Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
The Prindle Post
Publication Date
2-24-2021
Abstract
2020 was a historic year for more than one reason. As a pandemic raged, in many areas unchecked in the United States, police brutality that caused the death of George Floyd brought to a boil racial strife that has been simmering in this country for many years. Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the globe motivated many to educate themselves, to improve their historical and cultural understanding of race in the United States. Others, most notably former President Trump, reacted quite differently. He exercised his power to implement a handful of policies on the topic of race, diversity, and inclusion. First, he issued an executive order banning diversity and inclusion trainings, ostensibly to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating.” He referred to anti-racism education as “child abuse.” Shortly thereafter, a judge issued an injunction against the ban in response to a lawsuit filed by a civil rights organization. The judge’s order explained that there was very good reason to believe that the plaintiff’s argument that the ban violates their constitutional right to free speech would prevail in court. President Biden overturned the ban on his first day in office. Had the order taken effect, federal institutions that offered diversity and inclusion trainings would lose federal funding. This led various organizations, including colleges and universities such as the University of Iowa and John A. Logan College in Illinois to cancel scheduled diversity and inclusion events and trainings on campus, including a Hispanic Heritage Month event.
Recommended Citation
Robison-Green, Rachel. "On an Imperative to Educate People on the History of Race in America.". The Prindle Post. https://www.prindlepost.org/2021/02/on-an-imperative-to-educate-people-on-the-history-of-race-in-america/
