Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
A Republican-sponsored bill introduced in the North Carolina Senate would bar diversity and equity policies in public schools.
Senate Bill 227, sponsored by chamber Leader Phil Berger, and GOP colleagues Michael Lee and Brad Overcash filed Senate Bill 227, would limit schools to core curriculum. S.B. 227, or “Eliminating ‘DEI’ in Public Education,” would prohibit the promotion of what the sponsors contend are divisive identity-based topics and concepts in K-12 schools like racial discrimination and LGBTQ rights.
“We cannot teach our nation’s history without acknowledging our past,” Berger (R-Rockingham) said in a statement. “But we can teach history without forcing our educators and students to embrace and adopt ideologies inconsistent with equality.”
S.B. 227 is the latest Republican initiative to remove diversity programs in public schools, a drive that’s gaining steam nationwide. In North Carolina, state-supported colleges have been stripped of funding for DEI support programs and departments. S.B. 227 supporters contend the bill will narrow schools’ focus to core curriculum and encourage respect for and acknowledgment of people with differing opinions.
The bill would remove what the sponsors maintain are divisive concepts and discriminatory practices from public classrooms. S.B. 227 defines 12 concepts as divisive, mostly along the lines of race or sex. Among them are:
- Teaching the inherent superiority of one race or sex;
- Individuals are inherently racist or oppressive because of their race or sex;
- Discrimination against a group of people due to race or sex and
- Moral character is determined by race or sex.
“We want our educators to be equipped to teach our children in an environment that encourages students to speak freely and ask questions without judgment,” Lee (R-New Hanover) said. “This bill removes divisive concepts and discriminatory practices from all aspects of public education and ensures our schools can focus on teaching our children, not indoctrinating them.”
The bill also bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or initiatives.
“Parents of public school students, like myself, want their children to graduate prepared to follow their dreams and find gainful employment,” Overcash (R-Gaston), said. “Senate Bill 227 sends a strong message to public school families that their schools will be committed to educational excellence and success.”
