With Senate Bill 1532, students in Arizona will still be taught the highly destructive and far left ideas of “social justice” and Critical Race Theory. Individuals and organizations who are telling parents that this Bill will prohibit these ideas from being in the classroom are either purposely misleading their followers and fans, have not read the Bill, or most likely are not qualified to be discussing issues on educating the next generation of Americans. While it may prohibit one or two features, the most destructive aspects of CRT are not banned by this Bill. Radical leftist teachers may use this Bill to argue that CRT is “essential” and is necessary to fulfill the requirement for “contending perspectives” in the classroom. The language used to describe CRT is often inaccurate and does not reflect the theory, further allowing teachers to find their way around this Bill. It also must be noted that this Bill does not apply to private schools, or educational organizations and institutions that are not publicly funded. 

For perspective: if you were told that you were prohibited from teaching about America’s virtues, values, and capitalism, for example, wouldn’t you be able to find a way around it?

*In the following chart, we write from the perspective of an educator determined to teach CRT. The arguments made in response to the Bill do not reflect the ideas or perspective of The Locke Society. 

TEXT FROM THE BILL (bolded sections emphasized for the purpose of this article) FAILURE EXPLAINED
A. A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL OR STATE AGENCY MAY NOT REQUIRE A TEACHER, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OR A VISITOR TO DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OF PUBLIC POLICY OR SOCIAL AFFAIRS THAT ARE NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES. ACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF HISTORICAL EVENTS, LESSONS ON RECOGNIZING AND REPORTING ABUSE AND SEX EDUCATION ARE NOT CONTROVERSIAL FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.  (1) The teaching of CRT cannot be required of teachers, but they are not prohibited from teaching CRT and can do so as they choose.

(2) How is racism a controversial issue? Shouldn’t we all be against racism? How do we define what is and is not a controversial topic?

(3) What is defined as essential? One may argue that given current events, the teaching of CRT/SJ is essential to end violence and injustice. Also, if this qualifies the teaching of CRT as essential, then all other points of this Bill are nullified. 

(4) Who declares what is and is not an accurate portrayal of an historical event? There are accurate facts in the 1619 Project. 

(5) Abuse cited as not controversial; therefore, we may teach about abuse of people, power, and systems. 

B. IF A TEACHER CHOOSES TO DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OF PUBLIC POLICY OR SOCIAL AFFAIRS, THE TEACHER, TO THE BEST OF THE TEACHER’S ABILITY, SHALL PRESENT THESE ISSUES FROM DIVERSE AND CONTENDING PERSPECTIVES WITHOUT GIVING DEFERENCE TO ANY ONE PERSPECTIVE.  (1) Teachers may choose to discuss controversial issues; they are neither required to nor prohibited from doing so. 

(2) Teachers will pledge that to the best of their ability they have presented contending perspectives, which may require CRT to be included in a discussion as it is a contending perspective. It is much easier to include the radical left’s perspective as it is ingrained in all age-appropriate educational resources that meet current standards, but it is a severe challenge to find competing resources due to the lack of age-appropriate educational resources that meet current standards from the perspective of the right. 

C. A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL OR STATE AGENCY MAY NOT ALLOW A TEACHER OR EMPLOYEE TO REQUIRE OR MAKE PART OF A COURSE STUDENT WORK FOR OR IN AFFILIATION WITH OR SERVICE LEARNING THAT INVOLVES THE STUDENT BEING ENGAGED IN LOBBYING FOR LEGISLATION AT THE LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL OR IN SOCIAL OR PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY. THIS PROHIBITION DOES NOT APPLY TO EXTRA CREDIT WORK OR ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR AN INTERNSHIP OR WORK EXPERIENCE. ANY CREDIT AWARDED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOT BE INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY BY THE PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE CHOSEN BY THE STUDENT (1) Teachers cannot require lobbying, but may strongly recommend it for extra credit. 

(2) Teachers may provide a list of public policies for which students may want to advocate. This list can include legislation for BLM, Green New Deal, gun control, free college, abortion, etc. 

(3) The student may choose the issue, but are they only allowed to choose from a pre-approved list? Can students add their own policy for which to advocate? If so, does it need approval and who is responsible for approving it?

D. A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL OR STATE AGENCY MAY NOT REQUIRE A TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR OR OTHER EMPLOYEE OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL TO ENGAGE IN TRAINING, ORIENTATION OR THERAPY THAT PRESENTS ANY FORM OF BLAME OR JUDGMENT ON THE BASIS OF RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX. THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT PRECLUDE ANY TRAINING ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT. (1) Training or intervention regarding CRT cannot be required, but may be encouraged. 

(2) Teachers need to accumulate professional development hours for the maintenance of certification; administrators or colleagues may advertise optional professional development for teachers to choose to attend. 

