A couple weeks ago, right-wing Republican Stafford County Supervisor Gary Snellings pledged to “bring back to the next meeting [in two weeks] a resolution by the Board stating our opposition to ‘Critical Race Theory’, the request to identify pronouns from students…I’ll ask the Board to look at it and pass it, and I’d like to tie that to funding…any money that’s used for this type of instruction be withheld by the Board.”
Well, last night, he did just that, and it passed by a 6-0 vote, with one member (Tinesha Allen) absent. See below for video of what went down, including public comment (starting at 5 minutes in), the Board discussion (starting at 2:01:48, and which was full of lies, distortions, fear mongering, demagoguery, etc.), and the unanimous vote. First, though, check out the resolution that was debated and approved last night, entitled, “A RESOLUTION DENOUNCING THE 1619 PROJECT, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AND STUDENT PRONOUN SELECTION BEING TAUGHT OR USED IN STAFFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.” A few “highlights” (in air quotes) from this appalling resolution:
- It’s very clear that the genesis of this was “communications from parents, students, and concerned constituents”
- “…the Board does not support the teaching of the 1619 Project and CRT and related principles in Stafford County Public Schools, nor does it support the students of Stafford County Public Schools being requested to identify their chosen pronouns“
- “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Stafford County Board of
Supervisors on this the 21st day of September, 2021, that it be and herby [sic] does
denounce the teaching of the 1619 Project and critical race theory (CRT) and related principles in Stafford County Public Schools; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board does not support students of Stafford County Public Schools being requested to identify their chosen pronouns.”
So basically, they voted to condemn things they don’t understand, which pose zero threat to students, which aren’t even taught in the school system, etc. Brilliant. Also, as Fredericksburg Democratic Committee Chair Caitlin Bennett points out:
“Last night the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted to ban the teaching of CRT and the @The1619Project in @SCPSchools. What they probably don’t know is the 1619 has an article about the Fredericksburg Slave Auction Block – so they have banned teaching local history too.“
By the way, Amazon recently announced “it is opening a 200,000-square-foot delivery facility in late September on 61 acres near [Stafford] county’s airport to serve the Fredericksburg region.” In light of this disgraceful, anti-LGBTQ, racist resolution by the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, what if anything does Amazon have to say? Of course, this is the same company in which “dozens of Amazon employees detailed allegations of racial bias and discrimination on the job — and many of them said the company’s HR department was part of the problem.” This is also the same company which officially pledges that it is “committed to ensuring the people, workers, and communities that support our entire value chain are treated with fundamental dignity and respect” and which states that it is “committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.” So…any thoughts on what the Stafford County Board of Supervisors passed last night, Amazon?
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