud to be joined by @MarshaBlackburn & @SenatorBraun in standing up against this dangerous policy: https://t.co/qUhGGzqTQ2
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 7, 2021
He added, “The far-left wants Americans to believe that our nation is inherently racist and bad. They want to discredit the values America was founded on. They’re wrong.
“We can’t stand by and allow ’woke’ liberals to divide our nation. Students in Florida and every state across this nation deserve better and I’m proud to lead my colleagues today in a resolution to stand up against this dangerous policy.”
Blackburn said, “Critical race theory has no place in American schools. The tenets of critical race theory are based in the destructive ideal of inherent racism and will teach our children to judge and self-segregate based solely on skin color.
“In Tennessee, we believe in equality and opportunity for all. Students should not be discriminated against on the basis of race under any circumstances. This resolution is an important step to prevent the far left from pushing their radical political agenda in our classrooms.”
Braun said, “America’s kids need to know that the fundamental values of our country are liberty, equality, and opportunity for all – not racism and oppression. I’m proud to join my colleagues in speaking out against divisive political agendas being pushed in our classrooms.”
The resolution followed a letter in April from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and more than 30 senators to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to request “the withdrawal of the Department’s ‘Proposed Priorities’ on American history and civics education,” according to the statement.
The GOP letter said, “This is a time to strengthen the teaching of civics and American history in our schools.”
It added, “Instead, your Proposed Priorities double down on divisive, radical, and historically-dubious buzzwords and propaganda.”
Several states have already enacted legislation against critical race theory in public schools.
In May, Tennessee joined a growing list of states in banning the theory.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that bars public schools from teaching divisive propaganda that effectively claims one group is inherently racist and that the United States is fundamentally, irredeemably racist and sexist.
These beliefs are the basic tenets of critical race theory, which labels all white people as racist and privileged and suggests that all black people are helpless victims because the U.S. is “systemically racist,” critics of the concept say.
“What I am most concerned about is that our education system reminds students that history is important, civics is important, American exceptionalism is important, and that political commentary is not important when teaching our children,” the governor told WTVF-TV.
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