Concerned about what he calls “indoctrination” in public schools in North Carolina, Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said he is creating a new task force to collect complaints from people afraid to speak up to local school boards.

Robinson told a news conference on Tuesday that students, teachers and parents need a centralized place to send complaints, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported.

Most teachers don’t get into politics with their students, Robinson said, but some do and he said he hopes to soon be able to show people just how widespread concerns might be.

“People say, ‘Well, where’s the proof?’ Where’s the proof?’” said Robinson, a Republican who took office in January. “We’re going to bring you the proof.”

Robinson said that when he was campaigning for office in 2020, he was “besieged by folks who were complaining about things their students and their children were having to learn in public schools, that were contrary to their own beliefs.”

Conservative activists who attended Robinson’s news conference focused on religion, particularly teachers amplifying LGBT issues.

It’s unclear what power the task force will actually have to investigate complaints.

Bobbie Richardson, the chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, said there’s nothing political about teaching the facts about issues like racism.

“Growing up in Franklin County, although we were post Brown v. Board of Education, I still attended a segregated public school,” Richardson said. “And as a former educator, I know that teaching our nation’s history requires taking an honest look at social injustices and movements that have made our country the more equal society it is today.”

 

Photo via AP Photo/Gerry Broome.

 

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