Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is under some heavy scrutiny for her misuse of federal pandemic relief funds to create Critical Race Theory and social justice courses for teachers. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, Whitmer had personally signed off on allocating $1.4 million in CARES Act funds to Michigan State University College of Education, the University of Michigan’s School of Education, and Michigan Virtual to establish online educational modules that would teach educators about racism and privilege in society, how to dismantle oppressive systems, connecting with staff members and communities, and other such topics related to anti-racist teaching.
This decision has been met with criticism due to the fact that this money was meant for pandemic relief efforts rather than funding controversial curriculum like Critical Race Theory or Social Justice Training. Additionally, the way the program was funded came under scrutiny as it failed to meet standards set by federal oversight agencies. This suggests that state officials may have not followed proper protocol when deciding how to best allocate these funds.
Furthermore, many have pointed out that some of the course material is blatantly partisan in nature and fails to present an unbiased view on current events. For example, one particular reading by Candice Valenzuela argued that a “white dominant society” has “historical narcissism, historical amnesia and colonialist perpetration of violence” that needs to be confronted — a statement which could easily be seen as inflammatory by those with different political or social views.
Overall, it’s clear that Gretchen Whitmer’s decision was irresponsible at best, given the intended purpose behind these COVID relief funds. But honestly, we all know that she knew exactly what she was doing and is either too stupid to know it’s wrong, or just doesn’t care. But more than likely, it’s a mix of both.