Statehouse protests target 'critical race theory'

Sep. 21—COLUMBUS — Roughly 50 people braved the rain on Tuesday to protest what they claim is the indoctrination of Ohio students that U.S. history is littered with racism that persists in society today.

Another group mounted a counter-protest to preserve a resolution adopted by the State Board of Education that calls for schools to mount an internal reflection into potential influence of internal biases when it comes to teaching, hiring, and student discipline.

Taking aim at Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, Tom Hagedorn, a leader in the Stop Critical Race Theory in Ohio movement, said, "He's done nothing to end it. He hides behind a spokesman. The truth is he has the power. He has the votes on that State Board of Education that is meeting right now to end CRT in Ohio."

At the heart of the dispute is a resolution adopted by the state board more than a year ago soon after the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, for which white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder. The killing triggered nationwide protests. The Ohio board is made up of elected and appointed members.

The resolution has become a political hot potato, particularly among Republicans. It condemns "white supremacy culture, hate speech, hate crimes, and violence in the service of hatred."

It calls for schools "to begin a reflection and internal examination of their own involving all members of their school community to examine all facets of the schools' operations; with a special emphasis on curriculum, hiring practices, staff development practices, and student discipline e.g. suspension/expulsion..."

Opponents argue that the resolution opens the door for teachers and students to be indoctrinated with "critical race theory," the general idea that racism permeates American history and is active in today's education and legal systems.

The Stop Critical Race Theory in Ohio demonstration started at the state Department of Education's downtown Columbus building where the state board was meeting and then moved to the nearby office tower housing the officers of the governor and state representatives and then finally the Ohio Statehouse.

Nancy Scur, of Valley City, Lorain County, was among the crowd.

"Their original (resolution) premise that this is due to a problem that nonwhites are inferior and the whites are oppressive, that doesn't make sense," she said. "This is all related to someone's socioeconomic level, so if they want to improve the nonwhite children, which seems to be the issue, then we ought to go ahead and correct some of the social dynamics that are affecting these children."

Countering the protest was a coalition of suburban mothers called Red, Wine and Blue. They held a "read-in" of anti-racism books outside the education building to challenge a narrative they said has largely gone unanswered.

"Extreme politicians are trying to tell kids what they can learn and what teachers can teach," organizer Katie Paris, of Shaker Heights, said. "Talk about indoctrination. I'm more concerned that it's coming from politicians rather than well-meaning teachers."

She said the opposition is reading something into the resolution that is not there and that Ohio K-12 schools are not teaching critical race theory.

"It was, to me, time that someone stood up for the majority of American and Ohio parents and kids who want an honest conversation about race," Ms. Paris said. "There's an awful lot of attention going to a small minority. We're concerned that they are not contributing to the conversation in a productive way. We think the reality of how this can work is when we confront our differences and unify across them to create a more perfect union."

Sen. Andrew Brenner (R., Powell), chairman of the Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee, said one of these bills could pass and be signed by Mr. DeWine.

"No matter what we pass down here at the Ohio Statehouse ... it's local control," he said. "You've got a local school board that has local oversight over curriculum in the local schools, and the only way you're going to have an actual check and balance of what is going on and being taught in those schools is if you elect a local school board that represents the values that the United States was founded on, which is basically freedom and standing up against tyranny."