This letter is in response to Laureen Boll’s recent misleading letter claiming that critical race theory (CRT) and “social justice activism” was at the “doorstep” of Douglas County schools until a change in leadership.

It should be noted that Laureen Boll is the Douglas County chapter leader and state coordinator of an organization called the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR). The name of the organization is incredibly misleading as the organization is rooted in Christopher Rufo ideology, one of their founding advisory members. Christopher Rufo is well-known for his consistent and lucrative moral panic campaigns, most notably attacking critical race theory.

FAIR’s actions fall in line with Rufo’s ideology attacking equity policies in school districts and higher education and spreading misinformation about gender affirming care, cultivating the hate machine against trans and non-binary folks. FAIR uses the ruse of “parent rights” under the 14th Amendment and consistently misappropriates the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to suit these purposes.

The use of the 14th Amendment, intended to create civil liberties and justice after the horrors of centuries of slavery, and the misappropriation of Dr. King’s words is absolutely exploitative.

Dr. King’s life and legacy is about justice, which is in direct opposition with the actions of an organization like FAIR. Boll simultaneously rallying against critical race theory and “social justice activism” while working for FAIR who consistently misappropriates the words of Dr. King is completely disingenuous. It has the same note of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeting a “Happy MLK Day” within the same week of attempting to ban AP African American Studies. The reality is that FAIR would accuse Dr. King of “social justice activism” and “woke indoctrination.”

Bernice King, one of Dr. King’s children, has been vocal of people and organizations who use false narratives about CRT while co-opting her father’s words. She has noted that this country needs a shift that “helps us understand we can’t commemorate my father on the one hand while also promoting false narratives under the banner of critical race theory.” She has added “CRT is not the problem. Racism is the problem, poverty or extreme materialism is the problem and militarism, war is the problem.”

It seems that Boll might want to study the life and work of Dr. King before perpetuating a false moral panic about critical race theory and “social justice activism.”

Constance Ingram

Highlands Ranch