Tennessee State House Voted To Prohibit Critical Race Theory In Public Schools
The Tennessee State House voted on Wednesday to prohibit critical race theory — a theory that tells people that America is inextricably rooted in racism — from being taught in public schools.
“The legislation, which now moves to the Senate, would prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and state-sanctioned racism,” writes Christopher Rufo of the City Journal.
BREAKING: The Tennessee State House passes a bill banning critical race theory indoctrination in public schools. The legislation, which moves to the Senate, would prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and state-sanctioned racism. The fight is on. pic.twitter.com/RtIVb8lcyQ
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) May 5, 2021
The bill restricts K-12 institutions from fueling racial tensions by requiring certain children to see themselves as “oppressors” while others see themselves as “oppressed” based solely on their skin color.
Teachers will no longer brand individuals as “by virtue of the individual’s race or sex” that they are “inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive.”
Students can no longer be told that “an individual’s moral character is determined by the individual’s race or sex,” or that “an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.”
Teachers are now prohibited from telling their students that Tennessee or the United States are “fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist,” according to the law.
This bill, according to Rufo, reflects the widespread disapproval of “toxic and divisive principles” like critical race theory being taught to children.
“Voters across the country are revolting against public school systems that have abandoned education in favor of political indoctrination,” Rufo said.
“Tennessee legislators have a moral obligation to make sure that public schools reflect the values of the public — and Tennesseeans of all racial backgrounds reject the toxic and divisive principles of race essentialism, collective guilt, and neo-segregation,” Rufo stated.
State Rep. John Ragan introduced the Tennessee bill. Ragan received an email from a legislator about a 7-year-old white child who was described as “depressed and suicidal” in her public school following a conversation about “white privilege.”
“I’m ashamed that I’m white,” the student reportedly told her mother.
