Protect Historical Truth: Oppose NC Senate Bill DRS45117-BE-3A and House Bill 171

We, the undersigned, strongly oppose Senate Bill DRS45117-BE-3A and House Bill 171, both of which represent a dangerous and coordinated effort to rewrite U.S. history, suppress truthful education, and silence conversations about race, power, and equity in the classroom.

House Bill 171: Censorship Masquerading as Protection

House Bill 171, deceptively titled the “Equality in Education Act,” seeks to ban teaching that any group is inherently privileged or oppressed based on race or sex. In practice, this bill functions as a gag order—preventing educators from discussing systemic racism, white supremacy, and the historical roots of inequality in America. It chills classroom dialogue and threatens educators with retaliation for engaging students in honest analysis of our nation’s past and present.

This bill undermines the critical thinking and civic understanding students need in a democratic society. It assumes that acknowledging oppression is a form of indoctrination, when in fact teaching historical truth is a cornerstone of responsible education.

History Is Not Ideology

To teach the realities of slavery, Jim Crow, Indigenous removal, and legalized exclusion is not to promote a political agenda—it is to recount well-documented history. The assertion that telling the truth about race is “ideological” is itself an ideological act. Truth is not partisan. History is not ideology.

Centuries of Racial Exclusion Make Equity Critical—But Inadequate

We must acknowledge that equity initiatives are necessary in a society structured by compounded advantage—a system in which legal and social policies have benefited some groups while excluding others for centuries. However, equity alone is inadequate unless we confront and teach the truth behind this layered advantage. Silence only protects the status quo.

Historical Truth Matters

The U.S. legal system has long created and sustained racial exclusion. Examples include:

• The Naturalization Act of 1790, granting citizenship only to “free white persons.”

• The Naturalization Act of 1870, which continued to exclude Asian immigrants.

• The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, barring Chinese immigrants from becoming citizens.

• Supreme Court decisions upholding racial qualifications for naturalization and civil rights.

These facts are not controversial—they are archived in government records and affirmed by generations of legal scholars. To omit or distort them is not neutral. It is historical revisionism.

We Demand Transparency and Accountability

We call on the North Carolina General Assembly to:

• Immediately reject Senate Bill DRS45117-BE-3A and House Bill 171.

• Protect educators’ right to teach accurate, inclusive U.S. history.

• Stop silencing discussions of race and racism under the false flag of neutrality.

Contact the Sponsors. Demand the Truth.

Senate Bill DRS45117-BE-3A is sponsored by:

• Senator Phil Berger (R-Rockingham, Guilford)

📧 Phil.Berger@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 733-5708

• Senator Michael Lee (R-New Hanover)

📧 Michael.Lee@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 715-2525

• Senator Vickie Sawyer (R-Iredell, Yadkin)

📧 Vickie.Sawyer@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 733-5032

• Senator Amy Galey (R-Alamance, Guilford)

📧 Amy.Galey@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 715-3042

• Senator Benton Jones (R-Davidson, Montgomery, Moore)

📧 Benton.Jones@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 733-5734

• Senator Gray Moffitt (R-Henderson, Polk, Rutherford)

📧 Gray.Moffitt@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 733-5745

• Senator Eddie Settle (R-Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes)

📧 Eddie.Settle@ncleg.gov | ☎️ (919) 733-5742

House Bill 171 is sponsored by:

• Representative Gray Mills Overcash (Primary)

• Additional co-sponsors include Representatives aligned with the goals of SB DRS45117-BE-3A.

Stand Up for Education. Sign and Share.

We urge North Carolinians and allies across the country to raise their voices. We must reject these legislative efforts to erase history and mislead future generations.

History cannot be erased. Truth cannot be rewritten. Stand up for education. Protect historical truth.