The lawsuit is in response to a law that prohibits the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 classrooms. The TEA argues that the law is "unconstitutionally vague" and interferes with educators' ability to provide a "fact-based" education.
The law in question was signed by Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in 2021. It bans K-12 educators from teaching certain principles associated with CRT, including the idea that the United States is fundamentally racist, that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, and that a person is inherently privileged or oppressed based on their race. The TEA and five state teachers claim that the law hampers their ability to provide a well-rounded education.
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Tanya Coats, President of the TEA, expressed concern over the law's impact on teachers' ability to provide a fact-based education. She stated, "There is no group of individuals more passionate and committed to ensuring Tennessee students receive a high-quality education than public school educators."
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CRT posits that America is fundamentally racist and teaches students to view every social interaction and person through the lens of race. Its proponents advocate for "antiracism" by rejecting the concepts of merit, objective truth, and advocating for race-based policies.
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The Tennessee law specifically prohibits teaching that meritocracy is inherently racist and that individuals should feel "discomfort, guilt, [or] anguish" because of another person's race. It also prohibits teachers from promoting the violent overthrow of the U.S. government.
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The lawsuit argues that the state law fails to provide teachers with clear guidance on what lessons and teachings are prohibited. The TEA claims that the state's curriculum and teaching standards, particularly the ban on CRT, violate the law, creating confusion about what can be taught.
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The controversy surrounding the teaching of race and equity issues in schools has intensified in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents, lawmakers, and school boards have been engaged in heated debates on how these topics should be addressed. In Missouri, a conservative school board recently revoked an anti-racism policy that had been implemented in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. Similarly, a California school board banned CRT in December 2022, coinciding with the swearing-in of three new conservative members.
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Governor Lee, prior to signing the bill, emphasized the importance of teaching students about the progress of the nation and fostering unity.
He stated, "We need to make sure that our kids recognize that this country is moving toward a more perfect union, that we should teach the exceptionalism of our nation and how people can live together and work together to make a greater nation, and to not teach things that inherently divide or pit either Americans against Americans or people groups against people groups."
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