By Brian Lyman, Montgomery Advertiser
The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would ban the teaching of “divisive concepts” in K-12 history after a debate in which Democrats accused Republicans of trying to erase history.
The bill, HB 312, passed 65 to 32, in a majority partisan vote. Four Republicans joined House Democrats in voting against the bill.
The bill, one of several pushed by Republicans across the country to restrict teaching about race and history, would ban teachers from teaching students to “adopt or believe” a list of ” divisive concepts”, including:
“That this state or the United States is inherently racist or sexist;”
“That an individual, solely because of his race, sex or religion, bears responsibility for acts committed in the past by other members of the same race, sex or religion. “
“That every individual should be asked to accept, acknowledge, affirm or consent to a sense of guilt, complicity or a need to work harder solely on the basis of their race or gender.”
Teachers found guilty of breaking the law could be disciplined or fired by a school board.
The bill does not specifically mention critical race theory, an academic framework for understanding the persistence of racism and a target for Republicans across the country. But Oliver said during the debate that “divisive concepts” could include critical race theory, and he said the purpose of the bill was “to keep people from hating America.”
“It’s done with the goal of making the classroom equal, making the workplace equal, and it provides protection for every student and employee,” Oliver said.
House Republicans had made banning critical race theory one of their priority bills earlier this year. Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, who sponsored a similar bill, said it wouldn’t stop history teaching.
“What you’re really saying is you don’t want anyone to take their beliefs and teach them as knowledge,” he said.
When questioned by Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D- Birmingham, Oliver could not identify the Middle Passage, the transatlantic portion of the international slave trade.
“You don’t know this story or you don’t care,” Givan said. “That says a lot.”
Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, said the bill amounted to prior restraint, unconstitutional under the First Amendment, and was intended to prevent discussion of the nation’s past.
“What’s driving these conversations isn’t accepting blame or responsibility,” he said. “It stops conversations, so we can’t determine for the purposes of those conversations who is responsible for what.” Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, one of the only Republicans to vote against the bill, read a letter from a professor of Russian and Eastern European history, who said Soviet dictates on promoting communism “created a country crippled by its own propaganda,” and cited similar moves by Putin’s regime to underscore the Russian patriotism the professor linked to the invasion of Ukraine.
“Whether it’s left-wing propaganda or right-wing propaganda, it’s propaganda,” Ball said. “And the only cure for propaganda is open and honest dialogue.”
Ball, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon of Monrovia, and Representatives Allen Farley of McCalla and Joe Faust of Fairhope were the only Republicans to vote against the bill. Faust is the only one of the four candidates for re-election. Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, abstained. The vote left bad feelings among Democrats, who suggest- ed the bill could prevent bipartisan cooperation for the rest of the session.
“You’re not going to pat me on the back and tell me how much you love me or love me, but you’re doing something to impact entire generations to come,” Daniels said. “It’s not acceptable.”
Other Democrats, like TaShina Morris Rep. D-Montgomery, said they felt ignored.
“No matter how many times we go down, and we try to express how we feel or what it’s like for us, they give us this pun, and everything’s supposed to be fine, and it’s not the case,” Morris said.
In the Montgomery County delegation, Representatives Reed Ingram, R- Pike Road and Chris Sells, R-Greenville voted for the bill. Morris and Representatives Kenyatte Hassell, D-Montgomery; Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville and Penni McClammy, D- Montgomery voted against. Rep. Charlotte Meadows, R-Montgomery, was listed as not voting.
In the Autauga and Elmore County delegation, Representatives Will Dismukes, R-Prattville and Mike Holmes, R-Wetumpka voted for the bill.
In the Tuscaloosa County delegation, Representatives Cynthia Almond, R-Tucsaloosa; Kyle South, R-Fayette; Rodney Sullivan, R-Northport and Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa voted for the bill. England and Representative AJ Mc- Campbell, D-Linden voted against.
In the Elmore County delegation, Representatives Gil Isbell, R-Gadsden and Craig Lipscomb, R- Rainbow City voted for the bill.
