MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

White Missouri mom goes on long rant against critical race theory at school meeting, says 'I'm not racist'

'She is one of the most innocent little girls in the whole world, and she has friends, Black and white kids in her classroom, and she doesn’t see any difference'

Critical Race Theory is a touchy topic in the US right now. And one mother from Missouri went viral over the weekend after she insisted that she was not a racist despite her opposition to teaching children about racial justice.

Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a bill pushed by Republican state lawmakers that aims to outlaw teaching critical race theory in public schools. The Public Education Committee of the Texas House too passed a bill pushed by Republican State Rep Steve Toth that did the same — banned critical race theory from classrooms. 

READ MORE

Idaho Senate clears bill banning teaching of critical race theory in schools and universities, protests follow

What is Critical Race Theory? Here's why Republicans call it 'un-American' and want to ban it from schools

Even Missouri State Representative Nick Schroer introduced an amendment to House Bill 1141 that would bar school districts from teaching critical race theory. “Wednesday afternoon I sponsored the amendment to stop ‘critical race theory,’ including the erroneous and hate-filled 1619 Project, from being shoved into our curriculum in our Missouri schools. For those trying to push scare tactics claiming this is about ‘white washing’ history, you are dead wrong. This is about ensuring no one taints factual teaching of our American history,” said Schroer.

The effort to not expose students to education on racial justice is currently winning in several states. Yet, a Missouri woman felt compelled to make an emotional statement against it at a “community conversation” in Eureka, a city located in St Louis County.

During a discussion between parents at the Rockwood School District, one of the largest in the region, parents reportedly booed when one mother named Kelly O'Brien cited a survey that found that Black students did not feel comfortable attending Rockwood schools. “This is an echo chamber of White people,” she said. Nobody who shouted at her was reportedly escorted out.

“I drove here all the way from Clayton because critical race theory is rampant in the Clayton school district,” said one mother, who reportedly claimed that her daughter told her she doesn’t “want to be White anymore”. She called it “child abuse” to huge applause. 

Another mother also claimed her young daughter regretted being White. “She is one of the most innocent little girls in the whole world, and she has friends, Black and White kids in her classroom, and she doesn’t see any difference,” she said. “I have actually raised my kids to love people and accept people no matter what, and just because I don’t want critical race theory taught to my children at school doesn’t make me a racist, damnit.”

Online, this declaration was heavily shared with many calling the woman a racist. “These people don’t even know what Critical Race Theory even is. They just heard Fox News tell them it was their newest boogeyman and they lost their shit,” wrote a Twitter user. “People think that just because they aren’t going to Klan meetings or that they have black friends it means they are not racist,” said another Twitter user.

Former NBA player Rex Chapman tweeted, “What a time to be alive. Amazing to watch these folks come to terms with their racism publicly…” Another Twitter user said, “She’d rather her children be taught whitewashed american folklore instead so they can grow up ignorant and feel good about themselves.”

Funnily enough, Rockwood Assistant Superintendent Dr Shelley Willott said that critical race theory was actually not part of the curriculum. “Really what we're trying to do in curriculum, we're trying to present various perspectives. We're not saying that we support one or the other, we are just trying to engage in conversation about how different people think and how different people may see things,” she said. “I think it’s just really important that we have dialogue and we come to the table and have conversations.”