Photo:Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Republican Sen.Markwayne Mullinbacktracked after saying he doesn’t want “reality” when it comes to teaching children about race.
The remark came during a recent Senate hearing about child care.
At one point, Mullin asked a panel whether children should learn about Jesus or about racism, specifically pointing to a children’s book calledOur Skin: A First Conversation about Raceto try and demonstrate his point.
Mullin then said: “This would be taught if we socialize our pre-K system, this would be.”
“How about we teach ‘Jesus Loves Me’?” he continued, adding: “The lyrics go, ‘Red and yellow, black and white. They’re all precious in our sight.'”
When it came time for Cheryl Morman, president of the Virginia Alliance for Family Child Care Associations, to respond to Mullin’s emotive speech, she said, “I disagree. First, it is important that we teach Jesus and Jesus is what we teach…"
Mullin then interjected, asking Morman to simply choose between the book about race and the song about Jesus: “So which one is better?”
When Morman attempted to respond, saying, “The reality is…” Mullin interjected once more, saying: “I don’t want reality, I’m asking the question: Which one is better?”
Mullin’s comment immediately prompted laughter for seeming to discredit his argument, with one voice heard off-camera saying, “Got it on tape.”
Mullin — a former plumbing company owner who hasdabbled in cage fighting— has courted controversy since his 2022 election to the Senate (he won aspecial electionto serve the remainder of longtime Sen. Jim Inhofe’s term). At least some of that controversy stems from Mullin’sdenial of the 2020 presidential election results.
After dismissing the concept of reality in this latest hearing, Mullin said he “misspoke” and returned to questioning his witnesses.
Teaching students about diversity has become a hot-button topic, particularly among conservatives who argue thatdiversity, equity and inclusion(also known as DEI) andcritical race theory(CRT) courses teach white students that they are inferior to their minority peers. Progressives, however, say that these classes help foster a more inclusive, informed and welcoming environment.
Books about diversity have also been caught in the debate, with Republican lawmakers threatening toban titlesthat tackle issues of race, racism andLGBTQ+ themes— or titles that merely feature kids whose identities reflected them.
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source: people.com
