Robinson, Berger raise concerns about Critical Race Theory in N.C. schools

By Donna King
The Carolina Journal

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Senate leader Phil Berger are highlighting concerns about the role of Critical Race Theory in another large N.C. public school system.

The two leading Republican elected officials issued a news release Friday questioning a recent vote from the Durham City Council. A unanimous council endorsed a resolution supporting the use of Critical Race Theory in public schools.

The news release from Robinson and Berger arrives two days after they raised questions about CRT in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

"The Durham City Council calls upon our state and federal representatives to ... work to ensure black history and critical race theory is included in our students’ public school education," according to the resolution's text.

"I'm not aware of anybody who objects to teaching about our country's racial history, but that's not all that adherents of this dangerous doctrine advocate," said Berger, R-Rockingham, in the release. "They teach that 'present discrimination' is necessary, and that a 'postracial' society is 'the most sophisticated racist idea ever produced.' These are extreme and dangerous concepts."

"The notion that a postracial society is in fact racist is at odds with the idea that people will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," Berger added.

Robinson also addressed the Durham City Council vote. "The dark parts of our history should be taught in schools, but it should be taught along with how we overcame those things like slavery and Jim Crow," the lieutenant governor said. "Now we see one of the larger school districts in our state pushing for a resolution to include Critical Race Theory in North Carolina’s education. CRT is not about equality; CRT is about teaching students that because of the color of your skin you are either oppressed or an oppressor. Pushing students towards this ideology will lead us to a divided and wrongful future."

Robinson and Berger focused attention earlier this week on the Charlotte school system paying $25,000 for a virtual presentation from a leading CRT proponent: Ibram X. Kendi.

"Kendi advocates for racial discrimination," according to the latest release from Robinson and Berger. "He wrote, 'The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.'"

"This is not some footnote to a school curriculum's consideration of America's racial past," the news release continues. "This is one of the state's largest school districts embracing a discriminatory ideology that, at its core, classifies children (and all of society) according to race."