On Wednesday, Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a nondiscrimination bill into law, preventing worldviews such as Critical Race Theory from being taught in public schools.
The legislation, House Bill 377, forbids public schools and universities from teaching that "any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior." It also bars teaching that "individuals, by virtue of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin, are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin."
According to The Christian Post, Idaho lawmakers noted that these ideas are "often found in 'critical race theory,'" and they "exacerbate and inflame divisions on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, or other criteria in ways contrary to the unity of the nation and the well-being of the state of Idaho and its citizens."
In the bill's transmittal letter sent to Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke, Gov. Little contended that "the claim that there is widespread, systemic indoctrination occurring in Idaho classrooms is a serious allegation."
"Most worryingly, it undermines popular support for public education in Idaho," he continued.
Christopher F. Rufo, a director at the Discovery Institute, praised the bill's signing, calling it a "historic win".
"Idaho becomes the first state in the nation to ban critical race theory indoctrination in public schools," he tweeted. "Governor Brad Little signed the bill into law, which will prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and neo-segregation. A historic win!"
VICTORY: Idaho becomes the first state in the nation to ban critical race theory indoctrination in public schools. Governor Brad Little signed the bill into law, which will prohibit schools from promoting race essentialism, collective guilt, and neo-segregation. A historic win! pic.twitter.com/Df4f3SiFg2
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) April 29, 2021
Meanwhile, Layne McInelly, the president of the Idaho Education Association, issued a statement to CNN arguing that the bill addresses a non-existent problem.
"The passage of HB 377 and the accompanying insinuations about Idaho teachers are very disappointing," she said. "This is a 'monster under the bed' problem brought about by a false and misleading narrative that some legislators have willfully conflated. They aim to diminish the public's trust in our teachers and schools, just to come back next year and push to privatize education."
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Thomas Barwick
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
