Critical Race Theory (CRT), far from being the solution to racism, is “fanning the flames” of it, a black father told a Colorado school board recently, perhaps contributing to the board’s decision to pass a resolution forbidding the teaching of CRT in its district.
Derrick Wilburn, founder of Rocky Mountain Black Conservatives, appeared at the August 12 meeting of the Colorado Springs School District 49 school board to offer his remarks opposing CRT in classrooms, as did many other concerned parents. Video of Wilburn’s brief-but-powerful speech was posted on Twitter, where it has since garnered over 350,000 views.
“I am a direct descendant of the North American slave trade,” Wilburn began. “Both my parents are black. All four of my grandparents are black, all eight of my great grandparents, all 16 of my great greats. On my mother’s side, my ancestors were enslaved in Alabama. On my father’s side, we were enslaved in Texas.”
In other words, if anyone can claim to be a victim because of a legacy of slavery, it’s Wilburn — but he’s having none of it.
“I’m not oppressed,” he declared, “and I’m not a victim.”
Wilburn explained that he travels extensively in the United States, and no matter where he goes, he is “treated with kindness, dignity, and respect.”
“I have three children,” he continued. “They are not oppressed, either — although they are victims. I’ve taught my children they are victims of three things: their own ignorance, their own laziness, and their own poor decision-making.”
“Putting Critical Race Theory into our classrooms has taken our nation in the wrong direction,” Wilburn asserted. “Racism in America would by and large be dead today if it were not for certain people and institutions keeping it on life support,” among them the education system with its embrace of CRT.
“I can think of nothing more damaging to a society,” he said, “than to tell a baby born today that she has grievances against another baby born today simply because of what their ancestors may have done two centuries ago.”
That, of course, is precisely what CRT does: pit people against each other on the basis of race in an effort “to dismantle America,” as The New American has previously reported. Wilburn obviously understands that. “Putting Critical Race Theory into our classrooms,” he said, “is not combating racism. It’s fanning the flames of what little embers are left.”
Wilburn concluded his remarks by imploring the board to pass the resolution, adding, “Let racism die the death it deserves.”
Later, the board did indeed pass the resolution, by a 3-2 vote.
A background sheet provided by the board offered the rationale behind the resolution. The district, it explained, “partners with parents to assist in their responsibility to educate their children in accordance with the principle that America is a nation founded on the principle that all men and women are created equal per the Declaration of Independence, Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
The sheet argued that CRT “excludes individuals who merely advocate for neutral principles of the Constitution, or who deny or question the extent to which white supremacy shapes our institutions.” Furthermore, while schools should teach unvarnished American history, “such exposure should not purport to deliberately undermine student/family values, religious beliefs, or principles.”
The resolution itself bars schools from separating students by race or assigning work to them on that basis. It also prohibits them from promoting the notions “that race is the most important identity,” “that group identity is more important than individual identity,” and that individuals are automatically either “oppressor or oppressed according to their race.”
In an appearance on Sunday’s Fox & Friends, Wilburn said the rise in remote learning over the last 18 months has enabled parents to find out what their kids are learning — and then to start fighting back.
“Slowly but surely,” he said, “parents are rising up, and we are pushing these school boards and letting these people know, look, you are elected representatives of the people and this is what we want, if you don’t like it we’ll vote you out, and the boards are beginning to respond.”
