Critical race theory not taught in Horry schools. Why did the board ban it anyway?

The Horry County School Board passed a resolution Monday night banning critical race theory in Horry County classrooms.

The resolution was passed with a 11 to 1 vote. Board member Janet Graham was the sole no vote on the resolution.

Critical race theory, a graduate-level concept of viewing America’s history through the lens of racism, is not currently taught in any South Carolina K-12 classroom. So why pass a resolution in the first place?

Unlike school board meetings across the country in recent months and years when COVID-19, mask mandates and critical race theory have been hot button issues, the attendance at the meeting was small. There were more than a dozen seats open and no one in the overflow room.

After the resolution, that does not change anything taking place in schools and is seen by many as politicizing school boards, there was no reaction from the crowd.

Here’s why Horry County School Board banned critical race theory

Ken Richardson, chairman of the Horry County school board for a few more meetings, said that resolution was not political.

“I’m four months away from not being the school board chairman anymore,” said Richardson, during discussion of the resolution. “So I don’t have to watch what I say anymore. I’m not running for office, it’s not political. I can say what I want, and I can do what I want. And you don’t have to like it. And you can murder me on Facebook and social media, anywhere you want to, because I don’t need to read it anymore.”

After addressing critical race theory several times in the past, Richardson said a resolution will make Horry County’s stance more clear. Critical race theory is again, not taught in Horry County Schools.

“I can assure you, in the last six to eight months, I’ve been asked about this about a thousand times,” Richardson said. Richardson’s term is up in four months, will be replaced by David Cox. Richardson explained that he wanted to “put it to rest.”

Graham, Horry County board member from District 7, did not vote for the resolution at Monday’s meeting. She pointed out before the vote that neither Horry County or the state of South Carolina has ever taught critical race theory in classrooms before.

“I just felt like there was too much gray area, and if the state has already passed a proviso, why should we come back and regurgitate it?” Graham said. “There’s just a lot of gray area.”

Generally, critical race theory is taught in high-level graduate philosophy classes and law classes. Several bills in the South Carolina House and senate — such as H4799, propose banning any tenant of critical race theory from being taught in South Carolina school.

Although critical race theory is not taught in South Carolina, it remains a nationwide controversial topic for higher education.

Todd Scholl, professional policy and teaching fellow at the South Carolina Education Association, told the The Sun News in previous reporting that signing legislation into place that bans critical race theory could cause teachers to leave classrooms.

“I think as a teacher, what it does is send a message of disrespect, that we don’t trust you to handle these types of conversations,” Scholl said in March.

The Horry County School District’s board meetings are open to the public and are streamed online. The meeting was held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Horry County School District office, located at 335 Four Mile Road.

This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 12:27 PM.