Missouri School Forum Gets Heated as Parents Push Back on Critical Race Theory Curriculum

On Friday, things got heated at a Rockwood School District meeting in Eureka, Missouri. 

Parents are upset with the school district for several reasons. Parents protested the new school year starting online in the fall. They were upset by administrators deciding to remove the “thin blue line” American flag image from high school baseball hats. And most recently, parents have been infuriated after a memo to teachers leaked telling educators to alter or hide some curriculum from parents. 

And that’s not all. White parents with children in the school district are pushing back on critical race theory taught in classrooms. Some are claiming that the district is teaching their children to feel shame about being white.

A clip of one outraged parent tearfully declaring that she is “not racist” has gone viral since being posted to the internet. Twitter users commented on the clip, calling her out on her racism, despite her denial. 

“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,” the woman told the audience. “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!”

A racist: pic.twitter.com/KxZcEpn5vY

— Gramps (@capetownbrown) May 1, 2021

One user tweeted, “If you cry at someone insinuating that you’re racist, you’re probably racist honestly.” 

If you cry at someone insinuating that you’re racist you’re probably racist honestly

— Molly🍉 (@MCD1890) May 2, 2021

While others commented on another viral clip from the same meeting showing a parent discussing her own experiences with racism. At the same time, a woman sits next to her, saying, “no, you haven’t,” while shaking her head.

Look at this old white lady disagreeing that someone else has had personal experience with racism. pic.twitter.com/auRxUWUd5i

— Gramps (@capetownbrown) May 2, 2021

The school district denies that critical race theory is part of the district’s lesson plans. 

“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,” Rockwood Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelley Willott told KSDK.