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Paso Robles school board votes against critical race theory

August 12, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District board on a 4-3 vote Tuesday adopted a resolution banning the teaching of certain aspects of critical race theory.

In June, Trustee Dorian Baker proposed a resolution banning critical race theory (CRT). Board President Christopher Arend then penned a resolution banning parts of CRT.

As adopted, Arend’s resolution allows critical race theory to be taught in district classrooms, but requires instructors to focus on its flaws. Additionally, the resolution bans teaching ideas including, only white people can be racist; racism is ordinary in society; the founding of the United States was rooted in slavery; and members of a certain race created meritocracy to oppress members of another race.

CRT is based on false assumptions about the United States and is a divisive ideology that assigns racial guilt, according to the resolution.

Even though CRT is not currently taught in Paso Robles public schools, Arend expressed concern about elements of it seeping into the classroom.

Though three trustees took issue with the makeup of the resolution and voted against it, all board members have said they oppose instructors teaching critical race theory. In June, the board delayed voting on the resolution amid disagreements on the matter.

Numerous residents spoke either for or against teaching critical race theory during the June meeting. The district allowed a shorter public comment period during Tuesday’s meeting.

Proponents of the ban referred to CRT as divisive and racist. They voiced concerns that CRT is used to indoctrinate students.

Opponents of the ban argued that CRT shows how racism is rooted in American culture. They have also argued that the attempt to ban CRT is part of a conservative political agenda.


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Up next, book burning and gov controlling narration of history using giant TVs on walls dictating our thoughts and distraction propoganda like crt. Wait, that’s just a book and PasoBama.


-46

Wise decision by the board!


44

Teaching a political orthodoxy like CRT is vulgar at its core and wasteful at best. This theory is pure racism. It creates class conflict which is Marxism pure and simple. If you believe in this cr**, you either are ignorant and blind or a bonafide Progressive waiting to destroy democracy. As Martin Luther King professed, Roblans like many Americans shouldn’t take to this class and race warfare. We believe in the American ideal that we can, with hard work, being good neighbors and building our selves up through education, become whatever we want. This neo-Marxism called CRT, believes in the opposite. Good for Paso.


41

but they haven’t even ever taught that in our public schools… Fact. Sure maybe at a few ivy leagues, but never here. this is sensational fluff…


-44

Great job Paso parents, you got involved and showed the district you are paying attention.


46

Breaking news…sanity gains steam in Paso Robles schools. Is there a prob with teaching kids how to read, do arithmetic, learn some broad based science, & maybe some practical work/trade skills? Must they be subject to our ire, anger, & selfish ideologies? And who are these people who claim to know what’s best for our kids? D.C. wouldn’t necessarily be a bad place for a giant sinkhole….


52

So, I wonder when the Board gets around to banning the teaching of evolution? After all, it’s only a theory, too. It’s a slippery slope. Pretty soon your children’s textbooks will be replaced by Bibles, or whatever books Mr. Arend and his cohorts deem safe. I’m guessing the old southern textbooks that called the Civil War, the War of Northern Aggression will be back in vogue.


-77

Good points. Thanks for the sanity.


-21

Hooray! Clear thinking minds prevail! Would have been nice had they blocked the whole damnable book of lies, but some is better than nothing!


The 3 spineless leftists that voted to retain this divisive and hateful “curriculum”, should be ashamed of their lack of self awareness, and actual history.


40

Well, now I’m really curious about what the “whole damnable book of lies” consists of? What other topics do you think should be blocked from being taught to students?


-19

The board president, Chris Arend, is a very conservative politico and advocate of torture treatment for POWs. During Bush’s wars early years when it became evident the US was violating all known laws and norms concerning treatment of prisoners of war, Chris advocated for torture numerous times. Anyone searching the podcasts on the Congalton show on KVEC will find numerous hits with Arend actually on the show defending our policy of torture. In later years our own Congress condemned those actions.

How this man who defended torture of defenseless prisoners is now in a position to dictate ethics and teachings to our children is classic dumbthink.

I would imagine he is a Q follower to boot.


-63

By torture, are you referring to waterboarding (which our very own soldiers were subject to during survival training)?


29

Waterboarding, which is illegal under the third Geneva Convention of 1929 as well as the United Nations Convention Against Torture, ratified in 1990 by the U.S. Senate, and also meets the definition of torture defined by the International Red Cross.


-2

Interesting. I’m glad you brought this up. Best wishes; keep your thoughts coming our way.


-17
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