FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate passed a bill Thursday aimed at incorporating a series of historical documents and speeches into the classroom work by Kentucky students — a response to the national debate over critical race theory.
The Republican-backed measure sparked a long debate before clearing the chamber on a 28-8 vote, which sent the proposal to the GOP-dominated House.
Supporters said the documents and speeches listed in the measure would offer a strong foundation for social studies work by middle and high school students. Democrats opposing the bill called it a state overreach into curriculum decisions they said should be left to local school districts.
The bill allows teachers to conduct lessons on historical events while requiring lessons remain consistent with a set of American principles.
Republican Sen. Max Wise, the bill's lead sponsor, said it offers a “guide” for school work based on a “more positive set of American principles.” But it preserves classroom discussions on controversial parts of history, including “the historical oppression of particular groups of people,” he said.
“Nothing in this bill ... removes talking about or teaching about atrocities of historical events," Wise said. "Those events should be discussed. Those events show how far our country has come. ... It’s shown how much we must continue to learn and advance from our past events.”
Democratic Sen. Reggie Thomas responded that the bill would strip away local control by setting a statewide curriculum that “really teaches ideology.” He added that the measure is unnecessary.
“This whole idea of critical race theory is a boogeyman, because we don’t teach this in public schools,” Thomas said.