(3) While this section prevents mandatory trainings as such explicitly described, it does not mean that CRT will not be present in other trainings teachers attend as it often sneaks its way in through the administrators or attendees who may find it relevant to the discussion to bring up CRT, even if the workshop is about writing introductory paragraphs. 

(4) Nearly all organizations that provide professional development have adopted CRT/SJ in their materials. This includes all organizations promoted by the national councils of core subjects (i.e. NCSS, NCTE)

E. A TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR OR OTHER EMPLOYEE OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL OR STATE AGENCY MAY NOT REQUIRE INSTRUCTION IN OR MAKE PART OF A COURSE THE FOLLOWING CONCEPTS: 

1. ONE RACE, ETHNIC GROUP OR SEX IS INHERENTLY MORALLY OR INTELLECTUALLY SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER RACE, ETHNIC GROUP OR SEX.

2. AN INDIVIDUAL, BY VIRTUE OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX, IS INHERENTLY RACIST, SEXIST OR OPPRESSIVE, WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY. 

3. AN INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE INVIDIOUSLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST OR RECEIVE ADVERSE TREATMENT SOLELY OR PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX. 4. AN INDIVIDUAL’S MORAL CHARACTER IS DETERMINED BY THE INDIVIDUAL’S RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX. 

5. AN INDIVIDUAL, BY VIRTUE OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX, BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONS COMMITTED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SAME RACE, ETHNIC GROUP OR SEX. 

6. AN INDIVIDUAL SHOULD FEEL DISCOMFORT, GUILT, ANGUISH OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEX. 7. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, MERITOCRACY OR TRAITS SUCH AS A HARD WORK ETHIC ARE RACIST OR SEXIST OR WERE CREATED BY MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR RACE, ETHNIC GROUP OR SEX TO OPPRESS MEMBERS OF ANOTHER RACE, ETHNIC GROUP OR SEX.

(1) The teaching of CRT cannot be required of teachers, but they are not prohibited from teaching CRT and can do so as they choose. 

(2) No one teaches point 1. CRT teaches that society treats people better based on their race, ethnic group, or sex, but not that one actuallly is inherently better. 

(3) Point 2 appears in CRT/SJ curricula and this will prohibit that, but teachers will still make that point that it is the responsibility of white people today to change society. 

(4) Point 3 is another point that no one teaches. No one argues that individuals should be discriminated against, but society discriminates against them, and that needs to change. 

(5) Point 5 addresses that individuals may not “bear responsibility for actions committed by other members of the same race, ethic group, or sex.” Teachers do not teach that people have taken part in these actions, and are therefore responsible for injustices of the past, but that they have the responsibility to ensure injustice is stifled today. 

(6) Point 6 will prohibit the use of EmbraceRace, but not other educational resources that do not force one to feel guilty. Again, it is not the individual’s fault, but it is society that has brought on the injustices. 

(7) As for point 7, meritocracy does not exist due to systemic racism. 

H. FOR EACH VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, THE COURT MAY IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED $5,000 PER PERSON PLUS ANY AMOUNT OF MISUSED MONIES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL OR STATE AGENCY BUDGET AGAINST A PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES OR WHO KNOWINGLY AIDS ANOTHER PERSON IN VIOLATING THIS SECTION. THE PERSON DETERMINED TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL CIVIL PENALTIES AND MISUSED MONIES. IF A CURRICULUM IS ADOPTED THAT VIOLATES THIS SECTION, ANY PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADOPTING THE CURRICULUM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL CIVIL PENALTIES AND MISUSED MONIES. SCHOOL DISTRICT MONIES OR INSURANCE PAYMENTS MAY NOT BE USED TO PAY THESE CIVIL PENALTIES OR MISUSED MONIES.  (1) Teachers well believe that the 1619 Project is a fact as it has been promoted by reputable sources including the Smithsonian Institute, Pulitzer Center, the National Council for the Social Studies, etc. Therefore, they would not “knowingly” be teaching “false” history. 

(2) Teachers may share resources for lesson planning from reputable educational organizations including iCivics, Facing History, SHEG Reading Like a Historian, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Council for the Social Studies, etc. They may not “knowingly” be aiding a colleague in spreading CRT content. 

(3) How is curriculum defined? Is it curriculum adopted by the district alone? Is it a department’s curriculum outline? Is it a teacher’s personal curriculum map? Does “curriculum” include one lesson from an organization such as the Zinn Education Project, but not the entire Zinn Education Project curriculum? 

 

The only true solution to the problems we face is to inspire freedom loving Americans to enter the educational field, and create educational content teachers can use in the classroom. The Locke Society is the only organization whose goals can address these issues. While other organizations and their members are becoming millionaires complaining about the situation, we are determined to do something about it. Visit our website to learn more about us and how you can support The Locke Society at https://lockesociety.org/home/about-us/