Paso Robles school board planning to ban critical race theory

June 20, 2021

School board President Christopher Arend

By KAREN VELIE

The Paso Robles school district board is scheduled to discuss a resolution banning the teaching of critical race theory at its meeting on June 22. If the board votes to approve the resolution on Tuesday, it will require a second vote on July 13.

Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Trustee Dorian Baker proposed the ban last week. Baker’s suggestion follows the board’s April approval of an ethnic studies course under an agreement the course would not include critical race theory (CRT) or the degradation of American leaders, such as George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, based on slavery.

CRT seeks to show racism is embedded in our society, and not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice. Proponents of CRT contend single-family zoning laws and promotion of the nuclear family promote systemic racism.

Critics of CRT charge that it promotes intolerance and unrest by dividing people into either oppressor or oppressed groups, of which only white people can be racist.

School Board President Christopher Arend authored the resolution which challenges the fundamental assumptions of CRT and bans its teachings.

“Critical race theory is a divisive ideology that assigns moral fault to individuals solely on the basis of an individual’s race and, therefore, is itself a racist ideology,” according to the Paso Robles school board’s proposed resolution. “Critical race theory views social problems primarily as racial problems and, thus, detracts from analysis of underlying socio-economic causes of social problems.”

If the school board votes to approve the resolution, teachers will be banned from teaching the following concepts:

  • Only individuals classified as “white” can be racist because only “white” people control society and ethnic minorities cannot be racist because they do not control society.
  • An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist and/or sexist, whether consciously or unconsciously.
  • Individuals are either a member of the oppressor class or the oppressed class because of race or sex.
  • An individual is inherently morally or otherwise superior to another individual because of race or sex.
  • An individual should be discriminated against based on their race or sex, or receive favorable treatment because of their race or sex.
  • An individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past or present by other members of the same race or sex.
  • The preservation of slavery was a material motive for our forefathers seeking independence from England.

While barring promotion of CRT ideologies, the resolution allows teachers to provide instruction that “focuses on the flaws in critical race theory.”


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As a nation we’ve tried hard to be race neutral but God knows some folks have kept the victim narrative going. Now the push to make one race the perp and others the permanent victims. What this boils down to is a cover for cultural failure. Children raised in broken homes without fathers produces failure. Fix that and you fix all the rest. CRT is evil.


Republicans’ frenzy about teaching the history of racism in schools is nothing more than a cynical political strategy to take back the House in the 2022 midterms. It’s being driven by right-wing advocacy groups like the Heritage Foundation and ALEC, the right-wing media ecosystem, and a host of former Trump officials. It is by no means a grassroots movement of “concerned parents” as Republicans are claiming.


The Heritage Foundation has circulated memos outlining how parents can use Freedom of Information Act requests to harass school boards with inquiries about what’s being taught in classrooms. Fox News mentioned the term “critical race theory” nearly 1,300 times over a three-and-a-half month span, driving a nonstop outrage cycle and hiding the true nature of the GOP’s ploy. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former top advisor, said that the focus on teaching the history of racism in schools is “the Tea Party to the 10th power” and that he sees the issue as “how we are going to win…50 seats in 2022.”


This isn’t grassroots activism — it’s a coordinated strategy from the top down. Know the truth about Republicans’ cynical ploy, and spread the word.


In this week’s issue the New Times Shredder discusses CRT very clearly and wisely.


Democracy as it should be, citizens let their elected representatives know how they feel and the representatives rule accordingly. Another great day in America.


How dare those rednecks show up and sound off! They just need to shut up, pay their taxes, and let the “experts” decide what’s best.


Why are all the racist people afraid of democracy? Are they afraid of the democratic voting system they created?