“Such a belief is not only misguided, it challenges the fundamental cornerstone of American Democracy — that all men are created equal under the eyes of God.”  

Core to our nation’s creed has always been the promise “E Pluribus Unum” – Latin words that mean “Out of many, one.”

Recently, though, a new mantra has started to take hold — one being pushed by the radical left as a tool to indoctrinate our children and students on a different account of our nation and its history. This troubling new view is called Critical Race Theory, and it has quietly crept its way into American classrooms. We must act now before this weed spreads, takes root in young minds, and teaches them to hate and suspect one another.

We’ve already seen critical race theory push anti-police rhetoric in the classrooms and promote Marxist ideologies to our kids, like asking them to stop referring to their parents as “mom & dad” because it’s not “inclusive language.”

That’s why I’m calling on the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor Evers to take action.

Other states around the country are taking steps to ban Critical Race Theory from the curriculum statewide. Wisconsin should follow and enact policies that make a difference in fighting back against left-wing indoctrination in our schools.

At the root of Critical Race Theory is the belief that all American institutions, laws, and history are inherently racist. Such a belief is not only misguided, it challenges the fundamental cornerstone of American Democracy — that all men are created equal under the eyes of God.

Our schools aren’t supposed to be laboratories to create new social justice warriors. They need to be preparing students to be part of the 21st Century workforce. Skills like reading, science, technology, engineering, and math should be the focus — not conscripting kids to be part of the Left’s culture war. Some of our schools already cannot get their kids to grade level in reading and math. Diverting energy away from critical education to focus on CriticalRace Theory is a disservice to our kids in schools and a broken contract with taxpayers who fund them.

America has made mistakes and reckoned with them. We are still striving toward “a more perfect union.” But here in Wisconsin, we should also celebrate our state’s history of striving toward equality. That includes the founding of the abolitionist Republican Party dedicated to ending slavery and being the first state in the nation to ratify women’s right to vote. Those are important lessons we should be teaching our children.

Our state’s history isn’t built on systemic racism like liberals want you to believe. In fact, Section I of our constitution begins, “all people are born equally free and independent.” Wisconsin was built on freedom, opportunity, and the American Dream. Seeing people primarily as inheritors of their skin color deepens racial divides and does nothing to bring us together. Dr. Martin Luther King once dreamed of a society that saw beyond appearance. We must stop a warped inclination to judge people “by the color of their skin” and not “the content of their character.”

Already states like Idaho, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Arizona are forwarding legislation that limits the teaching of such divisive concepts in schools. Even if it faces a veto from our liberal activist governor, a public fight over such legislation will highlight the issue and get parents asking the right questions at the local level. Kids should not be made to feel shame based simply on their appearance.

This isn’t just a call on lawmakers. As parents, we cannot afford to passively sit by while local elected officials make decisions that will negatively impact our kids. We can bring together groups of like-minded parents and go to school board meetings to ask about Critical Race Theory in the curriculum. (And yes, that does mean that if we want to have the most significant impact, we need more good candidates running for school board.) Educational institutions should not be feeding our children political ideologies, they should be teaching our children to think for themselves and providing them the skills they’ll need to do so.

Politics and activism have no place in the classroom.

Rebecca Kleefisch is President of 1848 Project, Inc. and Wisconsin’s former Lieutenant
Governor.