State agencies in Arkansas spend money on teaching and training employees and sometimes for training of contractors or other groups. Sometimes the expenditures for training programs are considerable.
Do you want our state agencies to teach that one race is inferior or to teach one race is to blame for all this country’s ills? While such a teaching might sound like something from KKK segregationists or something NAZI Germany would have directed at Jewish people, this teaching is an increasingly popular subject being pushed by the radical left. They want to blame white people for everything and to condemn our government structure as being inherently racist, instead of being the basis for equality. These racist teachings are hyped by the left as being anti-racist and sometimes goes under the name Critical Race Theory.
Act 1100 (SB627), sponsored by Senator Trent Garner, prohibits such racist teachings by state agencies and further prohibits blaming or condemning one sex. The new law applies to listed state agencies, it does not cover schools, colleges, constitutional officers, or law enforcement training. Why was the bill limited to the listed state agencies? Possibly to pass what was attainable and build on it. (We will address public schools in a future article.)
Once the bill was passed by both the Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives it was then transmitted to Governor Asa Hutchinson. When a bill reaches his desk, he has three choices – sign the bill, veto the bill, or let it sit on his desk without his signature for days until the bill automatically becomes law.
Governor Hutchinson did not sign the legislation, instead he let it sit on his desk until it became law without his support.
Why didn’t the Governor support the bill with his signature? He said, “it addresses a problem that does not exist.” Really? It is a problem in other states, but he would prefer to wait until this issue has becomes a major problem here before addressing the situation?
By claiming it is not a problem yet, Governor Hutchinson took no responsibility for the legislation and avoided offending the radical left.
Two days after Act1100 became law without Governor Hutchinson’s signature. Governor Jay Inslee of the state of Washington signed legislation, which requires Critical Race Theory (CRT) training for all school staff, board directors, teachers, and administrators in public schools in the state of Washington.
Critics of Act1100 and similar laws in other states claim conservatives are trying to prevent teaching about racism. Uh. No! Read the list of what is prohibited in the new law and you will see it is not preventing teaching about racism. It is prohibiting teaching people to be racist or sexist.
Here is the list of what divisive concepts the new law prohibits from being taught by the listed state agencies.
(A) One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;
(B) The state of Arkansas or the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist;
(C) An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
(D) An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex;
(E) An individual’s moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex;
(F) An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;
(G) Any individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex;
(H) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a particular race to oppress another race; or
(I) The term “divisive concept” includes any other form of race or sex stereotyping or any other form of race or sex scapegoating; (“Race or sex stereotyping” means ascribing character traits, values, moral and ethical codes, privileges, status, or beliefs to a race or sex, or to an individual because of his or her race or sex. “Race or sex scapegoating” means assigning fault, blame, or bias to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex.)
Do you really want any of those things taught by state agencies to their employees, contractors, and other groups?
Use this link if you want to read the full text of Act 1100 of 2021. Use these links if you want to see how your state Senator and state Representative voted on the legislation.
