Education board will weigh rules prohibiting 'inherently divisive concepts' in schools

Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·2 min read
Gov. Kristi Noem has been instrumental in bringing the national political discourse regarding critical race theory to South Dakota. Her office spearheaded legislative efforts and put forth an executive order banning CRT and “inherently divisive concepts” from state K-12 curricula.
Gov. Kristi Noem has been instrumental in bringing the national political discourse regarding critical race theory to South Dakota. Her office spearheaded legislative efforts and put forth an executive order banning CRT and “inherently divisive concepts” from state K-12 curricula.

The Board of Education Standards could adopt new administrative rules banning the use of “inherently divisive concepts” in academic content standards during its next meeting.

That’s according to the latest Register published by the Legislative Research Council. Adopting these rules is part of Gov. Kristi Noem’s executive order 2022-02, which she ordered after a bill that would’ve barred critical race theory in K-12 education was shot down in the legislative session in spring. A similar bill passed for higher education.

The proposed rules state establishing and revising academic content standards is the work of the Department of Education, BOES and “other state government agencies,” and that the BOES “shall not mandate curriculum or instructional materials.”

More: Gov. Kristi Noem signs executive order limiting critical race theory in K-12 schools

Academic content standards promoting “inherently divisive concepts” as listed in Noem’s executive order shall not be adopted to direct or compel students or educators to personally affirm, adopt or adhere to those concepts as defined.

Here are the divisive concepts listed:

  • that one race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior to another race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

  • that an individual should be discriminated against or adversely treated solely or partly on the basis of his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

  • that an individual’s moral character is inherently determined by his or her race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin;

  • that an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously;

  • that an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, is responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or,

  • that meritocracy or traits, such as strong work ethic, are racist or sexist, or were created by a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex.

A public hearing will be held on the proposed rules Aug. 22 in in Pierre. The deadline to submit public comment to the board on the proposed rules is Aug. 17.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How to weigh in on SD's effort to ban 'divisive concepts' in schools