Mississippi passes law banning critical race theory in publicly-funded classrooms
On Monday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a law banning critical race theory from being taught in the state’s public schools.
Under the legislation, which was passed by the Republican-controlled state senate in January, public schools are prohibited from teaching students “that any sex, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin is inherently superior or inferior” or “that individuals should be adversely treated on the basis of their sex, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.”
The newly implemented law applies to K-12 public schools as well as the state’s publicly funded universities and community colleges.
As previously defined by Rebel News, critical race theory proposes that everything is racist. It's not a question of “if,” but “how” something is racist — and it's your responsibility to identify it and call it out.
The move to ban the teaching of the race-essentialist ideology first began in the state of Florida, which made it one of the largest public school systems to do so as efforts to curb critical race theory and related “theories” gain momentum across the United States.
“Across this great country, we’re seeing a full-court press by a vocal minority of well-organized and well-funded activists who seek to tear down the unity that has helped make our country great,” Reeves said in a video message accompanying the law’s passage.
“Children are dragged to the front of the classroom and are coerced to declare themselves as oppressors, taught that they should feel guilty because of the colour of their skin or that they are inherently a victim because of their race,” the governor added. “That’s why today, Mississippi is taking another step toward ensuring our kids receive the unbiased and impartial education they need to reach their full potential as individuals not as liberal operatives.”
The governor says he expects the proponents of critical race theory to accuse the state of preventing children from learning about “important historical events” such as slavery in the United States or the Civil Rights Movement. He called the accusation that he expects to face “flat out wrong.”
“All elements of Mississippi and all elements of American history, both the good and the bad, should be taught in our schools, period,” Reeves said.
Much like other advocates for CRT, Mississippi Superintendent of Education Carey Wright has claimed that the ideology is not taught in the state's public schools. In numerous U.S. jurisdictions, critical race theory is known by other names but the content typically revolves around Ibram X. Kendi’s “antiracist” doctrine and other proponents of the ideology.
Mississippi joins at least 10 states to pass legislation prohibiting CRT from being taught in schools, including Idaho, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Arizona and North Dakota.
More than two dozen states have introduced similar laws, but enforcement remains pending. Mississippi’s bill does not explicitly mention CRT, but alludes to concepts associated with the doctrine.
Ian Miles Cheong
Contributor
Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.
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