Lake County Gazette

Critical race theory has been a hot-button issue across the nation and Illinois has been no exception with the theory drawing strong opinions on both sides.

An Illinois school district was recently sued to stop the teaching of critical race theory on the allegation that it violates free speech.

Petrina Burman said that the theory would do nothing more than to divide children within the school system.

"As a concerned parent, I've chosen to stand up to the Antioch District #34 Board of Education due to their total lack of transparency with parents and our community,” she said. “This school board quietly implemented Policy 7:12- Racial and Educational Equity for our children. Instead of our children learning how to become citizens who respect, uphold, the truths and values on which our nation was founded upon, they will be color-shamed, guilted, divided and taught hate. It's unacceptable and parents must put a stop to it."

Those opposed to the theory see it as a danger to public education.

Samantha Harris wrote an opinion column in which she stated that theory had no place in the classroom because it’s problematic.

"This is a dangerous and divisive ideology, one that assigns moral value to people on the basis of their skin color," she wrote.

Kimberly Hermann wrote a similar piece in which she said public schools have become a “battleground.”

"Public schools across the country have replaced traditional education with race-based programming in the name of 'equity' that evidently justifies punishing students as young as four years old based on the color of their skin," she wrote. 

A recent survey conducted by the Trafalgar Group, in conjunction with the Convention of States Action, surveyed 1,091 likely general election voters on their views regarding the theory.

The poll finds that about half of Americans believe that parents who oppose Critical Race Theory in their children's schools should act against it, with 51.8% backing action.

However, the survey also found that there wasn’t a consensus on what action to take with 27.7% supporting removing a child from school and 24.1% saying that parents should run or support candidates for school board that would take control of the school's governing body.