After a new bill was signed into law prohibiting the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Tennessee Schools, an activist group’s complaint against the Williamson County Schools was tossed out by the head of the Tennessee Department of Education (DOE).
A letter signed by Robin E. Steenman, Chairman of the Williamson County chapter of Moms for Liberty and addressed to DOE Commissioner Dr. Penny Schwinn accuses the school district of teaching the tenets of CRT to seven and eight-year-olds, in violation of the new law.
Specifically, it cites texts, including “Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington,” by Frances Ruffin, “Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story,” by Ruby Bridges, “The Story of Ruby Bridges” by Robert Coles, and “Separate is Never Equal” by Duncan Tonatiuh.
It also cites the teacher’s manuals that go along with those texts.
“The classroom books and teacher manuals reveal both explicit and implicit Anti-American, Anti-White, and Anti-Mexican teaching,” the letter says. “Additionally, it implies to second grade children that people of color continue to be oppressed by an oppressive ‘angry, vicious, scary, mean, loud violent [rude] and [hateful] white population’ and teaches that the racial injustice of the 1960’s exists today.”
“The relentless nature of how these divisive stories are taught, the lack of historical context and difference in perspective, and the manipulative pedagogy all work together to amplify and sow feelings of resentment, shame of one’s skin color, and/or fear,” it continues.
The lesson plan for that material, which Steenman calls “very dark and divisive slivers of American history,” lasts nine weeks, according to the letter. She also says there is a “narrow and slanted obsession on historical mistakes” which “reveals a heavily biased agenda, one that makes children hate their country, each other, and/or themselves.”
Steenman also noted that the teacher’s manual for this material, which is 478 pages, uses the word “injustice” 314 times.
Alas, her complaint fell on deaf ears, but not for lack of merit.
Rather, the DOE reportedly said that complaints are not allowed to be filed retrospectively from before the anti-CRT law was passed.
Since the material referenced by Steenman was taught in the 2020-2021 school year, it cannot be subject to review by the DOE.
“Please note that in declining to investigate these claims, the department has not made a determination regarding the merits of these allegations. We encourage you to work with the Williamson County School District to resolve the issues and concerns related to your complaint and ensure compliance with state law,” a response letter from the DOE to Steenman said.
Read the 11-page June letter here:
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Moms for Liberty tee” by Moms for Liberty.
The best way to deal with these public school Nazi’s is to pull your children from the schools.
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It is not MLK or the “I have a dream speech” they are objecting to. Conservatives frequently reference MLK and the speech because they are so glaringly at odds with CRT.
It is the teaching materials and lectures being used to teach them in Williamson County Schools they are opposed to.
LOL…Wow I’m so happy to be adding my opinion to these lovely comments…I sure do agree..I really hope that they BAN teaching Martin Luther King Jr from schools!…How dare they teach about a man who was a pastor and fought for his civil liberties. He shouldve just continued alloying white people to sick dogs on him, discriminate, and imprison his friends and family for being black!…I mean Martin Luther King Jr was such a terrible person that he wrote a speech called “I HAVE A DREAM”..where he spoke about people of all COLORS..BEING EQUAL..CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!!!!!!!..WHY WOULD ANYONE THINK HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE EQUAL?!…My god this CRT is so bigoted, racist, and factually incorrect!
What Nola wrote is true. Photos in the book about Dr. King from the 1963 Birmingham AL riots were used to teach 7 year olds that White people are evil racists who want to harm Black people.
Charlie, you are confused. Dr. King’s message is great. What the Radical Haters want to teach us Ibram X. Kendi’s Raciat ideas, which are the opposite of Dr. King’s message. Do some research.
CRT is bigoted, racist and factually incorrect theory. Why is the ultimate, politically correct bureaucrat Penny Schwinn still in charge of our Tennessee school system? Why, Bill Lee? A man I don’t honor enough to call Governor.
WW – I will restrain from repeating your very accurate commentary. Lee shoed his true colors when he appointed Schwinn. Now he does not have the guts to fire her. The whole idea of making Schwinn the decision maker on this despicable garbage would be ridiculous if it were not so harmful to our school children.
WilCo has been infected by California liberals
Thank you Mom’s for Liberty, Williamson Families and Robin Steenman.
Of course the new law was ignored. This RINO of a Governor handpicked that extreme liberal nutjob, Penny Schwinn.
Sure hope Lee has an opponent in the next Gubernatorial primary.
Stick with it Mom’s! There’s a growing undercurrent of support for Liberty and The American Way.