Republican Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) compared Critical race theory to the “klansmen in white sheets” during a speech at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Road to Majority Conference on Friday.
“It is a lie,” Cruz said of critical race theory. “And it is every bit as racist as the Klansmen in white sheets.”
“Critical race theory says every white person is a racist,” Cruz said. “Critical race theory says America is fundamentally racist and irredeemably racist. Critical race theory seeks to turn us against each other.”
Critical race theory is an academic legal concept that advances the idea that students should learn about how racism shaped American society.
The central idea is that racism is a social construct, and that it is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies.
A number of states have taken steps to ban schools from teaching critical race theory in the classroom.
According to the Hill, more than 20 states, including Arizona, Arkansas and Texas, have enacted legislation to prevent it from being a part of the curriculum in public schools.
