Thread by @JuddLegum

1. In Tennessee, a complaint was filed alleging that a book on MLK violated a new law banning Critical Race Theory

I've found out a lot more about the people behind the complaint, their vision for history education, and the impact on teachers

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

2. The complaint about the MLK book was filed by Robin Steenman, chair of the Williamson County chapter of Moms For Liberty.

But Steenman does not have any children in Tennessee public schools.

How do I know?

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

3. In deleted tweets from August 2020 obtained by popular.info, Steenman said she would "never" send her kids to public schools and described public school teachers as "brainwashing assholes."

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

4. Steenman's complaint also objects to a book about Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to integrate a New Orleans school

Steenman says the book is CRT because it does not discuss "black heroes" like "Clarence Thomas," "Ben Carson," and "Morgan Freeman"

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

5. Steenman also objected to the teacher’s manual because it had a negative depiction of Bull Connor, the notorious racist who used hoses and attack dogs to enforce segregation.

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

6. What would Steenman's preferred version of history look like? Her organization, Moms for Liberty, has some suggestions.

They recommend The Making of America, a 1985 text by W. Cleon Skousen that is notoriously racist

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

7. Skousen's book describes "black children as 'pickaninnies' & American slave owners as the 'worst victims' of slavery"

The book claims the Founders wished to free the slaves but most "were woefully unprepared for a life of competitive independence"

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

8. There are lots of newsletters that offer opinions on Critical Race Theory

But for reporting that cuts through the noise and focuses on the facts of the anti-CRT movement, check out my newsletter, Popular Information.

It's free to sign up!

popular.info/subscribe

9. Steenman's complaint was rejected by the Dept of Ed but only for a technical reason. She referenced instruction during the 2020-21 school year

The new law only applies to the 2021-22 school year forward

But the texts are still used & she could refile

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

10. Regardless, this law is already having a huge impact on Tennessee teachers. Regulations issued by the Dept of Ed says that teachers who violate the law can be subject to "[d]isciplinary or licensure action."

In other words, they can be fired

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

11. This is a massive problem because the law bans any instruction on 11 poorly defined concepts

This includes any suggestion that people of one race have more privileges than others. Or anything that might make students feel "discomfort" about race

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

12. Anne McGraw, a former school board member in Williamson County, told me the purpose of the law is "to strike fear and hesitation with teachers" because "if they mess up, it could be catastrophic for them professionally"

And it's working

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…

13. Notably, actual parents in Williamson County public schools don't appear to share Steenman's concerns

The County lets parents opt kids out of any book

Among the thousands of second graders in the County, only a handful have opted out of any book

popular.info/p/moms-for-lib…