Ryan Walters says the Tulsa massacre in Greenwood can be taught in schools but the instruction should not mention the issue of race

Republican Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters says the Tulsa massacre in Greenwood can be taught in schools but the instruction should not mention the issue of race. “Let’s not tie it to skin color”

For two days in 1921 — black residents were terrorized and had their homes and businesses destroyed by white lynch mobs. The event is considered one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history.

Walters is a pro-Trump Republican who was elected to oversee Oklahoma education in November. He has consistently indulged in rightwing talking points including “woke ideology” and has said critical race theory should not be taught in classrooms. Republicans have frequently conflated banning critical race theory with banning any discussion of racial history in classrooms.

At the forum in Norman, Oklahoma, Walters was asked how the massacre could “not fall” under his broad definition of CRT.

“I would never tell a kid that because of your race, because of your color of your skin, or your gender or anything like that, you are less of a person or are inherently racist.

“That doesn’t mean you don’t judge the actions of individuals. Oh, you can, absolutely. Historically, you should: ‘This was right. This was wrong. They did this for this reason.’

“But to say it was inherent in that … because of their skin is where I say that is critical race theory. You’re saying that race defines a person. I reject that.