MIDDLEBURG – You won’t see Critical Race Theory nor the 1619 Project used in one Valley school district. Midd-West School District recently banned them from the classroom. School board President Victor Abate says the district passed a resolution at its June 14 board meeting stating it won’t allow use of the two increasingly controversial materials.
Experts tell us, Critical Race Theory is an academic movement of civil-rights scholars and activists who seek to critically examine U.S. law as it intersects with issues of race in the U.S. The 1619 project is an ongoing initiative from The New York Times Magazine that began in August 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of narrative.
Abate says district parents and some church pastors came to the board with deep concerns about a month and a half ago. He agreed, saying Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project don’t have a place in district curriculum and the board won’t let the district be politicized. He says most parents, teachers and administrators in the district have shown positive support since the resolution passed.
