Two critical race theory bills survive first week in Wyoming Legislature

Originally Published on KPVI NBC6

Two of three critical race theory bills survived their first week in the Wyoming Legislature.

One measure more overtly seeks to bar the theory from being taught in school. The second requires school districts to publish their educational materials online.

A third, which contained an outright ban on critical race theory, did not survive introduction in the House.

Critical race theory is an academic framework for examining how racism has historically been endemic in U.S. institutions and society. Keeping it out of schools has become a right-wing focus in the past year.

It is not currently taught in Wyoming classrooms.

The main critical race theory bill left in the Wyoming Legislature cleared its latest hurdle Friday, but only after all references to “critical race theory” and “critical theory” were removed — except for the title. The bill is still called, “Education-limitations on teaching critical race history.”

Senate File 103 passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously. It will move on to be debated on the Senate floor next.

Debate in committee went on for over an hour and a half.

The bill drew criticism from the Wyoming Education Association and the Wyoming School Board Association.

The education association has questioned the legality of the bill and argued that schools should not shy away from difficult subjects.

Before the bill was amended, the School Board Association harped on the vague language of the draft….