Tennessee | July 9, 2021
Rep. Mark Green Demands Removal of Air Force Academy Teacher Who Spoke Out in Support of Critical Race Theory
Tennessee | July 9, 2021
Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) sent a letter on Thursday to John P. Roth, the acting secretary of the Air Force, urging the secretary to remove Professor Lynne Chandler García over her comments on Critical Race Theory (CRT).
García, a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, recently wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post, where she highlighted her support for teaching CRT to her students.
“But we also acknowledge that the United States was founded on a duality: liberalism and equal rights on the one hand; inequality, inegalitarianism and second-class citizenship on the other,” García said in her piece.
Rep. Green argued in a statement that the comments made by the professor should disqualify her from teaching at the institution.
“Professor García’s comments on Critical Race Theory are utterly unacceptable and incompatible with the mission of our United States Military Service Academies. Disparaging the United States as a racist country should disqualify anyone from teaching at one of our country’s most prestigious institutions,” he said in a statement.
CRT has proven itself to be a dividing issue, even while the majority of Americans disapprove of its teachings….
(Excerpts from the Tennessee Star)
Tennessee | June 22, 2021
Metro Nashville Public Schools’ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Head Promotes Critical Race Theory Openly
Tennessee | June 22, 2021
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Officer promoted Critical Race Theory over Juneteenth weekend. The DEI head, Ashford Hughes, encouraged his followers to read “Critical Race Theory: the Key Writings That Formed the Movement.” Among the co-authors of the 1995 book is Kimberlé Crenshaw, a scholar that helped found and popularize Critical Race Theory.
“This Juneteenth weekend I hope we can increase the debate around what Critical Race Theory actually IS by reading the scholarly works that have been written by leaders of the theory for over 30 plus years,” wrote Hughes. “This book should be on your shelf whether you oppose or support [it].”..
(Excerpts from the Tennessee Star)
Tennessee | June 16, 2021
Legislator Behind Tennessee’s Critical Race Theory Ban Weighs In on Shelby County Schools Racial Justice and Equity Training
Tennessee | June 16, 2021
Tennessee State Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) offered his thoughts on Shelby County Schools’ (SCS) consideration of implementing racial justice and equity training. Ragan shared with The Tennessee Star that a requirement of this training as a condition of employment could potentially be an issue – it would have to be voluntary.
As The Star reported this week, SCS may invest up to $480,000 for the racial justice and equity training offered by the nonprofit New Leaders. Upon review of New Leaders’ materials, The Star discovered that it encourages participants to adopt “culturally responsive” practices in schools – a synonym for critical race theory. Additionally, materials repeatedly assert the need for white people to be aware of their race, privilege, and power.
Ragan told The Star that critical race theory is an offshoot of Marxism.
“These tenets of critical race theory are just Marxist theory with the word ‘race’ inserted. Marxism is a destructive political philosophy that has never worked in the long term for a single country in which it has been tried. In fact, Marxism, with its lack of recognition for divinely bestowed rights, has eventually ruined every society in which it was introduced,” said Ragan. “Marxism, whether it is hidden in a term like critical race theory, or not, has no place in any of Tennessee’s K-12 classrooms. No intelligent person maintains that our country’s mistakes should be hidden from students. In fact, those facts should be presented impartially and unemotionally so that everyone can learn from them. However, along with the mistakes, our country’s greatest successes and principles should also be presented with equal or greater vigor.”…
(Excerpts from the Tennessee Star)
Tennessee | June 16, 2021
Moms for Liberty Williamson County Lays Bare Evidence of Critical Race Theory, Suicide Ideation, Violence, and More in Curriculum Across 33 Counties
Tennessee | June 16, 2021
FRANKLIN, Tennessee – After around 1200 hours of investigation, a parent-led deep dive team uncovered how a widely-used English curriculum in Tennessee pushes narratives on history and introduces K-5 students to a range of concepts such as Critical Race Theory, suicide ideation, gender fluidity, alcoholism, promiscuity, torture, cannibalism, and more. The curriculum, Wit and Wisdom, offers social-emotional learning (SEL) and was produced by the organization Great Minds. It is approved for use in 33 counties.
Moms for Liberty (MFL) Williamson County Founders Robin Steenman and Lori Friedheim presented their team’s findings on Tuesday during their public event, “Let’s Talk Wit and Wisdom.” The group gave attendees packets with comprehensive reviews on the Wit and Wisdom books and teacher manuals. MFL explained that these reviews are works in progress. Up-to-date versions of their reviews of these curriculum materials are available here. The Wit and Wisdom K-5 curriculum is divided by grade and then by module…
(Excerpts from the Tennessee Star)
Tennessee | June 9, 2021
Sen. Blackburn Introduces Resolution Condemning Critical Race Theory in Schools
Tennessee | June 9, 2021
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mike Braun (R-IN) in introducing a resolution to condemn the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 schools.
“Critical Race Theory has no place in American schools. The tenets of Critical Race Theory are based in the destructive ideal of inherent racism and will teach our children to judge and self-segregate based solely on skin color,” Blackburn said. “Students should not be discriminated on the basis of race under any circumstances.”
Critical Race Theory claims that America was built on slavery and other forms of racial discrimination, and is thus a fundamentally racist country. Further, the theory claims that all white people are automatically racist and carry inherent privilege due to their skin color.
Rick Scott added, “The far-left wants Americans to believe that our nation is inherently racist and bad. They want to discredit the values America was founded on. They’re wrong. We can’t stand by and allow ‘woke’ liberals to divide our nation.”
Republicans across the country have condemned the advancement of CRT teachings. Former President Trump on Saturday urged lawmakers to ban the teachings “at every level.” He called the teaching “the exact opposite of the American belief that we are all created equal in the holy image of God.”….
(Excerpts from the Virginia Star)
Tennessee | May 24, 2021
Memphis City Council Adopts Resolution Opposing State Ban on Critical Race Theory
Tennessee | May 24, 2021
On Tuesday, the Memphis City Council adopted a resolution opposing the state legislature’s ban on critical race theory.
The item was added last-minute to the council agenda. Council members Martavius Jones, Michalyn Easter-Thomas, JB Smiley, Cheyenne Johnson, Rhonda Logan, Jeff Warren, Ford Canale, Frank Colvett, Edmund Ford, and Chase Carlisle sponsored the resolution. The council voted unanimously in favor of the resolution without discussion.
https://youtu.be/_BHuTnqEEn4?t=1342
As The Tennessee Star reported, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the bill effectively banning critical race theory earlier this month after much debate. The legislature had to create a conference committee in order to resolve conflict over the outright ban on critical race theory…
(Excerpts from Tennessee Star)