Youngkin’s ‘divisive concepts’ tip line is likely necessary

Icome to this conclusion based on my experience with the O ce of Resolution Management (ORM) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Congress determined that complaints of discrimination (under Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act) within the VA were not being properly handled by the line organizations. The VA was forced to create the ORM which would have the responsibility of handling complaints of discrimination by VA employees apart from the line organizations or unions. Any employee could le a discrimination complaint with the ORM. The line organizations argued that they could handle the complaints, however, evidence presented to Congress proved otherwise.

In the case of critical race theory (CRT), the previous Virginia state government, unions, and the press tried to convince the public that CRT was not in the curriculum and therefore was not being taught. However, parents exposed to virtual classrooms during remote learning could see that the concepts of CRT were indeed being taught. While CRT per se may not have been in the curriculum, the derivatives of the theory were being taught. For example, equity, one of the most divisive concepts, was being taught. The equity concept is where equal outcomes based on race are attempted rather than race neutral equal opportunity. Another concept is that white people are oppressors at birth and minorities are oppressed at birth by virtue of their respective skin color. Essentially, CRT is an ideology very close to Marxism. This may explain why there was such an e ort to hide CRT with misinformation and word salad.

There are those in the educational establishment who may want to continue teaching these concepts despite the governor’s e orts to get the divisive CRT ideology out of Virginia’s schools. The tip line may help in the governor’s e orts. However, there are details of such a program that must be included. The divisive concepts, and the process for handling a tip, and confidentiality must all be clearly de ned. Protections must be in place to avoid nuisance or malicious tips. The consequence of a nding that divisive concepts are being taught should be spelled out. Dr. Shannon Grimsley said it perfectly, that there is more complexity than is on the surface. The challenge is teaching comprehensive and factual history (good, bad, and ugly) of the nation and Virginia without the ideological overlay.

I agree with Dr. Grimsley that most matters are best resolved at the local level. That said, if no divisive CRT concepts are being taught in our schools, then the matter has been handled at the local level. Certainly, schools will and should continue to vigorously deal with discrimination of all sorts including bullying, which is a form of discrimination. I believe in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s exhortation that persons be judged on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. CRT and its derivatives turn this concept on its head by creating discrimination in order to counter discrimination. It is antithetical to its proclaimed objective.