Earlier this month, the Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent said that the schools in his district are “deeply using critical race theory” in their curriculum.
He claimed that students must learn about the history of injustice in the United States “to better understand who they are.”
Nikolai Vitti, the superintendent, made the comments during a November 9 school board meeting. “Our curriculum is deeply using critical race theory, especially in social studies, but you’ll find it in English, language arts, and the other disciplines,” said Vitti. “We’re very intentional about creating a curriculum, infusing materials and embedding critical race theory within our curriculum.”
He went on to say, “As was stated by speakers today, it’s because students need to understand the truth of history, understand the history of this country to better understand who they are and about the injustices that have occurred in this country.”
Video of the event went viral on Tuesday after being posted to Twitter by Christopher Rufo, Manhattan Institute senior fellow. Vitti also criticized a bill put forth and approved by Michigan House lawmakers to ban “implicit race or gender stereotyping” in the state’s schools.
Speaking about Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Vitti stated, “I think our best strategy politically is to lean on the governor to veto it, as she has done with other legislation that has passed in Michigan over the last couple of years.”
Republicans in the state House passed the bill unanimously, but Democrats did not vote on the legislation as not every lawmaker was afforded the opportunity to speak against the measure who wanted to do so.
The bill has now been referred to the state Senate Committee on Education and Career Readiness. Republican state Rep. Andrew Beeler was the main sponsor of the bill. “A yes vote means taking a firm stance against the absurd claim that individuals bear collective guilt for historical wrongs committed by those who happen to share their race or gender,” he said.
