Reps. Cawthorn, Foxx introduce bill to prevent federal funds from being used to push critical race theory

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EXCLUSIVE: A pair of North Carolina Republicans are introducing a bill on Wednesday to prevent federal funding from going to a recent Department of Education proposal or any other proposal aimed at teaching critical race theory in schools.

Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., and House Education and Labor Committee ranking member Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., are planning to introduce the Protecting Equality and Civics Education (PEACE) Act on Wednesday, Fox News has learned.

The PEACE Act amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act to prohibit federal funds from going to programs that push for critical race theory in schools.

Cawthorn told Fox News on Tuesday that American classrooms "are the cradle of Democracy" and that critical race theory is "a cowardly attempt, by those who hate this nation, to rob the cradle and rewrite American history in one swift move."

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"The Ayatollahs in Iran train their children to hate America abroad, now the radical left wants to save Iran the trouble and teach our next generation to hate America at home," the North Carolina freshman continued. "Critical Race Theory is dangerous because it is a lie."

The Republican congressman said that the United States was "built on a dream of freedom and opportunity" rather than "hate and division," and that "this dream still echoes through the halls of American Democracy, although far too often it is relegated to the shadows by those on the left."

"This legislation will ensure that Critical Race Theory is dismantled and that American children are taught true American history, not false anarchical hysteria," Cawthorn added.

House Committee on Education and Labor ranking member Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., is one of the original co-sponsors of the legislation. In a statement on Tuesday, Foxx echoed Senator Tim Scott’s, R-S.C., sentiment that "America is not a racist country."

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"We are a collection of the failures and successes of past generations to create a nation grounded in the idea that all people are created equal," Foxx told Fox News. "That is what our schools should be teaching our youth, that no matter your background, there is room for you to succeed in America."

"This bill will prevent the Biden administration from indoctrinating our children with a left-wing, racist ideology," said the top Republican on the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Specifically, the bill would prevent appropriated funding from going towards the Department of Education’s proposed rule that would "support the development of culturally responsive teaching and learning" in schools across America.

Additionally, the bill would stop appropriated federal funds from going to "any other priority or requirement related to the teaching of Critical Race Theory under any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement." 

The bill faces long odds of advancing in the Democratic-controlled House. 

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Critical race theory has come increasingly under fire in America as more states fully opt-in to the education practice or fully tell it to take a hike.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared that critical race theory would not be taught in the Sunshine State and the Tennessee General Assembly recently voted to advance a measure banning critical race theory from being taught.