Alabama House committee scheduled to consider critical race theory bill

Originally Published on Montgomery Advertiser

A House committee Wednesday should consider legislation banning teachers and public officials from directing people to “adopt or believe” what the legislation calls “divisive concepts,” such as the centrality of racism in American history.

HB 312, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, is the descendant of bills filed earlier this year that explicitly attacked critical race theory, a target of conservatives that Alabama educators say is not taught in the state’s K-12 schools.

Oliver’s bill would also prohibit public colleges and universities from compelling students “to assent to the (divisive) concept.”

The legislator said Monday he did not want the legislation to ban the teaching of difficult subjects in the nation’s history. His goal, he said, was curbing what he saw as potential political activity from teachers.

“There are a lot of smart teachers who know how to teach,” he said. “We’re trying to put a little curb on activism from some teachers…