CLEVELAND — Is the teaching of critical race theory and social justice being injected into White County Schools? A group, Citizens for Transparent Education, says that it is. They met Tuesday night in Cleveland at The Sunflower Restaurant to discuss how they will confront local school officials about it.
A spokesman for the group, James King, says, “Once the citizens of White County realize that critical race theory is not a threat to White County, but is actively in the schools now, they will express their concern.”
Experts in critical race theory say it’s about acknowledging how racial disparities are embedded in U.S history and society. Critics argue it is designed to divide and alienate people and bring about communist rule.
White County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Laurie Burkett says the group’s accusations are not true.
“I’m super proud of our school district, and I’m super proud of our teachers and what we teach, we will always teach the Georgia Standard of Excellence straight from the department of education,” Burkett says. “That is what we teach in our schools, that is what we teach in our classrooms every single day, and we will continue to do this.”
Citizens for Transparent Education points to meetings held over the past year by a group of school officials who were identified as “Warriors for Social Justice.” Dr. Burkett said the group simply met to talk about current events and express their feelings. “It had nothing to do with students or curriculum — it was our teachers just processing what was happening in the world.”
Even so, King says his group has a plan of action, “I intend to present this information to the board directly at the July 27 meeting and, hopefully, they will respond in a way that the parents will find acceptable and reassuring moving forward,” he says.
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