Opinion

Editorial: Politics, more than public schools and students, are Truitt's priority

Monday, May 17, 2021 -- Public school students, their parents and educators will have to look elsewhere to find someone who will listen and be their advocate.

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Catherine Truitt
CBC Editorial: Monday, May 17, 2021; Editorial #8669
The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company.
“Our children’s education is too precious to play politics with, and I am going to try my hardest to separate politics from this role — to do what is right,” Catherine Truitt said a few days after she was elected the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. “The fact that we elect this position makes it difficult to eliminate politics, so let me just say that I cannot eliminate politics, but I’m going to do as much as I can to take the temperature down and keep this about students instead of politics.”

It didn’t take long for Truitt to abandon those platitudes and reveal that she’s all about politics and the priorities of the General Assembly’s leadership are her education priorities – not North Carolina’s students or educators.

Her embrace of legislation that is part of a national ideologically motivated campaign seeking to dictate what educators can and cannot teach in their classrooms – and her clear subservience to the legislative leadership – are both disappointing and surprising.

It is now clear her pledge to be an independent voice – untethered by ideological or partisan political pressures – were hollow platitudes. She has revealed herself to be simply a prop to amplify the voices and views of the legislative leadership.

Not only did Truitt embrace this legislation that, in reality seeks to promote racial divisions and historical myths, but she allowed legislative leaders to release her views rather than doing so independently.

On two occasions, her views were expressed as part of the legislative leadership and partisan caucuses promotional statements.

It was through a news release from House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland on May 11, that Truitt said she supported the legislation. “We want to encourage students to think freely and respect differences of opinion while ensuring our classrooms are not promoting ideas contrary to the equality and rights of all,” she said in the GOP release.  “There is no room for divisive rhetoric that condones preferential treatment of any one group over another.”
Those comments were repeated a day later in a House GOP caucus news release crowing about barring what they called “discriminatory concepts” from classrooms after the bill was passed on a 66-48 partisan vote.

The legislation in question, actually seeks to limit discussion and assure any instruction on the nation’s history of slavery and racial discrimination is sterilized to fit a single narrow ideological notion.

Black Democrats and the state House's only Native American say the legislation is anti-history and anti-education.

State Rep. Kandie Smith, D-Pitt, likened the legislation "to a book burning" that leaves teachers confused about what they could teach. Further, she says it leaves classroom leaders intimidated and fearful about their ability to engage students in forthright discussions on race, the nation’s slave history and its implications on the nation today.

“We’re trying to circumvent history is what we’re doing here," said Rep. Charles Graham, D-Robeson, a member of the Lumbee tribe. “It’s wrong, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s mean-spirited.”

Truitt’s left no doubt by this recent demonstration that her pledge to “keep this about students instead of politics” was hollow and opportunistic.

Regardless of Truitt’s stand on this legislation, her behavior has demonstrated that she and her office are simply extensions of the dictates of the current legislative leadership.

Public school students, their parents and educators will have to look elsewhere to find someone who will listen and be their advocate.

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