More school districts refuse to teach a person’s race determines if they are guilty or innocent, more or less capable

Washington Policy Center:
Parents across Washington state are worried teachers will soon teach their children Critical Race Theory (CRT). Parents know CRT is incorrect and hateful, and they are worried teachers will be teaching CRT ideas as truth and established fact.  Parents are raising these concerns to their school boards because in April the legislature passed SB 5044, mandating that public school staff receive training in CRT. Onlookers in the media dismiss parent concerns, saying SB 5044 does not require training of CRT content because CRT is not explicitly mentioned in the bill. These onlookers are naïve and misinformed. The words that are in the bill, “cultural competency, diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism,” are all understood to mean Critical Race Theory as applied to public education. Fortunately, a number of districts are taking steps to protect their staff and students from its harmful content.

Last month the Chehalis School District, a small district south of Olympia of eight schools and 3,000 students, heard the fears of parents, and took a principled stand. On June 15, 2021, the Chehalis school board passed a resolution saying: “We will not teach Chehalis students that people, due to their race or background are inherently good or bad, guilty or innocent, more or less capable than others.” This resolution also stated: “The central purpose and goal of the Chehalis School District is to build a sound educational foundation for each student, enabling them to become responsible citizens.” read more