Senate Leader Phil Berger, along with Sens. Michael Lee, and Brad Overcash, filed Senate Bill 227, “Eliminating ‘DEI’ in Public Education,” to prohibit promoting discriminatory policies and practices in public schools.

Senate Bill 227 reinforces the need for schools to focus on the core curriculum, foster a learning environment that respects and acknowledges those with differing opinions, and allow the freedom of speech and association to flourish in a K-12 setting.

The bill seeks to remove divisive concepts and discriminatory practices from public education, including prohibiting instruction on those topics, compelling students or staff to profess a belief in divisive topics, and ensuring that professional development doesn’t include those topics.

The bill would not prevent schools from teaching history, so long as the instruction is impartial.

“We cannot teach our nation’s history without acknowledging our past,” Sen. Berger said. “But we can teach history without forcing our educators and students to embrace and adopt ideologies inconsistent with equality.” 

Senate Bill 227 defines 12 specific divisive concepts, including the concepts that one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; an individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive; an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; and an individual’s moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex. 

“We want our educators to be equipped to teach our children in an environment that encourages students to speak freely and ask questions without judgment,” Sen. Lee said. “This bill removes divisive concepts and discriminatory practices from all aspects of public education and ensures our schools can focus on teaching our children, not indoctrinating them.” 

Further, it prohibits schools from having a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office, division, designated employee, or any other similar unit. 

“Parents of public school students, like myself, want their children to graduate prepared to follow their dreams and find gainful employment,” Sen. Overcash said. “Senate Bill 227 sends a strong message to public school families that their schools will be committed to educational excellence and success.”

Related: Rep. Jones Introduces Bill to Remove DEI from State Government

Photo above of Senate Leader Phil Berger by Travis Long for the Raleigh News & Observer