At their recent meeting the Michigan Civil Rights Commission passed a resolution calling for academic freedom and opposition to censorship in Michigan’s public schools.
“Students have the right to a complete, accurate and truthful education, especially on issues with serious societal implications and ramifications,” said Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. “The Michigan Civil Rights Commission is committed to academic freedom and an equitable, comprehensive and historically exact education for all of Michigan’s children.”
The Commission specifically pointed to two bills introduced in the state legislature – SB 460, which would ban teaching of Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project, and HB 5097, that censors classroom speech and classifies race and gender variables as “stereotypes.”
The resolution closes by reaffirming the Commission’s support of “academic freedom in Michigan public schools” and its opposition to SB 460 and HB 5097, and “any and all legislation that promotes censorship and book banning.”
“These bills are anathema to our core principles of truth, justice and fairness. Teachers are trained to deliver fact-based and accurate information, which is essential for students to grow into informed and engaged adults in our society,” said Chair Clayton. “Their teachings should be factual with no ethnicities, languages, races, or cultures removed.”
To read the complete text of the resolution passed by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, visit https://bit.ly/3HX14z2
