Rep. Jermaine Johnson to file bill that bans teaching about slave owners in South Carolina schools

Bill comes in response to Republicans’ attempt to restrict teaching Black history in classroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – January 24, 2023 – In response to an attempt by Republicans to censor the teaching of Black history under the guise of prohibiting “Critical Race Theory,” State Representative Jermaine Johnson (D-Hopkins) will file a bill banning schools from teaching about slave owners.

“If we’re afraid of teaching children about things that could cause discomfort, then we need to add slave owners to the list,” Johnson said. “Many people find this topic uncomfortable and upsetting, especially the grandparents of children who lived through the Civil Rights Movement and had relatives who were slaves themselves. We should protect our children from being exposed to this evil by sweeping it under the rug and never addressing it.”

This comes as the House Education and Public Works K-12 Subcommittee is set to hold a hearing on H.3728, a bill that would censor curriculum taught in the classroom and prevent teachers from discussing certain topics, what far-right members of the House call “Critical Race Theory.”