Lt. Gov Robinson’s F.A.C.T.S. Committee Seeks to Combat "Indoctrination" in N.C. Schools

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson holds a press conference announcing the formation of the F.A.C.T.S Taskforce on Mar. 16, 2021. Source: A.P. Dillon, North State Journal

In one of his first official acts as Lieutenant Governor, Republican Mark Robinson has formed a new committee, “Fairness and Accountability in the Classroom for Teachers and Students” (F.A.C.T.S.). This committee is dedicated to giving students, parents, and school faculty “a voice to speak out about cases of bias, inappropriate materials, and indoctrination they see or experience in schools.”

“[The task force] will seek to compile and assess legitimate reports from across the state, assist those who need help navigating the bureaucratic process surrounding education, and provide a platform to disseminate information regarding indoctrination in public schools,” Robinson said in a press release, posted to Facebook on March 15th.

Robinson has said that most teachers do not talk politics with their students, but some do, and he and many others view this as problematic. He hopes that his task force will become a resource for students to discuss this issue. The committee seeks to become a central place to send reports of “indoctrination,” or teachers attempting to influence students’ political views with their own. 

This decision comes after Robinson fought against the new social studies curriculum for the North Carolina Public School System, accusing the curriculum of being “anti-American,” and falsely, in his mind, teaching young students that America is a racist country. The new curriculum encourages teachers to discuss issues like racism and discrimination, a measure many GOP leaders considered divisive.  

In a press conference, Robinson repeatedly said the committee is not an indictment on education. He shared that parents and teachers across the state told him, throughout his campaign and since his tenure began, that they have learned about things that go against their beliefs in schools. Tapping into the “fear” parents and educators feel regarding speaking out against school administrations and school boards, Robinson indicated that the purpose of the committee is to find evidence of the widespread indoctrination that he believes is occurring in North Carolina public schools. The only current example given was that a young child reported not being allowed to write a report on Mark Robinson for Black History Month. 

The Education Justice Alliance spoke out against the creation of the committee, pointing out data that already exists that reveals drastic inequalities in the public school system, and wishing the Lt. Governor would devote more time to fixing these pressing issues instead of creating a new committee to find data to support a newer problem he has identified.

An opinion piece from the News and Observer Editorial Board argues that this initiative is only meant to harass and intimidate North Carolina educators. The board suggests that the only evidence this would provide toward “indoctrination” is a random sample of hyper-specific anecdotes. Other opinion pieces and letters to the Editor from the News and Observer have been written arguing that there is no need for this committee because it attacks North Carolina teachers and inhibits diverse education, instead of supporting teachers and addressing issues that public educators already struggle with, such as low wages. The letter mentioned that instead of demonizing teachers, Robinson should advocate for higher teacher pay, and call on his Republican colleagues to follow his lead, instead of taking action to create what the letter believed to be a wasteful new committee.

Robinson’s political tactics have been compared to those of former President Donald Trump: taking radical stances, often without much evidentiary support. This is Robinson’s first public office and much of his support came from a viral video in which he defended gun rights. He has already seen scandal, as he recently faced scrutiny for campaign finance records. The radical nature of Robinson’s policy, as evidenced by his past actions and the creation of this new committee, will make for an interesting four years in office, especially as he attempts to work in tandem with Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.