North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed Republican legislation that would have banned the promotion of certain beliefs held by some lawmakers. compared to critical race theory in state government jobs.
The measure sets up a likely veto-override showdown with the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly, which initially approved the measure by veto-proof margins in both chambers. While Cooper has used his bully pulpit to rally voters against the most controversial GOP bills passed this session, he has been unable to block any this year.
Starting Dec. 1, anyone entering a state government job, such as a private contractor or diversity trainer, would be prohibited by the bill of forcing employees to believe that they should feel guilty or responsible for past actions committed by people of the same race or sex.
Cooper on Friday denounced the bill as an attempt to suppress productive workplace discussions related to diversity, equity and inclusion. He blasted the Republican caucus for “pretending prejudice and racism don’t exist” when two of its members recently lost leadership positions for comments directed at black colleagues.
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“In North Carolina, the diversity of our people is a strength,” Cooper said in a statement. “This legislation attempts to eliminate training that can help us understand the unconscious bias we all bring to our work and our communities.”
The bill would also prohibit hiring managers at state agencies, community colleges and the University of North Carolina system from forcing a job applicant to express an opinion about his or her personal or political beliefs as a condition of occupation
Emails seeking comment were sent to the offices of Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore on Friday.
Critical race theory is an academic framework dating from the 1970s that focuses on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that these institutions maintain the dominance of white people.
The theory is a way of analyzing American history through the lens of racism, but it has become a general political buzzword for some conservatives who worry about how schools and other public institutions have addressed diversity and inclusion.
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