Mental Disconnect or Political Opportunism: Governor Doug Ducey Signs Bills Authorizing Holocaust/Genocide Studies and Banning his Version of Critical Race Theory

Is Governor Doug Ducey having a mental disconnect on some of the education bills he is signing?

Or experiencing a bout of political opportunism.

It is probably both along with a touch of having it both ways.

The center of this recent controversy is what reactionaries on the fringe right call Critical Race Theory.

If I get this right, the prevailing view among the fringe right is that Critical Race Theory, especially in the form of the teaching of accurate United States History, will somehow create greater animosities toward white people from the racial groups that were historically discriminated against by…wait for it white people.

To that end, fringe right-wingers (primarily Know Nothing white nationalists) are using the perceived threat of Critical Race Theory, which has been around, in various forms for decades, to get social studies and history departments in public schools, colleges, and universities to teach a sanitized version of the American Experience that primarily leaves out all the bad stuff white people (primarily men) did to everyone else since the time of Columbus.

One thing is certain after reading and hearing a lot of media attention on Republican opposition to critical race theory.

Members of the former Party of Lincoln do not know what Critical Race Theory is.

Count Arizona Governor Doug Ducey among them.

Now, is Doug Ducey a know-nothing white nationalist?

He is probably not a white nationalist.

What he is though is a political coward with delusions that he destined for higher office, preferably the one on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC.

To that end, he is willing to sign two bills over the last week that indicate either a total disconnect in his mindset or a bout of political opportunism.

One of these bills, sponsored by Legislative District Three’s Alma Hernandez, mandates the teaching of Holocaust/Genocide Studies in junior and senior high schools.

Good bill. Good decision to sign it.

All children should be taught what hateful crimes human beings are capable of. When my charter school existed, we had a course like it as a program of study requirement for high school juniors.

What makes this good thing Ducey did tremendously mind-boggling is the Grand Canyon State Governor also signed a bill banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory.

Or what the Arizona Legislature, after Republicans going back and forth looking for an agreeable bill language, said Critical Race Theory is.

The bill Mr. Ducey signed as AZ Central columnist EJ Montini pointed out, states:

“…the state can’t use “public monies for and requiring an employee to engage in orientation, training or therapy that presents any form of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex,” and that teachers can’t present instruction that says “one race, ethnic group or sex is inherently morally or intellectually superior to another race, ethnic group or sex.”

In a word duh.

No public school social studies or history instructor worth a damn is going to teach that racial or gender superiority exists to their students.

The problem with the language of the bill that Mr. Ducey signed is, as Montini and others have noted, it does not discuss actual critical race theory.

Critical Race Theory, in all its forms, is not about saying one race is better or worse than another. It is about finding ways to steer policy and education curriculum away from racial bias.

In other words, a course like Holocaust/Genocide studies would be ideal for proponents of Critical Race theory because as Ducey said:

“This bill works to educate our youth on the atrocities of the Holocaust and other genocides. Tragedies like this must never be allowed to happen again. This bill is a step in the right direction to fight antisemitism in our state, but our work is far from over. We have seen a rise in crimes against individuals in several communities, and we must do more to prevent any additional harm and suffering. Antisemitism is real.”

The goals of the Holocaust/Genocide coursework that Ducey just signed into existence actually mirrors most of the aspirations of supporters of Critical Race Theory.

Unfortunately, educators are in a quandary.

Which law do they follow?

Montini also pointed this out in a subsequent column. 

One law states that teaching the attempted genocide of Native Americans from Columbus through Westward Expansion is perfectly acceptable.

Another one, according to the wishes right-wing know nothing reactionary fringe that wants to do away with a detailed and thorough examination of American History under the guise of protesting Critical Race Theory, prefers such subjects not be discussed in depth.

The same dilemma for history and social studies teachers exists when the subjects of racism towards groups like Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Southern/Eastern European Immigrants.

One law permits it.

The other one handcuffs those efforts.

Ducey’s mental disconnect and/or political opportunism in signing both bills has made life more difficult for teachers of history and the social sciences.

The teaching of accurate and detailed history to children should be the goal of all education stakeholders.

The Holocaust/Genocide Bill accomplishes that.

The ban on critical race theory, as the fringe know nothing reactionary right envisions it, does not.

History and social studies teachers need Ducey to explain his logic before the school year starts and give direction.

The clock is ticking Mr. Governor. Time to lead instead of cowering to your fringe base.