Governor of Tennessee Signs Law Banning Critical Race Theory in Schools

Republican Governor Bill Lee has signed a bill into law that would prevent Critical Race Theory from being taught in schools in Tennessee.

Critical Race Theory perpetuates an extraordinarily toxic set of beliefs that run completely counter to Martin Luther King’s teachings that we should be colorblind and judge people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. The fact that this even needs to be banned from American schools in 2021 is troubling. Yet, since there are schools across the country in liberal areas pushing the idea, it is wise for conservatives to take steps to keep these monstrous ideas out of schools.

The bill in Tennessee does that and more. Here’s the rundown of CRT beliefs that Tennessee public schools are banned from teaching under SB 623:

• One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.
• An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.
• An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment because of the individual’s race or sex.
• An individual’s moral character is determined by the individual’s race or sex.
• 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.
• An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or another form of psychological distress solely because of the individual’s race or sex.
• A meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist, or designed by a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex.
• This state or the United States is fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist.
• Promoting or advocating the violent overthrow of the United States government.
• Promoting division between, or resentment of, a race, sex, religion, creed, nonviolent political affiliation, social class, or class of people.
• Ascribing character traits, values, moral or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs to a race or sex, or to an individual because of the individual’s race or sex.

Any school that violates this law could be penalized by having taxpayer funding withheld from it.

As Lee said a few weeks ago as part of his effort to promote the bill:

We need to make sure that our kids recognize that this country is moving toward a more perfect union, that we should teach the exceptionalism of our nation and how people can live together and work together to make a greater nation, and to not teach things that inherently divide or pit either Americans against Americans or people groups against people groups.

We need to teach kids to judge people by the content of their character, not encourage them to believe that skin color is everything. One path leads to people being able to get along and work with each other while the other leads to hatred and division. The Republicans in Tennessee understand that and more states should follow their example.

John Hawkins is the author of 101 Things All Young Adults Should Know. You can find him on Parler here and on Twitter here.

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