Former Texas Principal Who Was Forced To Resign Over Critical Race Theory Runs For State Board Of Education
James Whitfield—the man who was the first Black principal at Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas, but was placed on administrative leave and later forced to resign because a white fragility-infused parent claimed, without evidence, that he was promoting “conspiracy theory of systemic racism” via critical race theory—is not done fighting to preserve non-whitewashed education in the Lone Star state. Now that Whitfield is out of the principal’s office, he has his sights set on a seat on Texas’ State Board of Education.
The Dallas Morning News reported that “Whitfield filed as a Democrat earlier this month to challenge Republican Pat Hardy to represent North Texas, according to state records.”
The state board will reportedly be tasked with reviewing the social studies curriculum for schools in District 11, which includes parts of Tarrant, Parker and Dallas counties, and that means board members will be squabbling over how the subjects of race and American history will be taught in K-12 schools.
WATCH: Texas principal James Whitfield become one of the most prominent casualties in the fight over race and education when he was removed from his job.
@ahylton26: “Psychologically, what’s that like?’
Whitfield: “There is the part of me that goes, you know … ‘Why? Why me?’” pic.twitter.com/7isgzTcqAo
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 24, 2021
Obviously, in a state that has already passed anti-Critical Race Theory legislation that dropped requirements for educators to teach the works of Martin Luther King Jr., and that the Ku Klux Klan was “morally wrong,” among other things, Whitfield is looking at an uphill battle to be elected onto the board.
The Morning News noted that in July, before he was ousted from his school for not bowing to white fear, Whitfield defended himself in a lengthy Facebook post in which he essentially declared that CRT isn’t the problem, white people with their Klan-derwear all in a bunch are.
Dr. James Whitfield, the first Black principal at Colleyville Heritage High School, was removed from his position amidst tensions over race and education.@ahylton26 speaks with Whitfield about the decision. pic.twitter.com/wcmBnYc7ZG
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) November 10, 2021
“I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman,” Whitfield wrote. “I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be.”
Yep—that’s pretty much the long and short of it. Here’s wishing Whitfield good luck on getting himself on the board. Texas truly needs him.
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