NH bill takes aim at professors peddling CRT in classroom
If passed, the bill will prevent professors from 'teaching that any one group of people is inherently superior, racist, sexist or oppressive.'
The bill is similar to current proposed legislation in Florida and South Dakota that would ban teaching Critical Race Theory in public schools.
A new bill in New Hampshire may make it harder for college professors to spout their personal politics in the classroom or indoctrinate students with tenants of Critical Race Theory (CRT).
The proposed legislation, HB1313, would apply the state’s current “Right to Freedom from Discrimination in Public Workplaces and Education” law to higher education.
If passed, HB1313 will prevent professors from “teaching that any one group of people is inherently superior, racist, sexist or oppressive,” the Concord Monitor reported.
That language mirrors current bills in Florida and South Dakota that would ban teaching Critical Race Theory in those states’ public schools.
In South Dakota, the proposed bill would ban teaching that any “race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.”
[RELATED: New Hampshire universities defend their ability to teach Critical Race Theory]
On Jan. 11, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rick Ladd, said during a House Education Committee hearing that the personal beliefs of a professor do not belong in the classroom.
Ladd stated, “Any instruction promoting that racism is alive and well in New Hampshire does not reflect post-secondary education in our state, nor does it accurately portray our residents, particularly those who have been here for generations.”
”Nor does it address the fact that we have invested efforts to attract more individuals and families to New Hampshire, increasing diversity by nearly 75% in the decade,” the lawmaker continued.
Ladd has also addressed Critical Race Theory directly when discussing his bill.
“Advocating CRT is discriminatory and does not reflect New Hampshire’s way of life, and certainly doesn’t align with Dr. [Martin Luther] King’s vision,” Ladd told the Concord Monitor. “In fact, it does the opposite, pitting people against each other.”
Ky Urban, a student attending Southern New Hampshire University, believes this bill, if passed, may uphold free speech and prevent professors from causing racial division.
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“From what I’m seeing and hearing, [the bill] allows the freedom of speech and prevents discrimination of all races and prevents teaching that one group of people is superior to others,” Urban told Campus Reform.
“It can and might give a better understanding about certain topics overall,” Urban added.
To conclude, Urban asserted that he agrees the bill was proposed with good intentions.
“I agree that this can help prevent racism and discrimination of teaching overall and would be protected under the First Amendment.”
Campus Reform reached out to Rep. Ladd for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.
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