Rep. Bob Good, Virginia Republican, introduced a bill on Thursday barring federal funding from going to schools that teach critical theory.
But reflecting the emotion around the left’s academic theory that America is defined by systemic racism, about a dozen passers-by tried to shout down Mr. Good as he and several supporters of the proposal held a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol.
The protesters at times drowned out the speakers as they chanted “Shame,” “Black Lives Matter” and mocked Mr. Good for invoking Martin Luther King Jr. in calling for a color-blind classroom education.
Critical race theory, developed by Marxist-influenced academics, teaches that while individual White people may not be intentionally racist, systemic racism continues to exist throughout American institutions to Black detriment and White advantage.
The idea has been decried by conservatives and some parents for creating divisiveness by teaching children that the nation’s founding is rooted in racism and that White people are inherently privileged.
In June. a large group of parents protesting the teaching of the theory to their children forced the Loudoun County Public Schools board to cut short a public meeting.
“In our public schools, telling children they are racist or oppressed is dishonest. It’s divisive and dangerous,” Mr. Good said, as one Black protester accused him of trying to prevent the teaching of her people’s history.
But Mr. Good said that critical race theory “denies that this is literally the most racially welcoming nation in the history of the world — that has provided more opportunity for people of all different races, ethnicities and nationalities than any nation in history.”
“Parents don’t want their children defined by their race. They don’t want their children limited by racial terms. They don’t want their children to judge one another, based on their skin color,” he added.
Mr. Good’s measure, however, has virtually no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Congress.
Rep. Dan Bishop, North Carolina Republican, pointed to the protesters trying to shout him down as an example of critical race theory in action.
“The hecklers’ veto exercise today is a very nice example of the ways critical race theory seeks to strip children of the right of students to an education,” he said.
• Kery Murakami can be reached at kmurakami@washingtontimes.com.
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