‘Our job is to present the truth’: the Texas principal caught in a ‘critical race theory’ firestorm

James Whitfield, PhD, shared a heartfelt letter to students following George Floyd's death. Then, he was disciplined and placed on leave

It was at 4.30am on 3 June 2020 that Dr James Whitfield sent the email that would detonate his career. Like many Americans, Whitfield had stayed up late that night, seething over the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Barely a month into the promotion to principal of Colleyville Heritage High, he wrestled with how to reassure his 1,974 students as scores of protestors took to the streets in cities all over the world. He had seen the virtue signals from Fortune 500 companies, the black squares on social media, but they seemed lacking. As Colleyville's first Black principal, he felt like he should say more. Emboldened by friends, he decided to make a teachable moment out of this summer of unrest.

I wanted to give people a message of hope and encouragement," he says, still sounding stunned over the phone.