LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts this week said he is “opposed to critical race theory,” voicing an increasingly common opinion among Republican politicians. The governor was asked about the concept Monday on his monthly call-in radio program, during which he didn’t explicitly call for legislation related to the theory and public schools but encouraged parents to get engaged.

At the foundation of critical race theory is that race is a social construct used to oppress and exploit people of color, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Academics use the approach to look at how our understanding of race and white supremacy have impacted our past, structures — such as laws, politics, economics and society in general — and present, according to Jeannette Jones, the associate professor.

It started with a caller named James from Raymond, Nebraska, asking Ricketts where Nebraska stands as a state on the theory.

“Well, I’m opposed to critical race theory,” the governor replied. “It’s a Marxist theory ... it’s really un-American, about how it teaches us to think about ourselves as a country,” Ricketts said.

Regarding legislation, Ricketts said no state senator has picked up the issue, but that could change next year.

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