GOP’s Robinson tells Moms for Liberty he wants to get DEI out of schools, government
The gubernatorial candidate calls for replacing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with his own brand of DEI. Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson has made a rare appearance at the North Carolina Legislative Building to speak to the conservative group Moms for Liberty, where he aims to replace the term DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, with more eliminations. Robinson, who is now the lieutenant governor of the state, stated that these agendas need to be removed from schools and government. He also proposed a plan to replace DEI with something called "discipline, excellence and intelligence," which he believes is destroying systems across the nation. The group was cheered by Robinson as he praised them for standing up for "what is right". The group's vice chair, Jessica Lewis, said she plans to fight the Wake County School Board for basic reading and writing and math literacy for her children. Robinson's victory would make him the state’s first Black governor if he wins.
Veröffentlicht : vor 10 Monaten durch T. Keung Hui, Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan in Politics
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson made a rare appearance at the North Carolina Legislative Building on Wednesday to speak to the conservative group Moms for Liberty, telling them he wants to replace DEI.
DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, and has been targeted by Republicans so far in the UNC System, which is eliminating DEI programs. Robinson wants more such eliminations.
“These agendas need to be removed from our schools,” Robinson told the Moms for Liberty members. “They need to be removed from our government. We need to get back to back to doing what we do best.”
Robinson, who is now the lieutenant governor, said that DEI standing for diversity, equity and inclusion “sounds nice, but we all know, it’s wrecking systems all across the nation, all across the state.”
“Well, I’ve got a plan to replace DEI with something I call DEI,” Robinson said. “My version of DEI is not diversity, equity and inclusion. My version of DEI is something ... this nation, this state, our institutions need to bring back.. ... It’s what we used to search for in this country: ... discipline, excellence and intelligence.”
He was met with cheers from the crowd.
Robinson praised Moms for Liberty for “standing up for what is right.”
The ultra-conservative group of mothers arose during pandemic school closures for its opposition to mask requirements in schools, as well as what members call indoctrination in schools.
Jessica Lewis, a parent of two children in the Wake County school system, is vice chair of the Wake County chapter of Moms for Liberty. She told The News & Observer that she liked Robinson’s speech because he “stands for parental rights. Everything that we believe in the school systems, getting the indoctrination away from the kids and gender ideologies. He’s a strong lieutenant governor right now and I hope he is our next governor.”
She claimed that DEI “is hurting our kids” and said she plans to fight the Wake County School Board “until they get the basics of reading and writing and math for my kids, and get DEI and CRT, social-emotional learning, out of the equation.”
The Moms for Liberty group was there for a legislative advocacy day. Last year on that day, they were at the lieutenant governor’s office a block away.
Brooke Weiss, the Mecklenburg County chapter chair of Moms for Liberty, said that in addition to speaking at their legislative day a year ago, Robinson also attended the group’s national summit last year.
“He’s always supported us,” Weiss said. “I don’t even think we gave him a copy of our legislative agenda. But we like him, because he talks about a lot of the same things that we talk about.”
As he has in previous speeches, Robinson talked about “certain subjects and certain things that have no place” in schools. Though he was not specific in this speech beyond DEI, in the past he has accused teachers of indoctrinating students to support LGBTQ+ people and previously was behind anti-Critical Race Theory legislation that would regulate how race is taught in schools.
Robinson is the first Black lieutenant governor and would be the state’s first Black governor if he wins this fall. His opponent is Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein.
“Children are not supposed to be learning about adult topics. In our schools, they’re supposed to be taught to read and write and do mathematics,” Robinson said. “We are supposed to be teaching them about civics and real history and financial literacy and getting them career ready.”
Robinson, whose job as lieutenant governor is to preside over the Senate, did not go inside for the Senate session, nor did he take questions from reporters after speaking to the group and taking photos with them.
Themen: GOP