It was reported by FoxNews earlier today that the governor of North Dakota signed a bill Friday banning critical race theory (CRT) in schools, making North Dakota the latest Republican-controlled state to take legislative action against CRT in public education. “This bill addresses the concerns of parents while preserving the decision-making authority of local school boards to approve curriculum that is factual, objective and aligned with state content standards,” Gov. Doug Burgum told Fox News in a statement. He signed the bill Friday.
KX News first reported that the bill cleared the Senate. It passed the Senate 38-9, according to the state legislature’s website. The bill cleared the state House 76-16 on Thursday.
The anti-CRT bill was swiftly introduced and approved during a special session that was called to address redistricting and the spending of coronavirus stimulus money.
Newsweek went on to report that Critical race theory, which calls for America’s past and present to be regarded through the lens of racism, has become a point of contention in U.S. classrooms and communities. Some parents and lawmakers have even decried the potential teaching of the concept in schools as an attempt to indoctrinate children.
But reports indicate that the vast majority of schools don’t require teachers to cover the theory in class. A survey conducted by the Association of American Educators, a nonpartisan professional organization for teachers, found that more than 96 percent of 1,134 respondents were not required to teach critical race theory in classrooms, NBC News reported.
Of the respondents, just 45 percent said that teachers should be given the option to include critical race theory in their curriculums.
Republican state Senator Donald Schaible, who helped move the bill on the North Dakota Senate floor, said that the proposed CRT ban was meant “to try to make sure that it doesn’t come to our schools.”
GOP Governor Doug Burgum will now decide whether to sign the legislation, along with another bill passed 33-14 by the Senate on Friday that would restrict COVID-19 vaccine mandates, AP reported.
