The reasons why Critical Race Theory discussions have resurfaced over the past year differ. What is clear is that it’s making rounds in Eastern North Carolina, recently stopping in Onslow County at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night.
Protestors with a group called ACT Right of NC gathered 45 minutes before the start of the meeting to protest over the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Onslow public schools. The protest took place outside the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center in Jacksonville.
Organized by the group’s President Steven Reed, their purpose was to be proactive while explaining the group “does not accept indoctrination or tolerate the teaching of CRT in Onslow County or in the country”.
“Critical race theory” advocates for civil rights and banning discrimination. Proponents see it as a framework to examine how the taint of racism still affects Black Americans and other people of color in matters ranging from who gets bank loans and admission into elite universities to how suspects are treated by police.
For the ones protesting, they believe CRT is discrimination itself and are against the idea of one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.
“I am thinking of the future, we don’t want our kids being taught that one race is better than another,” said Vice President of ACT Right of NC Debbie Mazzocchi. “We are all Americans here and that is what we should be concentrating on. It shouldn’t be about you’re black, you’re white, you’re rich you’re poor, that’s not how I was raised.”
Reed furthered Mazzocchi’s comments by adding even though there isn’t a problem in Onslow directly, the group of seven wanted to make sure that the BOE knew they were there to hold them accountable if the time for those discussions came.
