Last week the members of the Kennewick School Board voted unanimously (5 - 0) to promote education excellence and protect children from controversial Critical Race Theory (CRT) racism.

Kennewick board members passed Resolution 2340, on “Instruction, Race and the Curriculum,” which provides that student class time will be focused on learning and academics rather than on hurtful ideologies or political agendas.  School leaders have passed similar resolutions in the Peninsula and Chehalis districts.

The response by local educators comes after Governor Inslee signed SB 5044 in May 2021 to require all school teachers to undergo training the CRT, in likely violation of employee First Amendment and other civil rights.  

Resolution 2340 says in part:  

“The [school] board believes that the history of all races should be valued and believes in the importance of students learning social studies, civics, and the factual history of the United States from a non-partisan stance, free from political or personal biases.

“Students will not be indoctrinated in the belief that the U.S. is fundamentally or systemically racist.

“Students will not be taught that their race determines their value or worth or that members of any race are inherently racist, oppressors, or victims.

“Neither preferential nor disparaging treatment shall be applied to learning about any race, and no student shall be taught that their skin color determines their ability to succeed; that their race determines their moral character; or that their race make them responsible for past transgressions of their race.  Moreover, no student shall be taught that their socio-economic status or U.S. citizenship status makes them superior or inferior to others.

“...materials and activities should be sensitive to America’s pluralistic society and should educate rather than indoctrinate.

“Student learning objectives govern the scope and activities of each course offering in the school district.  Instructional materials and/or activities must relate to grade level content standards and district-adopted curriculum.

“Adopted: August 24, 2022

“Legal References:  U.S. Constitution, The First Amendment, The Fifteenth Amendment, The Washington State Constitution, Article 9, Section 4.”

This forward-looking resolution is good news for the 18,800 Kennewick public school students and for the broader community.  The policy protects students from racial discrimination by teachers or administrators and, most importantly, guards them against the harmful ideas of Critical Race Theory.

This is exactly the kind of bold leadership parents and students are looking for in response to hardliners who are relentlessly promoting CRT at the national, state and local levels.  Resolution 2340 makes it clear that students will be guaranteed a respectful and welcoming learning environment free from racial discrimination.