Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has realized that the only way to win the battle against critical race theory is by exposing and debunking the ideological foundation upon which it has been built: the idea that equality is determined by outcome rather than opportunity.
Less than a week after signing an executive order banning the teaching of the theory in Virginia’s public schools, Youngkin gutted the state’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He asked all of its employees to resign and appointed Angela Sailor, a former Heritage Foundation executive who has been critical of CRT, to take charge of it. As one of her first acts in the new role, Sailor changed her title from “chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer” to “chief diversity, opportunity, and inclusion officer.”
This distinction between “equity” and “opportunity” is vital. “Equity” might sound nonthreatening, but it’s the basis of the toxic racialism that critical race theorists are pushing. It represents a new understanding of racial equality, one that considers every single disparity to be the result of inherent and systemic racism, and any hesitance to correct those disparities to be, by default, an extension of that racism. Consider Ibram X. Kendi’s theory of “anti-racism,” which claims that it is not enough for a person to oppose racism. That person must also be an anti-racist, meaning he must acknowledge and apologize for the “privileges” he enjoys and be willing to give those “privileges” up for the sake of leftist “social justice.”
When applied, this theory results in actual discrimination. In Virginia’s Loudoun County, for example, school officials created a “Student Equity Ambassador Program” that explicitly excluded white students from the application process. A sane culture would consider that unfair. But under CRT’s new standard of “equity,” that’s exactly what equality is supposed to look like.
That’s why it’s so important Youngkin and Sailor are purging the concept of “equity,” right down to the word itself, from the state. Critical race theory will continue to spread throughout our culture unless we return to the American ideas of fairness and equality and the belief that every person is entitled to the exact same rights and opportunities, and whatever he makes of those opportunities is up to him.
It’s encouraging to see Virginia take charge on this issue. We should hope other states follow suit.