House OKs anti-critical race theory bill banning ‘racially divisive’ curriculum

Originally Published on AZMirror.com

Arizona Republican lawmakers are seeking to ban so-called “critical race theory” education in Arizona schools after the state Supreme Court last year struck down a law barring such education because it was unconstitutionally added to the state’s annual budget.

Schools could be fined and teachers could lose their certification for teaching that people inherently bear blame or responsibility for something based on their race, ethnicity or gender under legislation that received preliminary approval Thursday from the Arizona House of Representatives. 

House Bill 2112 prohibits instruction in public schools that “presents any form of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex.” Schools would be barred from teaching that any person, by virtue of those factors, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, “whether consciously or unconsciously,” or that a person bears responsibility for actions committed by other members of their racial or ethnic group, or gender. And it would make it illegal for K-12 schools to teach that students should feel “discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress” because of those things. 

The House of Representatives approved the bill 31-28 on a party-line vote. It now goes to the Senate…