Georgia racial teaching bills focus on 'divisive concepts'

ATLANTA (AP) — Conservative efforts to regulate what Georgia schools can teach about race are focusing on a now-repealed executive order by former President Donald Trump that bans the teaching of “divisive comments.”

The debate continues as state Sen. Burt Jones, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, targets the racial ideology of the school board chair in Gwinnett County as unacceptable.

Republicans aim to ban critical race theory, a term stretched from its original meaning as an examination of how societal structures perpetuate white dominance to a broader indictment of diversity initiatives and teaching about race.

“There’s a tremendous amount of support," said Cole Muzio, president of the Frontline Policy Institute, a conservative group supporting bans.

Many Democrats and teacher groups say mandating what gets taught insults teachers and risks a whitewashed version of history.

“We believe the bills are trying to hinder educators from doing their jobs," said Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators. “We feel it is an attack on the integrity and professionalism of educators to insinuate these things.”

At least four bills seek to ban some instruction on racial issues. The two most prominent right now, Senate Bill 377 and House Bill 1084, say school district employees and their contractors can’t “act upon, promote, or encourage divisive concepts” in class or any employee training. Banned concepts would include claims that the United States is “fundamentally or systematically racist,” that any people, are “inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously” and that no one “should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of his or her race.”

The language is taken from a 2020...