Nonprofit Mississippi News The Legislature is considering a bill to ban critical race theory. Tuesday’s vote by the University of Mississippi’s faculty senator was 32-8. After about an hour of discussion over whether language should be included that was outside the scope of the faculty senate, the resolution was passed 32-8. This vote is part of a coordinated effort of the United Faculty Senate Association of Mississippi. It includes every Mississippi State University. Tuesday night, Daniel Durkin, chair, informed UM’s faculty senate. The University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State University have both passed similar resolutions in the last month. (MSU also passed a resolution on academic freedom on February 11, which addressed recent threats to HBCUs. Other faculty senators across the state will be considering measures to affirm academic freedom as the House examines Senate Bill 2113. Durkin stated that the UFSA of Mississippi will pass its own resolution with more specific language if the bill gets signed into law. Scott MacKenzie (a professor of English) said that the resolution was “the minimum” that UM’s faculty senate could do to oppose SB 2113 and other similar efforts by the Legislature during discussion. MacKenzie stated that “whatever we do or do not do will have no impact on the Legislature, but it is significant for students as well as faculty who are asking why we haven’t spoken against it.” Although the majority of senators voted for the resolution, the debate centered on two paragraphs. These expressed support for “our K-12 community college colleagues in Mississippi” and affirmed a Joint Statement on Efforts To Restrict Education About Racism, which was authored by the American Association of University Professors (PEN America) and other groups. Some faculty senators stated that members of their departments were concerned that the paragraphs diluted what they considered the main purpose of the resolution, which was to support academic freedom in higher educational. READ MORE: Senate committee passes anti-CRT bill. Opponents claim that faculty should adopt the unilateral position that they reject any outside authority trying regulate curriculum. Brian Reithel is a professor in management information systems. He said that he was “in favor of doing this as broadly as possible rather than becoming too micro-focused that it loses long-term substantial worth to the University of Mississippi’s academic enterprise.” Carrie McCormick is a professor in Carrie McCormick’s department of rhetoric. McCormick also criticized a part of the resolution calling on Provost Noel Wilkin and Chancellor Glenn Boyce to “affirm that they reject and will resist any attempts by external bodies to restrict or dictate university curricula on any matter.” The resolution was supported by most faculty members. Some faculty members said that they believed it was important to “stand in solidarity” with public school teachers because students carry the assumptions they learn in K-12 schools into college and university classrooms. Yvette Butler is a professor at UM’s School of Law. However, she is not a faculty senator. She was however invited to speak on this resolution as she teaches the only class in UM that is exclusively dedicated to critical race theory. She explained that she has taught undergraduates with limited knowledge of the Civil Rights or Reconstruction eras. She said that some of her students were still being taught about the “War of Northern Aggression.” Butler stated that this creates an environment where she must focus on getting students up to speed so that they can “get to talk about the law as opposed straight up history.” Robert Barnard, a philosophy professor, also opposed the two paragraphs. He urged faculty members to come to an agreement on the resolution. Barnard stated that a divided vote could give the impression there is a serious disagreement among faculty members about these issues. One professor who voted against the resolution lamented that they couldn’t even correct the typos.
According to a Daily Mississippian report, Tuesday also saw the UM Associated Student Body vote to reject SB 2113.