March 10, 2023

Even Republicans Are Fed Up With Anti-CRT Hysteria

In rural Colorado, three conservative school board members quit after persistent complaints about CRT.

An anti-critical race theory protester in New MexicoEddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal/Zuma

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What if there is nothing to panic about? This week, three conservative school board members in a rural Colorado district threatened to resign because of critical race theory. Not because they fear it. But, instead, because they’re sick of the fear-mongering about it.

The three board members in Elizabeth, Colorado (population: 1,675), say that critical race theory is not taught in schools, but that community members have brought up the issue relentlessly. At a February 13 school board meeting, Elizabeth High School principal Bret McClendon addressed Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth, the two school board members who have launched a crusade against CRT, telling them to “stop chasing ghosts.”

“We are not teaching critical race theory at Elizabeth High School,” McClendon said, according to the local Elbert County News. “Nor are we indoctrinating kids about non-traditional lifestyles. We are teaching kids skills to be successful when they leave us. But the work we are doing is being hampered by claims of CRT and LGBTQ agendas in our schools.”

Earlier this year, the conservative, Christian principal of one of the town’s elementary schools announced her resignation, effective June 30, amid what she characterizes as a harassment campaign from Olsen and Booth.

School board president Cary Karcher has also had enough. “I am a conservative,” he said. “I’m upset about [CRT] too. I don’t want it to come into the district, but I don’t want this conversation to happen week after week after week either.”

This week, the district confirmed that Karcher was one of the three school board members who planned to resign, effective March 14. If the three members move forward with their resignations, only Olsen and Booth will remain on the board, leaving the school district without a quorum. Booth is also currently facing a recall campaign. The district’s communications director, Jason Hackett, called the situation “unprecedented.”

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

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