Mississippi News’ faculty Senate passed Friday’s resolution opposing legislation to ban critical race theory teaching in Mississippi. The largest historically Black university in Mississippi is the first to publicly condemn efforts by the Legislature for limiting discussion of race in K-12 and college classrooms. The Jan. 27 resolution states that the faculty senate “resolutely rejects all attempts by bodies outside the faculty to restrict and dictate university curriculum on any subject matter, including matters related racial or social justice, and will stand strong against encroachment by the legislature and the Boards of Trustees on faculty authority.” This month, every Black senator from Mississippi walked out of the Senate when SB 2113 was passed. Although the bill’s title states that it will “prohibit critical race theory,” the bill’s language is much more expansive and states that no public school, public college, or university can “restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice.” This resolution states that these bills would prevent Jackson State faculty members from fulfilling their mission to provide quality education for students from diverse communities. The resolution specifically denounces the House bill’s definition of “divisive concept”, which the faculty senate described as “indeterminate and subjective” and “chills the capacity of educators… to explore a wide range of topics based upon subjective criteria that are inapposite to the goals of education, the development of essential critical think skills, and the pursuit of knowledge in 21st century.” The resolution asks Jackson State’s administration to oppose anti-critical race theory legislation. The resolution states that many students lack adequate knowledge about BIPOC history and LGBTQI history in a country that has struggled for centuries with issues of racism and injustice. “Jackson State University is obligated and has the opportunity to promote equity and social justice.”