Did Gov. Doug Ducey inadvertently ban Holocaust studies with ban on critical race theory?
Is it possible that in attempting to ban critical race theory Gov. Call it another example of the Law of Unintended Consequences. Call it also another example of just how many readers are smarter and more perceptive than I am. Last week, Ducey joined the uninformed right-wing hysteria over critical race theory, which neither he nor the sponsors of the bills he signed seem to understand one bit. Still, Ducey signed legislation and afterwards tweeted:  Today I am proud to sign HB 2906, prohibiting the concerning practice of critical race theory, the latest action in just the past week to prevent the teaching of critical race theory in Arizona public schools and other government entities  I can't imagine the law standing a constitutional test. For one thing, the bills Ducey signed present a vague, amorphous definition concerning what teachers in our schools may not do. Educators supposedly cant present anything about which an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress because of the individual's race, ethnicity or sex.  Distressing wording about distress  That language seemed rather puzzling to a reader named Anthony, particularly in light of the fact that Ducey also signed legislation requiring students in Arizona to study the Nazi holocaust of World War II. In signing that legislation Ducey issued a statement saying in part, This bill works to educate our youth in the atrocities of the Holocaust and other genocides. Tragedies like this must never be allowed to happen again. This bill is a step in the right direction to fight antisemitism in our state, but our work is far from over  The problem, reader Anthony pointed out, is that the prohibitions listed in the critical race theory bill might be applied to the Holocaust bill, preventing educators from teaching that as well. Also, a discussion of how Hitler used the US' round-up and placement of our native population on reservations as a template would be relevant. Ignorance  Excellent examples, both of the ethnic bias and racism that was baked into our system in the past and the impossibility of learning about it, and thereby learning to prevent it, without giving some of us  or all of us  a measure of distress. Perhaps in a good way. Anthony pointed out, parenthetically, that his Polish great-grandparents were made to register as alien enemies during World War I, having been born in Germany. He believes it is important for us to know our government did such things, but added, I am not distressed.  I would add that one of my Italian grandmothers also was made to register as an alien enemy during World War II. This at a time when her Italian-born husband was supporting the U.S. war effort by working in a steel mill and her Italian-American son, my father, was serving in the army in Europe. I, too, am not distressed. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. For more opinions content, please subscribe.