DeSantis appointee who wrote dissertation on CRT says it has 'no place' in K-12 schools

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (TND) — Despite authoring his doctoral dissertation on the subject, Florida’s new governor-appointed Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall has become an opponent of the theoretical framework known as “critical race theory.”

While earning his Ph.D. at the University of South Florida, Hall authored a 272-page dissertation involving critical race theory, obtained by Politico Florida, which at the time was only an emerging theoretical outlook on the issue of race, he told Florida Politics.

In his dissertation, Hall described critical race theory as a “set of beliefs that seek to uncover and expose racism and its related impact on those who are often without power, in the case of this study, minority students,” according to Politico Florida. “Understanding this practice and the fact that ‘democratic choice is not necessarily available for all,’ CRT can help to shape the manner in which the top is explored while also exposing the bias maintained by the author of this inquiry, who is a middle-class, white male,” continued Hall’s dissertation, citing a 1989 essay titled “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.”

Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed Hall to his new position in November, has denounced critical race theory as an “identity politics version of Marxism,” according to Florida Politics, and said he believes it “has no place in Florida schools.” Therefore, his appointment of Hall makes sense, considering the new appointee told Florida Politics that he now believes critical race theory is “divisive” despite his past beliefs.

Florida Politics said Hall insisted that “he underwent a yearslong renaissance on the issue” following his dissertation, which ultimately led him to believe critical race theory has no place in classrooms, he told the outlet.

The more that I’ve learned over this past decade about CRT and the divisive nature that it brings [the] governor’s absolutely correct, it has absolutely no place in our K-12 system,” Hall said.

DeSantis, a Republican, unveiled his new Stop W.O.K.E. Act this month. The legislation aims to ban the theoretical framework from being taught in Florida classrooms.

“You can look me up any way you want,” Hall told Florida Politics. “I [can] tell you that people that know me, know where my heart’s at, they know where my passion is at. And I approach this work with an unyielding commitment to making sure that we do everything we can for kids.”