CISD Director of Communications Sarah Blakelock said critical race theory is not taught at CISD.
“Conroe ISD teaches the State-mandated Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills,” Blakelock said in an email following the meeting. “These standards can be viewed on the Texas Education Agency’s website.”
Critical race theory involves the view that law and legal institutions are inherently racist and that race itself is a socially constructed concept used by white people to promote white supremacy at the expense of people of color.
A total of 20 people were signed up to speak at the meeting, of which more than a dozen spoke on the topic.
Among the public comments at the meeting was Cathie Locetta, who said she hoped the theory would not be taught at CISD.
“CRT is an agenda-driven philosophy, and it has no place in Texas or in the American classrooms,” Locetta said.
Another speaker, Matthew Russel, said he believes the theory teaches people to hate.
“It dehumanizes people solely based on their skin color, and that is it,” Russell said. “We can not teach our kids to hate. We have to teach our kids to love and come together. Do not wait on Gov. [Greg] Abbott to pass a bill ... do it here. We want to see leadership from you.”
CISD is not the only school in the Greater Houston region to discuss critical race theory in recent months. In February, Clear Creek ISD modified its policies to effectively prohibit the theory from being taught in its classrooms.
No action was taken following the public comments, as the item was not on the board’s agenda for the meeting.
