‘Divisive concepts’: Alabama GOP bill ‘fights racism’ with racism

‘White fragility’ drives Republican lawmakers to kill what they don’t understand.

In true Alabama fashion, GOP State Rep. Ed Oliver’s ‘divisive concepts’ bill, which he says will fight racism in schools, is divisive racism itself – a “slap in the face” to Black people. An insult to teachers, students and our education system.

It’s just another example of white Republicans’ fearful overreach into the classroom in an attempt to steer teachers away from discussing truth about American history.

This is Alabama, people. Our education system can’t afford to be whitewashed and dumbed down any more than it is. Thank God for good teachers.

Excerpts from Rebecca Griesbach’s Ed Lab story:

The debate over what Alabama students should learn about race and history has reignited in the state legislature, resulting in a committee vote that Black lawmakers called a “slap in the face.”

“I can bet all the tea in China that when we have this vote… it’s going to be on racial lines,” said Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville, as a committee of lawmakers prepared once again to push a “divisive concepts” bill to the House floor.

HB7, authored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, prohibits public schools, colleges and other state agencies from promoting certain “divisive topics” related to race, sex or religion. The legislation, which has 21 white, Republican cosponsors, was approved 9-3 in committee Wednesday.

The three opposing votes came from Black lawmakers.

“This is a slap in the face to every decent, hard working Black Alabamian that’s in this room, that’s out of this room, and to the children and the unborn,” said Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, just before the vote. “It’s divisive that not a single white person on this committee is going to vote against this bill. That’s divisive.”

Oliver’s bill, which he said was “designed to prevent racism in schools and state agencies,” is the latest version of a series of bills to take aim at diversity programming and classroom instruction.

In a hearing Wednesday, two people spoke in favor of the bill.

Both speakers linked divisive concepts to critical race theory, an academic concept that they claimed was seeping into K-12 instruction.

“Critical race theory is a college-level theory, however concepts and tenets are being taught in K-12,” said Becky Gerritson of the Eagle Forum, noting a “privilege walk” exercise that she said required students to disclose their socioeconomic status.

Others questioned the legislation’s intent and said they believed the bill wouldn’t actually address racism in the classroom. One called the bill a “candid display of deliberate dishonesty.” Another said it was “based off white fragility.”

“Rather than play these games, why don’t we make a full repudiation of the things of the past, and move forward with healthy discussion, dialogue and debate?” said Robert White, a Montgomery pastor.

Read all of Griesbach’s Ed Lab report here

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JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group and AL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter @Crowejam and Instagram @JDCrowepix.