University President Vows To Rid Campus Of CRT
A growing number of Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits have advocated for laws banning the inclusion of leftist ideology in school curricula. One of the most notable examples of this perceived educational indoctrination involves the concept of critical race theory.
The president of one Christian-based college in South Carolina is now adding his voice to the chorus of CRT opponents.
In a recent statement, Bill Barker made it clear that under his leadership, Southern Wesleyan University’s staff would never include anyone who endorses such an ideology.
“I made it very clear where SWU stands on critical race theory, and we made it very clear in our hiring processes,” he said. “We’re not hiring people – and I’ve been clear since I came here and the Board of Trustees has supported this – who endorse critical race theory.”
Barker also confirmed that the board “will have the courage to let faculty or staff go if they are teaching critical race theory.”
Instead of ignoring the topic altogether, however, he advised that SWU would address the cultural significance of the debate from a biblical perspective.
“We want to teach what it is,” Barker said. “We want to teach how it’s being used in society, why it’s being used in society, but we also want to teach a biblical and philosophical response and critique of it.”
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of providing students with a diverse perspective that can lead to informed and enlightening debate.
“We will hear from speakers who have different ideas and welcome students to engage in that discourse,” Barker explained. “But we will also guide students through that from a biblical and intellectually rigorous fashion.”
Once again invoking the college’s faith-based roots, he added: “The Bible speaks to us being reconciled with one another across races, across languages, across experiences through Jesus. When we come together without reconciliation through Christ, we may be at odds.”
Nathan Street, who described being essentially blacklisted in the educational realm after highlighting the impact of leftist indoctrination, landed a job at SWU and applauded Barker’s stance.
“Critical race theory is a wedge that is used to keep people divided,” he said. “If they can keep people divided and disabled because of fear of racism, then they can easily destroy what they will. ‘They’ are the liberal, leftist, wealthy elites who want to maintain control over the levers of power in the world.”
