Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, a Democrat, utilized his veto power on Friday to reject a Republican-sponsored legislation that aimed to prohibit the promotion of certain ideologies, which some lawmakers have compared to critical race theory, within state government workplaces.
This decision is likely to lead to a confrontation between Governor Cooper and the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly, as the legislation initially passed with veto-proof majorities in both chambers. Despite the Governor’s efforts to rally public opposition against controversial bills passed by the GOP this session, he has been unsuccessful in blocking any of them thus far.
Under the proposed bill, starting from December 1, individuals entering state government workplaces, including private contractors and diversity trainers, would be forbidden from compelling employees to adopt feelings of guilt or responsibility for past actions committed by individuals of the same race or sex.
Governor Cooper criticized the bill on Friday, denouncing it as an effort to stifle meaningful discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace. He also called out the Republican caucus for disregarding the existence of bias and racism, especially in light of two members of their party recently being stripped of leadership positions due to comments made towards Black colleagues.
Governor Cooper expressed his perspective on the matter, stating, “In North Carolina, the diversity of our people is a strength. This legislation attempts to eliminate training that can help us understand the unconscious bias we all bring to our work and our communities.”
In addition to the aforementioned provisions, the bill would also prevent hiring managers in state agencies, community colleges, and the University of North Carolina system from requiring job applicants to disclose their personal or political beliefs as a condition of employment.
Efforts were made to obtain comments from Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, but emails seeking their input were sent on Friday.
Critical race theory, which emerged in the 1970s as an academic framework, examines racism as a systemic element within the nation’s institutions, emphasizing the perpetuation of white dominance within those institutions.
While the theory serves as a means to analyze American history from a perspective of racism, it has become a politicized term used by some conservatives to critique the ways in which schools and other public institutions address issues of diversity and inclusion.