TN Public School Teacher Says He Will “Break The Law” And Teach Critical Race Theory To Children
Photo: Humboldt High School Teacher, Tony Kendall
Photo Credit: Humboldt Junior & Senior High School
Published June 14, 2021
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Humboldt, TN – In an article posted on The Paris Post-Intelligencer, Humboldt High School teacher Tony Kendall wrote that he would continue teaching Critical Race Theory, even if it is illegal in the state of Tennessee.
In the article Kendall states, “You are reading the words of a future criminal. In the near future, I’m going to break a new Tennessee law, but I won’t think of myself as a criminal when I do it, and neither will the hundreds of other people who break this law in the same way as I plan to do.”
The Tennessee Conservative News contacted Mr. Kendall regarding his intentions. He replied, “No comment.”
We also spoke with the Principal of Humboldt High School, Carla Brown, and she stated that she was unaware of the article.
Lillian Shelton, School Superintendent, has also been contacted for comment but has not yet responded to our inquiries.
Weakly County resident, Jared Spain offered his opinion stating, “Sounds like grounds for dismissal to me. Teaching racism is not right, ever, and that’s what that nonsense is about.”
Kendall went on to write, “That’s right, it is now illegal to teach anything in a public school that might cause a white person to feel pain, discomfort, guilt or shame about being white.”
Belmont University graduate, Sherry Collins stated in response, “Does society not see the character of people who hold to these views? Lawless? Bitter? Vulgar. Not an ounce of respect for themselves or others. Exploitative of children to promote their agenda.”
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Kendall wrote, “In their continuing effort to play to the Trump base in their party whenever possible, white supremacist politicians in several states, including Tennessee, heeded their call and rushed bills through legislatures they controlled, designed to prevent the teaching of many of the uncomfortable social and racial truths about people, places and things in these United States.”
However, Kendall’s statement is not backed-up by what legislators from Tennessee both National and State-level have to say about the truths and consequences of teaching CRT.
Senator Marsha Blackburn stated, “Critical race theory has no place in American schools. The tenets of critical race theory are based in the destructive ideal of inherent racism and will teach our children to judge and self-segregate based solely on skin color. In Tennessee, we believe in equality and opportunity for all. Students should not be discriminated on the basis of race under any circumstances.”
Representative Mark White from Memphis, who serves as the Tennessee House Education Committee Chair, recently stated that parental complaints about CRT being taught in schools have come his way from all over the state including the Memphis, Knoxville and Nashville areas.
White referenced a second-grade student who came home from school and asked her mother, “Am I a racist?”
“You know something’s going on that we need to address if a second-grader has to ask that question,” White continued. “When I was a second-grader, I didn’t see differences in people, because my family never taught me that. So, we need to be very careful.”
In the case of CRT, the stance of the legislators is representative of the feelings of concerned Tennesseans.
Kathy Cisco Finkley states, “You don’t get to teach anyone that they are racist because of the color of their skin. Teaching history is one thing. Trying to teach people to feel shame for who they are is totally different.”
Tina Brand says, “CRT is the very definition of racism. This is not progressive thinking it is regressive. Judging people by their race or skin color is and will always be racist.”
Karen Albritton Melton stated,” If Tennessee has elected not to teach it, then he must abide by that, or go to another state to teach…..or be fired, fined, or whatever the law entails. His choice.”
On May 24th, Governor Lee signed House Bill 0580 / Senate Bill 0623 into law that officially banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Tennessee Schools. The legislation is scheduled to take effect on July 1st.
Under the new law, Tennessee’s teachers can’t teach that “an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.”
“Impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history” is still permitted under the law, and limits on teacher speech won’t apply when a teacher is responding to a student’s question or referring to a historic figure or group.
The penalty for a transgression is steep; the state education commissioner is permitted to withhold valuable state funds from any school found to be in violation.
Ooltewah resident Brandy Howard stated that situations like the one with Mr. Kendall is “why parents must review the curriculum, books, online tools and supplemental materials the teachers plan to use in their children’s classrooms. Be involved, remain diligent, call it out, and demand it be removed. Ask your school – what is their plan to ensure they comply with the recently passed bill banning CRT concepts from being taught?”
This teacher needs to be dismissed and tried for violating the law.
Well, that’s people justification for not been able to be part of our great country and has to remember that “is not what the country can do for you, is what you can do for your country”, if do not agree, there are so many places and countries in the world that they can try and can compare what real racism is .
I believe this is called insubordination, and he can be fired. If he’s not fired, parents of the students that get placed in his class should demand another teacher. This will be very interesting.
And if he breaks the law, we will make sure he no longer teaches…..period. We’ll be watching Mr. Tony Kendall and will do whatever it takes to stop him. Teach your children what to look for and make sure they are reporting these infractions to you. We will hold these teachers responsible for dividing this nation…….
Do not wait for him to TEACH what he preaches . If his states his intention to the principal/school board, then replace him now for non conformance if nothing else.
If he wants to fight it, then go to the Tennessee Supreme Courts as it is also against the law in TN
Fire him at once. Let him go to CA or NY. Get him out of Tennessee. NOW!
