Peach Tree Times

Democratic Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff voted last month against the ban on using federal funding to teach critical race theory in schools. 

Warnock and Ossoff were among 49 Democrats who voted against the ban, called the Stop CRT Act, which ultimately passed in a 50-49 vote, according to the Washington Examiner. 

Sen Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced an amendment to the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill that bans the use of federal funds for teaching CRT in schools, Just the News reported. 

The Washington Examiner said the amendment does not address concerns about CRT being taught in high education institutions, many of which have implemented some type of course of study that reviews the theory. Cornell Law School professor William Jacobson’s CriticalRace.org has cataloged nearly 400 institutions that have implemented some level of CRT study. 

According to Just the News, ahead of the vote, Cotton said, “They want to teach our children that America is not a good nation but a racist nation. Those teachings are wrong and our tax dollars should not support them. My amendment will ensure that federal funds aren’t used to indoctrinate children as young as pre-K to hate America."

Cotton gave examples of what prompted his introduction of the amendment, which he said aims to prevent schools from teaching that white people are inherently racist. The New York Post said that 30 public school districts in 15 states have assigned a book, inspired by CRT, called “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness,” which depicts “whiteness” as the devil.

"Our future depends on the next generation of kids loving America and loving each other as fellow citizens, no matter their race," Cotton said, according to Just the News. 

Family Policy Alliance defines CRT as "the idea that racism is embedded in the nation’s institutions and that they seek to maintain the dominance of white people in society. It asserts that unequal outcomes are the result of subtle societal and institutional biases, and that historical patterns of racism are ingrained in law and other modern institutions, rather than racism of individuals."

Responding to reports of an Air Force Academy professor wanting to teach CRT, Georgia Senate candidate Latham Saddler said, "Critical Race Theory divides us and division has no place among our service-minded cadets,” the Washington Examiner reported. 

Another Washington Examiner article said a poll of 1,872 registered voters – conducted by the Harvard Center for American Political Studies and the Harris Poll – found that 61% of respondents opposed the idea that America is structurally racist and dominated by white supremacy.

The Washington Examiner said that Cotton's amendment has forced Senate Democrats to show their support for the idea of teaching CRT in schools, which ultimately may give Republicans a hand up in the 2022 midterm elections.