Bill No. 22-11 Substitute Resolution in Support of Academic Freedom

Home Browse Search

FEB U 9 20212 BILL NO. 22-11 RESOLUTION NO. I —,i DAWN M. JONES CITY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, IN A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, IN SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN TEACHING INDIANA STUDENTS Gam, the Indiana State House of Representatives in a largely party line vote by the OOP members, passed House Bill 1134, an anti -CRT bill to limit what teachers say in the classroom regarding race, history, and politics; and 60C,, Critical Race Theory is a college graduate level course which is not being taught in K-12 schools in Indiana; and 6* an accurate, truthful teaching of race and racism acknowledges that the legacy of slavery, segregation, and the ongoing imposition of second-class citizenship on Black Americans and other people of color continues to permeate the social fabric of this nation; and OACeby recognizing how race and racism shape our institutions, faculty and administrators can find innovative ways to value the lived experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) students, prioritize the recruitment and retention of BIPOC faculty and staff, elevate the voices and experiential knowledge of BIPOC, adopt culturally responsive teaching practices and historically accurate U.S. history curriculum, and embrace the traditions of the communities in which they work; and G, decisions about curriculum and subject matter should be made by educators who have expertise in the subject; and, Gam, the Supreme Court's decision in Sweezy v. New Hampshire (1957) held that "to impose any straitjacket upon the intellectual leaders in our colleges and universities would imperil the future of our Nation;" and G,, The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2019 published a policy statement regarding the impact of racism on child and adolescent health that discussed the impact racism had on mental and physical health: "Failure to address racism will continue to undermine health equity for all children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families," the statement said. "Today's children, adolescents, and emerging adults are increasingly diverse. Strategies to address health and developmental issues across the pediatric life span that incorporate ethnicity, culture, and circumstance are critical to achieving a reduction in health disparities." "Racism is a core social determinant of health that is a driver of health inequities;" and