Gov. Sanders claps back at Arkansas school district over teachers filling out White privilege survey

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An Arkansas high school gave a survey to teachers compelling them to reject privileges that come with being White during a mandatory training last month.

The survey, "Cultural Competency Continuum: Knowledge, Behaviors, and Dispositions for Educators," was given out during a required teacher-led professional development training and wouldn't be distributed further, according to a letter sent by Fayetteville Public Schools Superintendent John L. Colbert. The survey may have violated Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' ban on critical race theory, according to the letter.

"My administration will not tolerate this kind of CRT and indoctrination in our public schools," Sanders told Fox News.

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A local Mom's for Liberty chapter tweeted photos of the four-section survey, which the group received from a teacher. 

In the Analyze and Align section, participants were asked if they reject "any privileges that come with white racial identity" and if they "advocate for cultural competency and social justice effectively and professionally."

In the "Awaken and Assess" participants were asked if they are aware of their own privileges, stereotypes and biases.

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Sarah Huckabee Sanders, governor of Arkansas, speaks while unveiling the Arkansas LEARNS education bill at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Apply and Act section asked the participants if they regularly examine data about the gender, race, ethnicity and language of their students to "monitor and manage equitable access and support services." It also asked if they allow students to raise the awareness of teachers "by questioning bias assumptions or behaviors observed in our school environment."

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The survey asked if participants are "brave equity warriors."

"We've already reached out to the district to ensure no teacher is forced to sign this pledge," Sanders told Fox News. "We’re making sure it doesn’t happen again. We will teach kids how to think, not what to think."

In one of her first acts as governor, Sanders issued a ban on teaching critical race theory in schools. Colbert, in his letter, wrote that the Arkansas Department of Education determined that the survey violates that ban.

Amy Carney speaks on behalf of parents during a protest against critical race theory being taught at Scottsdale Unified School District before a digital school board meeting at Coronado High School in Scottsdale on May 24, 2021. (Reuters)

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"Based on this guidance," Fayetteville Public Schools "will ensure this survey is not further disseminated," Colbert wrote. He said all future professional development materials will be reviewed to ensure compliance.

"The survey was not required or collected, but it was used as a self-reflection tool," Colbert added.

The Moms for Liberty group called the pledge outrageous on Twitter.

"This survey compels teachers to acknowledge that, if white, they are biased, racist, & privilege," the group tweeted. "The survey does not measure IF a teacher is racist and privileged but rather how far down the racist and privileged continuum their answers rate them."

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"If there was any question about the presence of CRT in our district, this survey removes all doubt," the group added.

The Fayetteville Public School District did not respond to a request for comment.

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