Gov. Bill Lee’s office says that he supports the proposition
The Tennessee General Assembly has advanced a proposed ban on the teaching of critical race theory.
The bill was passed in the conclusion of Wednesday’s legislative session. It requires withholding funding from public colleges that discuss White privilege with their students, according to The Tennessean paper of Nashville.
State Sen. Brian Kelsey, a Republican from Memphis, contended that teaching the theory would be”harmful to our pupils.”
“Critical Race Theory instructs that American democracy is a lie. It teaches the principle of law doesn’t exist & is rather a series of power struggles among racial groups. It’s damaging to our students & is antithetical to what we stand for as Americans & as Tennesseans,” Kelsey tweeted Wednesday.
He proposed an addition to the bill that would prohibit teaching students that”the rule of law does not exist, but instead is a collection of power relationships and struggles among racial or other groups,” the newspaper reported.
“I was subject to this teaching 20 decades ago in law school and know it very well, and that’s the very definition of it”
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Democrat from Memphis, argued that”children deserve to find out the complete story and truth of our people.”
“This offensive laws pretends skin colour has never mattered in our country. As far too many Americans know, race-based oppression, discrimination and inequality was a fact of life since before the dawn of the nation,” Akbari told FOX 13 of Memphis. “Our children deserve to learn the entire story and truth about our people — both the victories along with the struggles. Unfortunately, the controlling party is attempting to erase historical reality in favor [of] whitewashed falsehoods.”
“Critical race theory is rooted in critical theory, which asserts that social issues are made and affected by societal structures and cultural assumptions,” additional state Sen. Katrina Robinson, a Black Democrat from Memphis. “How ironic that a body composed of a vast majority of White jobless men can ascertain whether even my grandchildren can see reflections of themselves at the history course at their school.”
Similar proposals surfaced in other states this year, The Tennessean reported.
Gov. Bill Lee’s Office told FOX 13 that the Republican intends to sign the bill when it reaches his desk.
