The Georgia Board of Education voted Thursday to reject “critical race theory” curriculum and courses that “indoctrinate students” across a certain political spectrum.
Board members voted 11-2 to adopt a resolution affirming the United States “is not a racist country, and that the state of Georgia is not a racist state.” The government body vowed not to “support, or impart, any K-12 public education resources or standards which indoctrinate students in social, or political, ideology or theory, or promote one race or sex above another.”
“Believes that no state education agency, school district, or school shall teach, instruct, or train any administrator, teacher, staff member, or employee to adopt or believe any of the following concepts: (a) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; (b) an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously,” the resolution read in part.
The education authorities indicated teachers instructing students on political subject matter “should strive to explore such issues from diverse and contending perspectives.” Members also voted to reject federal grants that might entail instructing students on race-based curriculum.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp applauded the board’s move to reject what has been called “critical race theory.”
“I applaud the members of the State Board of Education for making it clear this dangerous, anti-American ideology has no place in Georgia classrooms,” he said in a statement. “With their vote today, state school board members have ensured education in the Peach State will reflect the freedom, equality, and God-given potential of each individual.”
Kemp referred to the race-based teaching methods as “divisive” and “anti-American” in a letter to the board on May 20.
“I urge you to take immediate steps to ensure that Critical Race Theory and its dangerous ideology do not do not take root in our state standards and curriculum,” the letter read.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Opponents of the Thursday move said Georgia still grapples with racism.
“I absolutely am proud to be a Georgian and, no, I do not believe that racism exists across the entire state, but to categorically state and declare that we’re not a racist state flies in the face of all the research that I’ve been taught and that I’ve looked at,” said Tracey Pendley, the state’s teacher of the year and a nonvoting member of the education board.
