Pennsylvania GOP is trying to 'cancel' critical race theory academics, critics point out


A Pennsylvania bill aimed at preventing critical race theory from being taught in schools would also reportedly seek to ban universities from hosting speakers or assigning readings discussing certain ideas.
Pennsylvania's House Bill 1532 was introduced earlier this month, and it seeks to ban the teaching of concepts that Republican lawmakers' "trace to critical race theory," the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The bill received newfound attention on Friday after Acadia University lecturer Jeffrey Sachs dug into it on Twitter, writing that "not only does it prohibit universities from promoting any of the usual forbidden concepts, it also prohibits them from hosting speakers or assigning readings that do."
The bill states that postsecondary institutions shall not "host, pay or provide a venue for a speaker who espouses, advocates or promotes any racist or sexist concept" or assign "learning material that espouses, advocates or promotes a racist or sexist concept." It defines these concepts as including ideas such as that "an individual, by virtue of race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive," that "an individual, by virtue of the individual's race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by members of the individual's race or sex," that "an individual should receive favorable treatment due to the individual's race or sex," and that "the United States of America or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is fundamentally racist or sexist."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Atlantic's David French criticized the law as "blatantly unconstitutional," while NBC News' Benjy Sarlin wrote, "Remember when students blocking controversial speakers was the big story about 10 culture wars ago? Anyway, here's a bill to ban speakers who advocate something as controversial as affirmative action." Vox co-founder Matthew Yglesias echoed that sentiment, writing, "The 'cancel culture' discourse has genuinely gone full circle," adding that "the notion that a university should be forbidden from assigning students a putatively racist text to read for any reason is deeply problematic."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants