State school board bans ‘critical race theory’

The Alabama State Board of Education voted 7-2 on Oct. 14 to adopt a resolution that codifies a provision in the state administration code that is meant to ban the teaching of things like critical race theory.

The resolution states that “concepts that impute fault, blame, a tendency to oppress others or the need to feel guilt or anguish to persons solely because of their race or sex violate the premises of individual rights, equal opportunity and individual merit, and therefore have no place in professional development for teachers, administrators or other employees of the public educational system of the State of Alabama.” The resolution further states, “the Alabama State Board of Education affirms that we will not support, or impart, any K-12 public education resources or standards intended to indoctrinate students in social or political ideologies that promote one race or sex above another.”

The topic of critical race theory has become a hot button issue in recent years despite the subject not being taught in any K-12 public schools. Critical race theory is a theory typically only studied in law schools that examines social, cultural and legal issues primarily related to race in the United States.

Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey confirmed that no public schools in the state teach – or have ever taught critical race theory – and that this move was a “preventative move.”

“The key is to remember that what’s there now in our courses of study we feel very good about,” Mackey said to WSFA after the meeting. “What the board wanted to do was make some statement about the future, too.”

Opponents of the resolution – including the NAACP’s National Legal Defense Fund – cited the “vagueness” in the language of the resolution as concerning.

“Not only is the resolution ahistorical and antithetical to the goal of providing a quality and inclusive education to future generations of Alabamians, it’s overly broad and vague language also fails to clearly articulate which, if any, discussions dealing with race or gender are permissible in the classroom,” LDF Policy Counsel Education Fellow Katrina Feldkamp said in a statement released by the NAACP. “The obvious effect is the chilling of speech of both educators and students. The State Board of Education is charged with ensuring that educators do their jobs effectively and that Alabama students receive a quality education; yet by these most recent actions, the board jeopardizes both of these important goals.”

A number of protestors stood outside the board meeting and more than 10 Alabama residents spoke out against the resolution during the meeting.