Critical Race Theory is Passion Thinking: A Commentary
Published: May 11th, 2021
Conservative leader and analyst Steve Fair is also a regular commentator whose writings appear in many publications, including at the CapitolBeatOK.com website in Oklahoma City.
Steve Fair
Critical Face Theory (CRT) is an academic movement of civil rights activists who seek to critically examine the law on issues of race. Advocates of CRT believe social problems are influenced and created by society and culture because racism is inherent in skin color.
Critics of CRT say CRT elevates storytelling over absolute truth, revises history and automatically assumes white supremacy by whites. CRT dates back to the 1970s when law school professors, activists and attorneys examined why civil rights victories had stalled and in their estimation were eroding. The ‘hate crime’ legislation that has made its way into law was birthed in the CRT movement.
House Bill 1775, authored by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, and Sen. David Bullard, will prohibit Oklahoma public schools, colleges and universities from incorporating certain messages about sex and race into any course instruction. The bill would also prohibit requiring mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling in the schools.
H.B. 1775 passed the House 70-19 and the Senate 38-9, and then went to It is the governor’s desk.
Before Stitt made his decision on the legislation, the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission requested Governor Kevin Stitt veto it.
“If this bill becomes law it will have serious implications on teaching the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in schools, as well as much of the history of the U.S. which is rife with racism, sexism and discomfort,” said Phil Armstrong, project director for the Commission.
Two observations:
First, racism is not an inherited trait. There is no evidence there is a racism gene. Every person is born with an inherit sin nature.
The got it from their father, who got it from his father, all the way back to Adam. That depravity/wickedness/sin can manifest itself in racism, but not every white person is a racist simply because they are white. To condemn every person as racist because of the color of their skin is the height of racism.
Second, H.B. 1775 does not stop the teaching of history. Armstrong is being intellectually dishonest with that statement. The language of H.B. 1775 doesn’t state or even infer that incidents of race riots and violence be ignored.
The bill specifically states that no teacher, administrator or other employee of a school district, charter school or virtual charter school shall require or make part of a course the following concepts: (a) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex, (2) an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, (3) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex.
“This bill will in no way stop the teaching of history or anything currently in our Oklahoma education standards, including curriculum that shows historical examples of racism or genocide. This bill simply says that teachers can’t force a student to answer that they are inherently racist or sexist or that they must feel personally responsible for things perpetrated in the past by people of a similar race or gender,” Rep. (Kevin) West said during the recent period of debate.
H.B. 1775, as signed, goes into effect immediately and requires the state Regents and the state Board of Education to implement the changes in the bill.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 1775. Oklahomans should thank the chief executive for his decision to put the law into effect.
Children should be taught critical thinking skills. CRT is passive thinking and rooted in Marxism. Oklahoma students should never be subjected to it.
NOTE: Steve Fair is conservative commentator whose essays often appear at CapitolBeatOK.com, an independent, non-partisan news organization based in Oklahoma City. Fair is Chairman for the Oklahoma Republican Party in the state’s Fourth Congressional District. Steve can be reached by email at okgop@aol.com. His blog is stevefair.blogspot.com.