Ed. Dept. Speaker Criticizes Republicans
WASHINGTON — A former teacher described Govs. George W. and Jeb Bush as racists during a U.S. Department of Education seminar on promoting diversity last month, and at least one lawmaker is demanding an explanation.
Jane Elliot, an author who delivers lectures worldwide on race and bias issues, was invited to the Education Department to deliver a presentation March 8 on how children become prejudiced.
During the presentation, she also advised about 50 employees who attended not to vote for Republican political candidates, department officials acknowledged. The Bushes both are Republicans.
Erica Lepping, a spokeswoman for U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, says that department officials are unclear on the context of the remarks.
"We had no reason to believe Ms. Elliot's presentation would end up with her saying the things she did," Lepping says. "The comments were spontaneous and unanticipated."
Lepping, who did not attend the meeting, says that Leslie Thornton, the department's chief of staff, immediately sent an e-mail memo to staffers denouncing Elliot's political statements as "comments that were inappropriate in an address to federal employees."
Elliot could not be reached for comment. She is a former third-grade teacher from Iowa and creator of a well-known diversity lesson that separates students based on eye color. She received about $7,500 to present at the seminar.
Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, criticized the seminar as an example of mismanagement at the department and says he has asked department officials for more details of Elliot's talk.
"I want a full explanation from the department about this seminar and what they are doing to ensure that this sort of thing does not happen again," Hoekstra says.
There was no immediate comment from representatives of George W. Bush. Justin Sayfie, a spokesman for Jeb Bush, says the governor's "record on diversity and inclusion in office speaks for itself. As far as the specific allegation… it is absurd."
