Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen (R-MT) is moving to block "critical race theory" in Montana's public school classrooms. Superintendent Arntzen is requesting an Attorney General's opinion on the legality of critical race theory being pushed in the classroom, and is also calling on parents to weigh in on a curriculum proposal coming from the federal government.

Arntzen published her thoughts in a commentary posted at Medium.com:

Our schools should not be teaching debunked theories that twist and distort our history, and fringe philosophies that Americans have consistently rejected.

I have heard from countless families statewide in recent weeks specifically about what one of those fringe ideologies — critical race theory — would mean for Montana, and what it would mean for their children. They are rightfully concerned that this kind of thinking could be coming to their schools’ classrooms, and they want their voices to be heard.

Arntzen also drafted a letter to Attorney General Austin Knudsen requesting a formal legal opinion on the matter. Click here for the full letter.

Critical race theory. What is it? Here's how I see it: it is an attempt to divide Americans along racial lines. It is an attempt to trash America as "systemically racist." It is an attempt to push a racist worldview that your kids are bad (and their parents are bad) simply because of the color of their skin.

The Heritage Foundation has rightly pointed out that critical race theory has no place in K-12 classrooms.

Examples such as these are common in K-12 schools today. When educators treat students differently because of their skin color or say children are guilty of oppression because of their race, it violates existing law. It should go without saying, but such dogma is also dispiriting for all children, white or non-white.

These ideas of oppression and systemic racism come from a Marxist doctrine called “critical theory.”

 

 

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