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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

SD's Noem Issues Executive Order Surrounding Race Curriculum

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Wednesday, April 6, 2022   

Despite legislative pushback, South Dakota is moving forward with plans viewed as limiting certain teachings about race in public schools.

Gov. Kristi Noem has issued an executive order, renewing concerns from opponents and also raising questions. On Tuesday, Noem announced a ban on Critical Race Theory, an academic concept geared for college settings that explores the influence of racism in U.S. institutions. Conservative states have used it as a symbol for proposing bans in K-through-12 schools.

Janna Farley, communications director for ACLU of South Dakota, said she sees Noem's actions as running counter to academic freedom.

"Instead of encouraging learning," she said, "it just seems like this executive order will have a chilling effect on academic freedom."

The order directs the Department of Education to review materials and standards and ensure they don't include "divisive concepts" on race. Noem likened the issue to political indoctrination, but other opponents of her plan have noted it's limited to the education department, and that school boards still have leeway to craft curriculum. A bill Noem proposed for this effort recently was rejected by a state Senate panel.

No matter the scope of the order, Farley said these actions still wtill have teachers looking over their shoulders, asking, "Is a parent or someone in the community going to get upset about some discussion that they had in their classroom, (and) report a teacher?"

She said the move adds more political fire to the delayed process of updating social studies standards. Indigenous South Dakotans condemned the proposed removal of certain Native American references, prompting the delay. And although the Legislature rejected Noem's "divisive concepts" bill, it did approve a separate measure that bans public colleges and universities from taking part in orientations and training the state describes as "divisive."


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