Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Linda Gorton proposed taking funds from the city’s emergency rental assistance program to be used for critical race theory training for city employees.
“Lexington’s woke mayor is taking funds for poor people and using them to pay a rich white woman so she can teach city employees how to become woke… this is progressivism in the 21st century,” author Ryan James Girdusky said on Twitter.
Lexington’s woke mayor is taking funds for poor people and using them to pay a rich white woman so she can teach city employees how to become woke… this is progressivism in the 21st century https://t.co/DuPk8tiyfQ
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) November 29, 2020
Critical race theory, which teaches that American laws and institutions are inherently racist, has gained popularity in liberal circles in recent years. According to critical race theory, racism is the dominant component of American society, which results in minorities being denied many constitutional rights.
Critical race theory classes became national news earlier this year when President Trump made the decision to ban it from being taught to federal employees, a decision called racist by some Democrats.
News of the mayor’s plan was published by the Lexington Housing Justice Collective on social media, which said the city is currently going through the “worst eviction crisis in at least a decade.”
“The city’s rental assistance program is already deeply underfunded. Now Mayor Gorton wants to cut funding even more,” the group said on Twitter. “This will lead to even more Lexingtonians losing their homes in the coming months, after hundreds have already been evicted since August 24.”
The group said it did not disagree with the training itself, only the plan to pull funds away from rental assistance programs.
“The proposal is part of Mayor Gorton’s response to the Commission for Racial & Equality. But Black and Brown people are disproportionately evicted,” the group said. “Taking $ from rental assistance does not advance racial justice. It means more Black and Brown people will lose their homes.”
The news of the eviction fund being used for the training comes as Kentucky has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, prompting Gov. Andy Beshear to sign an executive order restricting businesses and gatherings.
Gorton plans to enforce the restrictions in Lexington, including using the city’s health department to help enforce business compliance with the new rules.
“We can overcome this surge of COVID-19 cases in our community,” Gorton said following the announcement. “Let’s all do our part to be safe and healthy by following the rules, wearing a mask, washing our hands, and maintaining social distance.”
