© 2025 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

No Black Voices During Missouri Hearing On How Race and Racism Is Taught In Schools

A Missouri legislative committee has held a hearing on how race and racism is taught in schools without hearing from any Black Missourians.

No Black parents, teachers or scholars testified Monday to the Joint Committee on Education during the invite-only hearing on critical race theory. Critical race theory is a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism. Republican Sen. Cindy O'Laughlin says she wanted to raise voices of critical parents who feel they haven't been heard by their local schools.

Democratic lawmakers and Missouri's NAACP president say the hearing was one-sided.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.