Governor Tate Reeves today signed Senate Bill 2113, which ensures that no Mississippi student will be forced to affirm that “any sex, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.”

The bill limits schools, community colleges or universities from teaching CRT. According to the Associated Press, critical race theory is an academic framework that examines how racism has shaped public policy and institutions such as the legal system, and how those have perpetuated the dominance of white people in society.

In his bill signing video, Reeves places fault on the “radical left” and media for the misinformation on CRT. He said students are being taught progressive fundamentalism that contrasts what the United States stands for.

“Across the country, we’re seeing a full-court press by a vocal minority of well-organized and well-funded activists who seek to tear down the unity that has helped make our country great,” said Reeves. The goal of the anti-CRT legislation is to make sure students receive unbiased and impartial information.

Mississippi Center Public Policy President & CEO Douglas Carswell said he was delighted that the Governor signed the bill into law.

“Critical race theory is an extremist ideology,” said Carswell in a press release. “Critical race theory maintains that the United States is founded on racial supremacy and oppression. Rather than treating each of us as an individual, it invites us to re-racialize every aspect of our lives.”

The MCPP President states that the bill does not ban the teaching of history but opponents of the bill worry that the lack of definitions of what is categorized as Critical Race Theory can be used to water down history.

“Contrary to some of the claims that have been made, our bill does not ban the teaching of history,” he said. “Nor does it undermine the teaching of the history of the Civil Rights movement. Our bill seeks to ensure that public schools and universities do not ‘compel students to personally affirm’ that ‘any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.”

Democratic Representative Zakiya Summers of Jackson said she has been told by some colleagues that the bill does nothing substantial but it gives them a talking point at election time.

“Censoring teachers, dismantling education bit by bit, attempting to erase the past, refusing to acknowledge the hurt and the horror and the heinous acts that have been done to my people and then hiding behind this ‘inferior versus superior’ argument — that’s what this bill will do,” Summers said.