CUMMING, Ga. – District 24 State Representative Sheri Gilligan spoke out against the Forsyth County strategic plan Monday saying, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is more about division, exclusion and intimidation. If you disagree with them, you get intimidated. I believe it is harming our children.”

During Monday’s Forsyth County Tea Party meeting, Gilligan encouraged DEI and Critical Race Theory opponents to continue to speak out publicly, especially at Forsyth County School Board meetings.

“When you go to speak, it may look like they aren’t listening to you,” she said. “But understand your audience is the people who are watching you. Not just the ones that are in that room. You may not get the head nod in that room but you are making a difference.”

Loudon County Virginia has been featured on many national news outets for weeks for their fight with the local school board over CRT. The county is on the frontline of the war on CRT which has led states like Florida, Arkansas, Idaho and Oklahoma to ban the ideology. More than a dozen other states, including Georgia, are debating a ban.

“How do we know about Loudon County,” Gilligan asked a Tea Party audience Monday. “Because they did not fail to show up. They showed up. They spoke out. We all know about Loudon County. You need to be the next Loudon County.”

Gilligan said many state legislators are considering some type of ban when the General Assembly reconvenes later this year.

“We won’t use the words CRT because what happens is words get changed. I do believe there will be a lot of support for something like that. It’s about treating people equally and not creating a division.”