It’s Time for Arizona to Join Other States in Banning Critical Race Theory

The indoctrination needs to stop. And thankfully, many parents are fed up.

For quite some time, activists have been trying to force Critical Race Theory or similar programs into government and especially our schools. This movement combines Marxist theories of class conflict within the lens of race. It teaches that some races have been “minoritized” and are considered oppressed while those who are “racially privileged” are called “exploiters.”

These sorts of programs made their way into our public schools because proponents of Critical Race Theory are good at disguising it. They use terms like “social justice,” “diversity,” “inclusion,” and “equity” which seem harmless enough. So, you can see how easy it could be for a busy parent with a mountain of responsibilities to overlook such a curriculum.

But parents around the state of Arizona are starting to catch on. And they’re speaking up.

In 2019, Chandler Unified School District adopted a program called “Deep Equity” (note that keyword). Parents spoke out then, and the program was phased out.

Just a few months ago, Litchfield Elementary School District published an “equity statement” along with a set of “equity goals.” These “goals” were presented at a school board meeting by a “district diversity committee” because someone on the school board must have been using their Critical Race Theory dictionary. But parents and other community members voiced their opposition, and the district agreed to revise these “goals.”

And last month, parents in Scottsdale demanded more transparency from the Scottsdale Unified School District after some parents heard indoctrination from teachers while their kids were in school online at home.

It’s great that parents are speaking up. And they should continue to do so. But multiple states around the country have started to ban Critical Race Theory. And parents should demand that Arizona lawmakers do the same.

Idaho was the first to pass such a law, banning teachers from indoctrinating students with Critical Race Theory. Oklahoma came next when Governor Kevin Stitt signed HB1775 into law. Iowa (HF802), Tennessee (SB0623), Arkansas (SB627), and Texas (HB3979) have also followed suit by banning Critical Race Theory to some degree. (Although Arkansas’s ban is limited to state entities and not public schools.)

And more than a dozen other states have some form of legislation regarding Critical Race Theory pending. Now, it’s time for Arizona to get on board.

The Arizona Senate had passed SB1074 at the end of May. The bill would have prohibited state government entities, including cities and counties, from forcing employees to engage in orientation, training, or therapy that is based on a theory of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity, or gender.

But Governor Ducey vetoed the bill due to the budget stalemate. And while our lawmakers have been working on reforms, they haven’t passed anything that bans Critical Race Theory in our public schools.

That needs to change. Our children are being taught that, by virtue of their race, they are inherently racist whether consciously or unconsciously. They are being taught that their moral character is determined by their race. And they are being taught that by virtue of their race, they bear responsibility for past acts committed by members of the same race.

These are among the many bigoted teachings of Critical Race Theory. It is undoubtedly racist. Other states are doing something about it. And parents are speaking up. Now, Arizona’s lawmakers need to listen and act.

Say NO to Critical Race Theory

Critical Race Theory has no place anywhere in our nation, which was founded on the principle of equal dignity of every person as an individual. It has no place in Arizona, and it certainly does not belong anywhere near our students.

If you want to see Critical Race Theory banned in Arizona, sign the petition now!