Gov. Kevin signed a bill that will prohibit Oklahoma public schools, colleges and universities from teaching “Critical Race Theory” and from requiring mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling.

House Bill 1775 is authored by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore.

“Already, this harmful indoctrination has infiltrated Oklahoma schools from as early as pre-kindergarten classrooms all the way through college courses,” West said. “Some of our state universities currently are requiring this mandatory training for their freshman students.”

West said that much of the curriculum, often referred to as “Critical Race Theory” is based on Marxist ideology that is designed to teach children to hate American exceptionalism and distrust others based on skin color or sex. Additionally it teaches that most laws and systems in America are historically rooted in the racist oppression of people of color and other marginalized groups. It promotes the theory of implicit bias and inherent racism due to one’s skin color.

West stressed that the bill in no way stops the teaching of history or anything currently in Oklahoma education standards, including curriculum that shows historical examples of racism or genocide or any other subject that might stir strong feelings in students. In fact, he says these examples from history absolutely should be taught. What the bill does do is stop the forced programming of students to give predetermined answers to certain questions leading them to say they are inherently racist or sexist because of the color of their skin or their gender. It also stops teachers or professors from being able to intimate that a student must feel a certain way because of their heritage.