Local high school principals say their teachers don't teach critical race theory

Spaulding High Principal Justin Roy addressed 2021 graduating seniors during their commencement last month. (Rochester Voice file photo)

As controversy swirls about the country regarding the teaching of critical race theory, two northern seacoast high school principals say their students are not taught any elements of the woke-inspired ideology considered by many to be an attack on the country's founding.

Spaulding High School Principal Justin Roy said recently that no social studies teachers at Spaulding are instructing or facilitating any discussions regarding critical race theory, which was officially prohibited in New Hampshire as part of a rider on the recently passed state budget bill.

"We do not teach anything with Critical Race Theory." Roy said.

Asked whether teachers at Dover High teach critical race theory, Principal Peter Driscoll said "our teachers explore a variety of way to teach," but pressed on whether they specifically teach it, he said they didn't.

Driscoll added that when teachers, especially social studies instructors, come back to prepare for the 2021-22 academic year they would be studying the divisive concepts portion of the recently passed budget bill and complying with all elements of its language.

The section titled "Prohibition on Teaching Discrimination can be found" in section 91:298 of the biennium budget bill passed last month.

The bill prohibits the teaching that any one - on the basis of race, color, creed, sexuality, religion, disability or any other identifiable nuance - is "inherently superior," "inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive" and "should be discriminated against" among others.

HB 2 makes clear that it does not prohibit discussion of "the historical existence of ideas and subjects identified in this section."

The ACLU has been one of the major opponents to the divisive concepts language and urged Granite Staters to disavow the Republican-led opposition to teaching critical race theory.

After the House OK'd putting the divisive concepts language into the budget bill, the ACLU argued it could have the effect "of banning diversity and implicit bias training used to educate Granite Staters on the systemic barriers that people of color and other marginalized groups face in New Hampshire, from our workplaces to our criminal legal system."

The ACLU further urged citizens to fight prohibiting critical race theory by writing their state senators and reps the following message: I am writing today to urge you take HB 544's language out of the budget, which would ban "divisive concepts" from New Hampshire learning and training. It is an unconstitutional violation of the freedom of speech under the First Amendment. Banning all diversity training and discussions would set back progress in addressing systemic issues, halting efforts that make New Hampshire a more equitable and inclusive place to live and work."

However, the ACLU's canned message for lawmakers mentioned nothing about critical race theory's overall strategy to teach something that is not true, which is pointed out in state Education Secretary Frank Edelblut's statement about divisive concepts prohibition published on the Dept. of Education's website and in The Rochester Voice. It can be read by clicking here.