Vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper III

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that prohibits the teaching of certain topics related to racism, civics, and American history.

Highlights:

• Defines "promote" as compelling students, teachers, administrators, or other school employees to affirm or profess belief in the concepts described in this law (Sec. 1.b).

• Alleges the General Assembly finds that Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution of this State recognizes the equality and rights of all persons. Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly that students, teachers, administrators, and other school employees respect the dignity of others, acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions, and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and freedom of speech and association and that the public schools of North Carolina employ teaching methods and procedures to further that intent (Sec. 1.a).

• Prohibits public schools from promoting the following (Sec. 1.c):

• One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;

• An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive;

• An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex;

• An individual's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex;

• An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;

• Any individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress;

• A meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist;

• The United States was created by members of a particular race or sex for the purpose of oppressing members of another race or sex;

• The United States government should be violently overthrown;

• Particular character traits, values, moral or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs should be ascribed to a race or sex or to an individual because of the individual's race or sex; and

• The rule of law does not exist, but instead is a series of power relationships and struggles among racial or other groups.

• Requires public school units to notify the Department of Public Instruction and make general information available on the public school unit's website, with detailed information available upon request, at least 30 days prior to any of the following (Sec. 1.d):

• Providing instruction regarding concepts described in this law in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional settings;

• Contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of discussing concepts described in this law; and

• Contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons who have previously advocated for the concepts described in this law.

• Specifies provisions of this law do not apply but are not limited to, utilizing materials, as part of a course of instruction, curriculum, instructional program, or supplemental instruction, that include the following (Sec. 1.e-2):

• The history of an ethnic group, as described in textbooks and instructional materials adopted in accordance with Part 3 of this Article;

• The impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history;

• The impartial instruction on the historical oppression of a particular group of people based on race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, or geographic region; and

• Certain historical documents.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that prohibits the teaching of certain topics related to racism, civics, and American history.

Highlights:

• Defines "promote" as compelling students, teachers, administrators, or other school employees to affirm or profess belief in the concepts described in this law (Sec. 1.b).

• Alleges the General Assembly finds that Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution of this State recognizes the equality and rights of all persons. Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly that students, teachers, administrators, and other school employees respect the dignity of others, acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions, and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and freedom of speech and association and that the public schools of North Carolina employ teaching methods and procedures to further that intent (Sec. 1.a).

• Prohibits public schools from promoting the following (Sec. 1.c):

• One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;

• An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive;

• An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex;

• An individual's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex;

• An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;

• Any individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress;

• A meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist;

• The United States was created by members of a particular race or sex for the purpose of oppressing members of another race or sex;

• The United States government should be violently overthrown;

• Particular character traits, values, moral or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs should be ascribed to a race or sex or to an individual because of the individual's race or sex; and

• The rule of law does not exist, but instead is a series of power relationships and struggles among racial or other groups.

• Requires public school units to notify the Department of Public Instruction and make general information available on the public school unit's website, with detailed information available upon request, at least 30 days prior to any of the following (Sec. 1.d):

• Providing instruction regarding concepts described in this law in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional settings;

• Contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of discussing concepts described in this law; and

• Contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons who have previously advocated for the concepts described in this law.

• Specifies provisions of this law do not apply but are not limited to, utilizing materials, as part of a course of instruction, curriculum, instructional program, or supplemental instruction, that include the following (Sec. 1.e-2):

• The history of an ethnic group, as described in textbooks and instructional materials adopted in accordance with Part 3 of this Article;

• The impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history;

• The impartial instruction on the historical oppression of a particular group of people based on race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, or geographic region; and

• Certain historical documents.

Full Bill Text