MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) – Heated words were exchanged at Thursday’s state school board hearing as members voted to include a ban on critical race theory as a permanent part of the state’s code.
An emergency resolution passed in August instituted the ban, which, after a 7-2 vote, will now stand in the state’s code, despite what opponents against it had to say.
Civil Rights activist Faya Rose Touré’ spoke out against the ban during the meeting, raising her voice and standing up in protest as the final vote was made. Gov. Kay Ivey, who chaired the meeting, told Touré she was out of order, and the activist responded: “And you will go down in history as a traitor to children of all races.”
Board member Tonya Chestnut, who represents District 5 and voted against the measure, said the outcome of the vote disappointed her.
”It saddens me that we’re at this point in 2021, and we have not progressed to the point that we cannot talk about things that may appear to be uncomfortable,” Chestnut told fellow board members.
But State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey said the measure only prevents a teacher from teaching that one race or sex is superior to another and does allow for discussion and debate in the classroom.
However, Mackey did acknowledge that despite the rule change, the state never received a single complaint about a critical race theory being taught by a teacher.