Gov. Kristi Noem signs Critical Race Theory bill into law

Originally Published on Keloland.com

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Universities and colleges under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents will no longer be able to require students to attend orientations and training that are based on what Governor Kristi Noem defines as Critical Race Theory.

HB 1012 was signed into law on Monday along with several other education bills. The bill was initially meant to ban divisive concepts from being taught in the classroom and no state money could be used for actions that would be prohibited by the passage of the bill. But the bill that was signed into law was heavily amended to only apply to orientation and training from colleges and universities.

This law does not prohibit professors in higher education from teaching such concepts in academic instruction, answering questions about divisive concepts in orientation and training, nor does it violate the First Amendment or academic freedom and intellectual diversity.

“No student or teacher should have to endorse Critical Race Theory in order to attend, graduate from, or teach at our public universities,” said Governor Noem in a statement. “College should remain a place where freedom of thought and expression are encouraged, not stifled by political agendas.”

Throughout the legislative session, the governor’s office provided one example of a university professor in South Dakota who they claimed taught Critical Race Theory. KELOLAND News spoke with Dr. Dyanis Conrad-Popova about her curriculum, which does not include Critical Race Theory, according to the University of South Dakota professor…