search
Sections List
American Journal News

Far-right lawmakers back bill that could ban teaching basic constitutional history

The House Freedom Caucus backs a bill that would cut off federal funding to anyone teaching about the full contents of America’s founding documents.

By Josh Israel - July 27, 2021
Share
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)

The far-right wing of the House Republican caucus endorsed a bill on Tuesday that would prohibit any federal funding for teaching about America’s racist history. If it were passed as written, the bill could be used to prohibit teaching about the most discriminatory provisions in the nation’s founding documents.

In an official statement, the House Freedom Caucus announced that it will “oppose any spending bill that does not defund Critical Race Theory (CRT) based trainings for federal employees.”

While critical race theory refers to a specific academic approach to examining the nation’s history and structure though the lens of the role racism has played and continues to play, Republicans have adopted the phrase as a catchall to use in opposing and obstructing any teaching about systemic racism.

The group also announced that it has “taken an official position in support of Rep. Dan Bishop’s Stop CRT Act,” referring to H.R. 3179, which Bishop (R-NC) introduced on May 13.

H.R. 3179 would ban federal funding to “any entity that teaches or advances” any of six concepts that fall under GOP definitions of critical race theory, including the ideas that “any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race”; that the U.S. “is a fundamentally racist country”; that the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence “are fundamentally racist documents”; and that “any individual, by virtue of his or her race, is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

Since its formation in 2015, dozens of the most hard-line conservative House Republicans have joined the Freedom Caucus. They claim to back “open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.” While no official roster has been published, many of its members have been identified, including its chair, Andy Biggs (AZ), and its vice chair, Jim Jordan (OH).

The proposal is co-sponsored by 61 other representatives — all Republicans.

While it is unclear how the law would be interpreted, the provision governing the founding documents could effectively bar teaching about the three-fifths compromise and other instances of racism in U.S. history.

The text of the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1787 and ratified in 1788, contained a clause saying that congressional seats would be apportioned on the basis of the total of “the whole number of free persons” and “three fifths of all other Persons” in each state, which gave greater political power to slave-holding states.

Earlier, anti-slavery language included by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence had been deleted before the declaration was voted on and adopted by the Continental Congress in 1776.

It did keep in a clause that called Native Americans “the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”

Spokespeople for Bishop and the Freedom Caucus did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether schools would lose funding if teachers were to teach their students about what was in the nation’s founding documents.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


AJ News
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Read More
Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

By Jesse Valentine - April 22, 2025
Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

By Jesse Valentine - March 26, 2025
PEN America: Florida removed more library books than any state last year

PEN America: Florida removed more library books than any state last year

By Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix - November 01, 2024
Amid fraught landscape, school districts react differently to transgender sports ban law

Amid fraught landscape, school districts react differently to transgender sports ban law

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - October 04, 2024
Federal judge dismisses challenge to Tennessee law barring K-12 trans kids from restrooms of choice

Federal judge dismisses challenge to Tennessee law barring K-12 trans kids from restrooms of choice

By Anita Wadhwani, Tennessee Lookout - September 27, 2024
NC superintendent candidate Morrow called for mass arrests, enacting Insurrection Act in 2021 video

NC superintendent candidate Morrow called for mass arrests, enacting Insurrection Act in 2021 video

By Galen Bacharier, NC Newsline - August 12, 2024
AJ News
Latest
Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

By Jesse Valentine - April 22, 2025
Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

By Jesse Valentine - April 21, 2025
“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

By Bonnie Fuller - April 21, 2025
Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

By Jesse Valentine - April 17, 2025
Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

By Jesse Valentine - April 16, 2025
North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

By Jesse Valentine - April 11, 2025
Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

By Jesse Valentine - April 09, 2025
Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

By Jesse Valentine - April 08, 2025
Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

By Jesse Valentine - March 28, 2025
Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

By Jesse Valentine - March 26, 2025
GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

By Jesse Valentine - March 18, 2025
HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

By Jesse Valentine - March 11, 2025
Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

By Jesse Valentine - March 10, 2025
Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

By - February 28, 2025
Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

By Jesse Valentine - February 27, 2025
Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2025
Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

By Jesse Valentine - February 13, 2025
JD Vance defends DOGE staffer who promoted eugenics 

JD Vance defends DOGE staffer who promoted eugenics 

By Jesse Valentine - February 10, 2025