Submitted by Janet Lockton, former State Rep. 149th District
Critical Race Theory could become law in Connecticut. …. Senate Bill 1: Racism As A Public Health Crisis passed the House and Senate with both Greenwich state Senator Kasser and state Representative Meskers supporting the bill.
This is not a feel good piece of legislation but one which has the potential to be the most Racist law ever passed by the Connecticut General Assembly.
For all the legislators who support the concept that Connecticut is now racist, they would have to support future legislation to ameliorate the status quo.
According to SB 1, every state agency and all zoning laws must reduce racial disparities by 70%.
A new commission with a paid chair and 2 additional salaried employees along with public and appointed members will investigate “structural racism” or an existing system “that structures opportunity and assigns value in a way that disproportionally and negatively impacts Black, Indigenous, Latino or Asian people or other people of color.”
The criminal justice system, education, health care, economy and impact on zoning all will be analyzed as to their disparity and inequities toward people of color. Each state agency executive, legislative, judicial and higher education shall evaluate the percentage of advantaged (white employees) compared to people of color and prepare a plan to hire and retain at least 70% more people of color.
Cultural Humility or the critique of one’s worldwide view will be part of higher education curriculum. The committee will report its findings and recommendations to appropriate legislative committees for action in upcoming sessions.
In essence if you are white, the likelihood of getting a job with any state agency, higher education or judicial branch in the future is unlikely, Our town will lose the ability to apply local zoning regulations and education curriculum will be rewritten. At this writing Governor Lamont has yet to sign the bill. Let us hope he vetoes it.