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North Carolina Republican Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson sparked controversy after he called for the elimination of social studies and science from elementary education in his upcoming memoir.
In We Are the Majority: The Life and Passions of a Patriot—expected to be released on September 27—Robinson claimed children should not learn about history in first through fifth grade.
He also insisted science classes should be short because teachers are teaching students about climate change, which he called "junk science."
He wrote:
“In those grades, we don’t need to be teaching social studies. We don’t need to be teaching science."
"We surely don’t need to be talking about equity and social justice.”
On science courses, he said:
“Guess what? Most of the people of North Carolina know global warming is junk science."
Robinson went on to disparage the North Carolina Board of Education, saying the state should “get rid of it." He also suggested “traditional public schools might be a thing of the past” because of charter schools, which receive government funding but operate independently of the established state school system in which they are located.
On charter schools, he said:
“We need to build more, not limit them. And if we find success along the way, we should bring it into the system."
"We might adopt charter school methods throughout the system.”
Many pushed back against Robinson's statements.
\u201cAnd if anyone thinks the kids are too young: My 3-5 grade teacher taught us American history with enough depth that I knew enough of the constitution and why it was written as it was to score a 4 on the AP history exam - when my high school AP teacher didn\u2019t show up half the year\u201d— Cassie Stearns (@Cassie Stearns) 1661300008
\u201cNorth Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson wrote in his forthcoming autobiography that he wants to ban science and social studies from our elementary school curriculum. Talk about "learning loss." This would put our students so far behind those in other states and countries.\u201d— Chuck Tryon (@Chuck Tryon) 1661222419
\u201cJust because you didn't learn anything doesn't mean we shouldn't teach it.\u201d— Jon, with games (@Jon, with games) 1661221205
\u201cHow does anyone justify voting for a man like this?\u201d— Tar Heel (@Tar Heel) 1661255478
\u201cWTAF??? The early grades are the best time to lay foundations in these subjects.\u201d— Blue Girl i\ud83d\udc1d in a Red Town \ud83d\ude37\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udc9b\ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9c (@Blue Girl i\ud83d\udc1d in a Red Town \ud83d\ude37\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udc9b\ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc9c) 1661258246
\u201cThis is taking "dumbing down" to a whole new level. Why bother to educate kids at all?\u201d— Max \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc15 (@Max \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc15) 1661275919
\u201cHere's a wild idea: maybe only educators should craft education policy. Politicians are bad at it.\u201d— Kelly Barnhill is Now a Dragon (@Kelly Barnhill is Now a Dragon) 1661290327
\u201cRemember, the entire GOP wants us all ignorant so we won\u2019t fight for our basic human rights. They are fascists, every one.\u201d— witch \u267f\ufe0f (@witch \u267f\ufe0f) 1661290970
\u201cBecause republicans depend on ignorant people to vote for them. What a ridiculous suggestion this guy has!\n\nNorth Carolina\u2019s extremely anti-LGBTQ Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) is now calling for eliminating science and social studies education in elementary schools.\u201d— Imagine\u262e\ufe0fformerly Bridget is tired of gop \ud83d\udc03\ud83d\udca9 (@Imagine\u262e\ufe0fformerly Bridget is tired of gop \ud83d\udc03\ud83d\udca9) 1661300111
\u201cNC friends and family, please vote accordingly.\n\n@markrobinsonNC is very clearly out of his mind with power and has no grip on reality.\n\nAlso, we watch Golden Girls in the bedroom, dummy.\u201d— Robin (@Robin) 1661276088
Robinson has proven himself a controversial figure since he won the 2020 lieutenant gubernatorial election. His political career since has been characterized by promotion of conspiracy theories and numerous incendiary statements.
When not opposing abortion or promoting climate change denial, he has been harshly rebuked by members of the public as well as media outlets for his antisemitic views and attacks against the LGBTQ+ community.
Robinson outraged the Jewish community after he claimed the Marvel movie Black Panther was "created by an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic Marxist" and "only created to pull the shekels out of your Schvartze [Jewish word for Black] pockets."
On the subject of LGBTQ+ people, Robinson said transgender people who undergo the process of transition "are just a drugged up, dressed up, made up, cut up, man or woman."
Unsurprisingly, he attacked the LGBTQ+ community in his book, expressing his belief same-sex marriage "is not marriage either in the eyes of God or even by definition.”
Robinson evoked the "groomer" hysteria that has dominated conservative discourse as of late.
He said he does not believe "you should come down to the school, most especially the elementary schoolhouse and teach kids about what you do in the bedroom, as if your sexual preferences and practices ought to be celebrated and govern government approval and even support."