GOP lawmakers seek to ban DEI from K-12 schools in NC
OUT. NOW IN THE LOWER COURTS.
A NEW BILL BACKED BY STATE.
SENATE LEADERS WOULD BAN ANY
DISCUSSION OF SYSTEMATIC RACISM
OR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND
INCLUSION IN NORTH CAROLINA.
SCHOOLS. CRITICS SAY THIS BILL
IS SO VAGUELY WORDED. IT COULD
LIMIT WHAT TEACHERS CAN TEACH
ABOUT ISSUES SUCH AS HISTORY
AND CIVICS WRAL'S. COUPLE
BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE IS
JOINING US LIVE AT THE STATE
LEGISLATIVE BUILDING WITH WHAT
THE BILL DOES AND DOES NOT SAY
MORRIS.
>> WE KNOW THE BILL WOULD
PROHIBIT SCHOOLS IN NORTH
CAROLINA FOR IN NORTH CAROLINA.
I'M TEACHING ABOUT WHAT IT
REFERS TO AS THE DIVISIVE
CONCEPTS. IT WOULD ALSO BAN
ANY TEACHER TRAINING THAT
INVOLVED DEI CONCEPTS OR
IMPLICIT BIASES. SUPPORTERS SAY
THIS IS MEANT TO ENSURE DIGNITY
AND NON DISCRIMINATION IN
SCHOOLS. OPPONENTS SAY IT'S NOT
CLEAR WHO DEFIES SOMETHING IS
DIVISIVE AND THAT LEAVES
TEACHERS POTENTIALLY AT RISK.
>> SENATOR MICHAEL LEE SAID
HE'S NOT AGAINST DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS VALUES.
WHAT HE'S OPPOSED TO IS THE WAY
HE BELIEVES THEY'RE BEING
IMPLEMENTED IN SCHOOLS,
ESSENTIALLY TELLING A STUDENT
THEY HAVE TO FEEL A CERTAIN WAY
BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CERTAIN
IF FROM A CERTAIN COUNTRY OR
BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE. POLICE
SAID HIS BILL SPELLS OUT WHAT
QUALIFIES AS A DIVISIVE CONCEPT
LIKE MAKING STUDENTS FEEL
DISCOMFORT OR DISTRESS BECAUSE
OF THEIR RACE OR. HE SAID THE
BILL SPECIFICALLY PROTECTS THE
TEACHING OF HISTORY AND CIVIL
RIGHTS. BUT SENATOR WOODSON
BRADLEY SAYS THE BILL IS
UNCLEAR ABOUT WHO DEFINES
DIVISIVE. HE'S GOING TO JUDY.
KATE, THIS USE THE JUDGE AND
JURY ON OF WHAT THAT STUDENTS
BEEN AFFRONTED. DID THE TEACHER
MAKE A MISTAKE? WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN FOR THE DISTRICT? THAT'S
A REALLY.
>> REALLY BIG QUESTION. ALI
SAID IT'S UP TO STUDENTS OR
FAMILIES WITH COMPLAINTS TO
TAKE CITIZENS CAN GO LIKE THEY
DO NOW WHEN A CERTAIN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS VIOLATED THE LAW AND
REPORT THAT TO THEIR SCHOOL
BOARDS.
>> THEY CAN ALSO REPORT THAT
DPI SENATOR CALEB TEDROS SAID
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER ANY
SCHOOLS OR EVEN TEACHING ANY
OF THE CONCEPTS THE BILL WOULD
BAN.
>> BUT HE SAID IT'S A CULTURE.
WE'RE TALKING POINT FOR
REPUBLICANS. THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY THE REASON WHY
WE'RE SEEING IT. THERE'S NO
SPECIFICITY IN THE BILL.
THERE'S NO SORT OF APPEALS
PROCESS. REVIEW PROCESS IS THE
IMPLEMENTATION. AND SO WITH A
DEGREE IN THE ELECTION,
THEREFORE, THEY'RE TRYING TO
USE SOME OF THAT MOMENTUM HERE.
>> I DID ASK THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION WHETHER ANY SCHOOLS
ACTUALLY HAVE DEI PROGRAMS OR
THE DPI IS DOING ANY DEI
TEACHER TRAINING AS AN AGENCY.
I HEARD BACK FROM SPOKESMAN
MARK AND THE SOUR WHO SAYS NO
DDI DOES NOT OFFER ANY DEI
TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS AND
THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE DEI PROGRAMS
OF THEIR OWN BECAUSE SCHOOLS
ARE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO REPORT
THAT TO THE STATE. AS OF NOW,