Fairfax County Public Schools Paid ‘Critical Race’ and ‘Antiracism’ Theorist Ibram Kendi $20,000 for One-Hour Virtual Presentation

Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) paid critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi $20,000 to give an hour-long virtual presentation. Kendi is the bestselling author of “How to Be Antiracist,” a book of circular definitions used to explain critical race theory.

The average teaching assistant earns $23,000 a year; the staff spent nearly that much for a 45-minute lecture and 15-minute Q&A.

Kendi’s presentation was part of FCPS’s “Virginia Racial Truth and Reconciliation Week” earlier last month. FCPS stated that their focus is “committing to equity and identifying and remedying racial injustice” in their schools.

Critical race theory functions on the belief that structural racism exists in all aspects of society and leads to inequality and inequity. Its proponents uphold race as the answer to and reason for everything within ideologies, policies, and institutions.

Kendi famously coined the term “antiracist,” which he defines as “one who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea.” He redefines racist and racism in a similar manner, using the terms to fill out the definition. Kendi states that racism is “a marriage of racist policies and racist ideas that produces and normalizes racial inequities.”

Investigative journalist Asra Q. Nomani obtained a copy of the contract between the school board and Kendi. Nomani published her findings on Quillette, an online magazine devoted to free speech in pieces some classify as “intellectual dark web” material.

Superintendent Scott Brabrand signed off on Kendi’s payment. Brabrand released a video addressed to FCPS students in the wake of George Floyd’s death, calling the resulting riots “a necessary response” and encouraging students to take action.

“This week’s protest – your protest – against violence toward black and African Americans are a necessary response to the violence and injustices we have witnessed for too long. Sometimes adults don’t want to have difficult conversations with you about racism and hate. That’s even true for me. And that is a mistake. Saying nothing about these issues like racism has only made matters worse. We will not be silent anymore, and we will not ask you to be silent anymore.”

Brabrand also made Juneteenth an official holiday for FCPS. Juneteenth is an unofficial holiday celebrating the U.S. emancipation of black slaves.

The school board at Fairfax County isn’t the only one allocating taxpayer dollars toward race-based political correctness. Loudoun County Public Schools has spent $422,500 over two years training staff on critical race theory. Albemarle County Public Schools is launching a “Reframing the Narrative” project to emphasize teaching critical race theory and social justice issues.

The FCPS hasn’t issued any comment by press time.

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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ibram Kendi” by Ibram Kendi.