High school teacher offers extra credit to students who testify in support of critical race theory
Two teachers in Rhode Island encouraged their students to oppose a bill outlawing critical race theory in classrooms across the state, with one teacher offering extra credit to do so.
“I strongly urge you to testify on this bill tomorrow,” Alison Grieco, a teacher at Barrington High School, said in an email to her students sent in March. “As always, if you are a student in my class, you will receive 5 points on your next unit test if you decide to testify and provide me with your written testimony.”
The email provided students information on House Bill 6070, which would prohibit the teaching of “divisive concepts” and prevents teachers from “making individuals feel distress[ed] on account of their race or sex,” according to its summary.
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“Hello everyone, I have just learned that H6070 is in committee in the RI House of Representatives,” Grieco wrote. “This bill essentially states that there should be no discussion of race or gender in classrooms. As News Channel 10 puts it, ‘Bill would prohibit teaching of concepts around racism and sexism in Rhode Island’ … Here is a link to the news story about it.”
Another teacher at the school, Jennifer Bergevine, followed up with Grieco, saying that she also urged her students to speak out against the bill.
“As I prepare my statement, I would like to be able to include student voices,” she wrote in a separate email to her own students. “Please feel free to share with me what you believe is the benefit of potentially ‘divisive concepts’ such as Race and Gender.”
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Bergevine added: “If this passes I would no longer be able to teach the unit on Race or Gender. I have requested to testify in opposition and will be submitting written testimony. Directions on how to do this are at the bottom of the agenda for the meeting.”
A reported 120 people testified against the bill at the committee hearing. Some students joined as well, with at least one saying they did so solely because their teacher told them to.
The bill was held by the committee “for further study.”
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Tags: Education, Critical Race Theory, Rhode Island
Original Author: Lawrence Richard
Original Location: High school teacher offers extra credit to students who testify in support of critical race theory
