King County Library in Washington state is denying that it held racially-segregated training sessions after a picture of the signs leading to the two different sessions went viral on social media. The name of the library is ironic; King County is the only county in America named after Martin Luther King, Jr.

As reported by The Blaze, Christopher Rufo, director at the Center on Wealth & Poverty at Discovery Institute, tweeted the bizarre image, which clearly shows two signs segregating participants by race: “DEI Session: People of Color,” and “DEI Session: People Who are White.” Rufo wrote:

“This is racial segregation in 2020. The @KingCountyWA library system is holding “separate but equal” training sessions for its employees—all in the name of social justice.”

This is racial segregation in 2020. The @KingCountyWA library system is holding “separate but equal” training sessions for its employees—all in the name of social justice.

It’s time for @TheJusticeDept to put a stop to this madness. pic.twitter.com/4nFPHF44vJ

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 22, 2020

King County library denied the charges in a statement.

“KCLS has recently been accused of holding a “racially segregated training program.” KCLS denies these allegations. We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read our response to recent misinformation surrounding our DEI initiatives here.”

Of course, they denied the charges.

KCLS has recently been accused of holding a “racially
segregated training program.” KCLS denies these allegations. We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read our response to recent misinformation surrounding our DEI initiatives here: https://t.co/3sYvkZ9ftI

— King County Library (@KCLS) October 24, 2020

In the statement, KCLS denied that the sessions were “not trainings” [sic] but rather, “listening sessions,” so, therefore, KCLS proclaimed, it “does not have a racially segregated training program.”

In 2019, under the guidance of our consultants, Racial Equity Consultants (REC), we provided caucused listening sessions for staff to help inform REC’s institutional racial equity assessment work. These listening sessions were voluntary for staff and designed to gather information to help us better understand institutional racial equity concerns, particularly those voiced by BIPOC staff members at KCLS, so that our consultants could develop a report and recommendations.

Attendance by managers was mandatory for the purpose of preparing them for providing leadership around potential conversations or questions that their staff members might have following the sessions.

These listening sessions were not trainings, and KCLS affirms that it does not have a “racially segregated training program.”

KCLS is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as part of our service to the public. We understand that race is a complex and sensitive topic, and that discussions around race and racism are sometimes difficult, though necessary.

Oh, please. Semantics, people. You held “Blacks only” and “Whites only” “listening sessions.” The fact remains the same: Why did you separate Blacks and Whites?

Setting aside that Critical Race Theory is racist in itself, the below tweet is spot-on:

“This is King County’s bio. I can’t help but think how disappointed he would be if he were to see what they are doing in his name.”

The bio reads: “We’re the only jurisdiction in the world named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., America’s 12-largest county and home to 2.2 million people and 39 cities.”

This is @KingCountyWA‘s bio.

I can’t help but think how disappointed he would be if he were to see what they are doing in his name. pic.twitter.com/vPIjXncuAp

— Critical Critical Theory (@CCRTheory) October 22, 2020

One of those 39 cities is Seattle, the state’s largest. Rufo in July tweeted about Seattle reportedly hosting training for white employees titled “Interrupting Internalized Racial Superiority and Whiteness.”

As noted by The Blaze, the session was geared, among other things, to help White people underscore and affirm their “complicity in racism” and to upend their “whiteness,” according to Rufo.

The City of Seattle held a training session for white employees called “Interrupting Internalized Racial Superiority and Whiteness.”

So I did a public records request to find out exactly what this means. Let's go through it together in this thread. 👇

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 6, 2020

First, diversity trainers informed white participants that “objectivity,” “individualism,” “intellectualization,” and “comfort” are all vestiges of internalized racial oppression. pic.twitter.com/qrZwHZgx1H

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 6, 2020

Rufo continued, saying trainers then were to ask White employees to “let go” of “comfort,” “guaranteed physical safety,” “control over the land,” “social status,” and “relationships with some other white people.” Then they went through a flow chart that outlines how white people “cause harm to POC,” “show up small and inauthentic,” and are unable to access their “humanity,” he said.

Then they go through a flow chart that outlines how white people “cause harm to POC,” “show up small and inauthentic,” and are unable to access their “humanity.” pic.twitter.com/jcJppWXe0k

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 6, 2020

President Donald Trump in September ordered the defunding of Critical Race Theory training at federal agencies, calling the controversial program “divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions.”

To Trump’s point, I find it difficult to understand how separating Black people from White people for the purpose of “education” about why Blacks and Whites should not be separated. Then again, I find the whole “systemic racism” nonsense to be even sillier. You?