Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021
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Defending Students' Civil Rights Act of 2021
This bill prohibits the use of critical race theory or critical race pedagogy in any federally funded program or activity.
Specifically, the bill includes the use of critical race theory or critical race pedagogy as a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs or activities.
The bill defines critical race pedagogy as the separation of students or teachers, or the assignment of characteristics or assumptions, based on race, color, or national origin. The bill defines critical race theory as a curriculum that establishes specified principles relating to race or sex, including that (1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another, (2) the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist, and (3) an individual bears responsibility for the past actions of others of the same race or sex.
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5398: Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-5398/
"H.R. 5398: Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-5398/.
H.R. 5398, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-5398/.
[H.R. 5398: Defending Students’ Civil Rights Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-5398/)