State Schools Head Says No Critical Race Theory Here; House Passes Bill To Keep It That Way

On Aug. 10, State Superintendent Michael Rice said that critical race theory is not a curriculum taught in Michigan classrooms.

On Nov. 3, the Michigan House passed House Bill 5097, which would ban teaching critical race theory in Michigan public schools. The bill does not use that term. It did, however, call for banning “race or gender stereotyping” that includes the following “general or particular statements”:

• That all individuals comprising a racial or ethnic group or gender hold a collective quality or belief
• That individuals act in certain ways or hold certain opinions because of their race or gender
• That individuals are born racist or sexist by accident of their race or gender
• That individuals bear collective guilt for historical wrongs committed by their race or gender
• That cultural norms or practices of a racial or ethnic group or gender are flawed and must be eliminated or changed to conform with those of another racial or ethnic group or gender
• That racism is inherent in individuals from a particular race or ethnic group or that sexism is inherent in individuals from a particular gender
• That a racial or ethnic group or gender is in need of deconstruction, elimination, or criticism
• That the actions of individuals serve as an indictment against the race or gender of those individuals

The bill passed 55-0, and all 52 Democrats refrained from voting. There is no word yet as to whether the Michigan Senate will take up the bill.