They has to hide behind the stage of racism to justify their unwillingness to make an effort, like every American, and be a part of the great country in the world, if do not like it, there are so many places and countries that they can try, perhaps they can learn what real racism is.
Mr. Kendall has been hired to teach English / Language Arts at Humboldt H.S. He (himself) has recently been indoctrinated with the “theory” of “Critical Race Theory” which a great many human beings (of ALL skin pigmentation / colors) view as a very racist, short-sighted, and unfair view of our nation’s varied history….He (Kendall) and affect the young people’s (students) now feels that it is HIS responsibility to stop teaching English (which is a required subject) and “integrate” (Mr. Kendall’s word not mine) what he has learned from listening to some very biased and political people’s rhetoric which is intended to make one group of human beings feel “less than” another group of human beings (you decide which is which) and it is this type of classroom “teaching” that is a parent’s worst nightmare. Mr. Kendall, please stick to teaching English and leave the morals to the parents…or quit and become a preacher and see how many people you can get to show up for a sermon filled with such a “message”.
Mr. Kendall, like all zealots, you see one side of the coin. You don’t recognize the divisiveness of your actions, your only concerned with pushing an agenda. I vote for your termination, not for your decision but your blindness. You want to talk bad about whites or any other group, be my guest; just do it outside the school. We have enough indoctrination going on without you adding to it.
Clintonize him.
Teaching total falsehood under the guise of history if totally repugnant. Teaching my children that one side of their family is oppressed and the other side is a oppressor leaves them in a dichotomy that has no solution. There is no, nada, zilch, zero truth in this CRY either historically or scientifically. Period!
Teach my children this? NEVER!
Tell Tony Kendall
Move to one of the failing cities like Chicago if he wants to teach crt they will welcome him with open arms and drive by shootings!
Kendall has a right to his ‘opinion’ not his own curriculum.
May I suggest Mr Kendall move to a state that would appreciate his “special” type of racism. I will offer up CA, NY, and IL for starters.
CRT is only the first step to the so called progressive agenda. Next is the LGBT doctrines taught to Elementary Schoolers. Teachers like Kendall should be kept away from children. Bringing his personal beliefs into the classroom needs to be addressed if what he teaches is not mandated by the State.
In the beginning with “Black Lives Matter”, African Americans “felt some kind of way” when folks started saying, “All Lives Matter”, not just black lives. After all the rioting, and burning, and then the Marxist ideology coming out, some of the blacks who supported BLM came under conviction – they didn’t realize BLM stood for such anarchy and Socialism. They just had not done their research. To uphold Critical Race Theory is a mistake on most folks understanding of the term. Everybody knows there has been racism throughout history. But I. Will. Not. teach children to be ashamed of the color of the skin they were born with – how ultimately ignorant. This teacher is ignorant. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, ” when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” To purposely and blatantly state you are going against the law of your state – and, in an educational setting, tells me all about this teacher’s character.
Today, every white person in America is referred to as a white supremacist and someone who has “white privilege”—-baring none? Critical race theory is an invented social science, much the same as the fake science of climate change. These were invented by individuals in our society who saw an opportunity to make some money off of the most gullible and most uneducated people in America. These people have no evidence to support these invented theories and make up false facts to prove a hypothesis that does not exist. Ronald Reagan said it best: “The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” Fire this idiot today!
That’s what I say! Fire his ass before he even has the chance to do it. I don’t care if he has tenure, or if he knows half the town and School Board, he’s the prime example of what’s wrong in our Public Schools today. And if any parent sends their child to his class if he is still there and says he will teach crt then every one of them should pull their student from his class until they get his resignation or he is fired. Put his name out Tennesseans!!
Some folks are just Marxist at heart and you can’t change them. This individual is not a teacher he wants to let his students Know that they have oppressed him and should kiss his ass. He needs to lose his teacher’s license and shown some oppression by the school district and county jail.
His EXACT words…Kendall went on to write, “That’s right, it is now illegal to teach anything in a public school that might cause a white person to feel pain, discomfort, guilt or shame about being white.”
So he intends to teach white children to “feel guilt or shame about being white”! ?
Seriously….this is a no-brainer people! He not only is a racist himself…but has OPENLY ADMITTED he intends to break the law. MUST BE FIRED! And banned from teaching for LIFE…plus criminal charges if he DOES act on his threat.
This publication misrepresented what I wrote. Nowhere in my article did I say that anything about teaching critical race theory in the past, present or future. It was all inference and conjecture on the part of the writer of THIS article.
I was amused by the use of the photo of me with Joan Trumpauer Mullholland, one of the lesser sung heroines of the Civil Rights Movement who came to our school and told the children some of the uncomfortable truths about events in this country that some of you no longer want them to hear in school. Google her if you aren’t afraid of the truth.
To those who have attacked me personally and would like for me to go away- I’ll leave when you do. My ancestors came to West TN when John Wesley Crockett did.
In the words those ancestors used when faced with overt racism and discrimination MY REPLY TO YOU IS GOD BLESS YOU! Google that too.
notice he said hes from tennessee he left out that his family were slaves he supports reperations he supports black lives matters and his cousin is race hustler al sharpton Im surprised he didnt call us white people bare foot straw chewing mountain hillbillies with no education