Teacher's lawsuit says his optional anti-critical race theory seminars got him fired

A teacher at the North Carolina Governor's School is suing state officials because he claims they fired him for questioning the school's critical race theory ideology, The Center Square reports.

David Phillips taught for eight summers at the Governor's School's residential summer program, and was fired mid-session without explanation in June 2021 following a series of three optional seminars he conducted which criticized critical race theory.

"Phillips' lawsuit details how the Governor's School has embraced and ingrained critical race theory in the school culture, resulting in hostility toward students and staff who don't believe in its principles," The Center Square's report states. "It also outlines special privileges for 'oppressed' student populations, CRT concepts included in the curriculum, CRT concepts superseding academic merit in student admissions and Phillips' unsuccessful efforts to address the issues with administrators."

According to the lawsuit, the school fired Phillips "without explanation" the day after his third seminar, "which, ironically, discussed the importance of viewpoint diversity in higher education."

"Later, Dr. Phillips learned that a few staff members had complained about the content of the optional seminars. But instead of investigating these complaints, determining if any policies were violated, or addressing any concerns with Dr. Phillips — indeed without even giving Dr. Phillips an opportunity to hear the complaints and respond — Defendants took their won stand against viewpoint diversity by firing Dr. Phillips because they disagreed with his views."

Read the full report over at The Center Square.