(PHOENIX, AZ, 6/28/2022) – The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Arizona), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the shelving of a bill prohibiting anti-racism teaching in that state’s schools.
SEE: Arizona Critical Race Theory Bill on the Shelf as Legislature Adjourns
This is the second time lawmakers have been unable to enact a ban on anti-racism teaching.
Last month, CAIR-Arizona decried the Arizona House of Representatives’ approval of the bill.
Senate Bill 1412, based on the manufactured controversy nationwide over so-called “critical race theory” (CRT), would have banned teachers from using language that promotes or advocates for blame or judgment based on race, gender or ethnicity. Schools that violate the proposed law could be fined up to $5,000. Experts say CRT is not taught in Arizona schools.
“We welcome the shelving of this counterproductive and unnecessary legislation and hope that in the future lawmakers will focus their efforts on passing bills that are of true benefit to our state’s residents,” said CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif.
Abuseif noted that CAIR has previously condemned efforts to ban anti-racism teaching nationwide.
According to the American Bar Association, “CRT recognizes that racism is not a bygone relic of the past. Instead, it acknowledges that the legacy of slavery, segregation, and the imposition of second-class citizenship on Black Americans and other people of color continue to permeate the social fabric of this nation.”
SEE: A Lesson on Critical Race Theory
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 602-349-1572, aabuseif@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com