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The shockwaves resulting from George Floyd’s murder, which demand reassessments across a broad front of American society, have pushed CRT from journals to classrooms. No: While a ban goes too far, CRT has flaws.Ĭritical race theory (CRT), which maintains that white supremacy and its attendant structural racism is a defining (if unacknowledged) characteristic of the law and society generally, was once largely confined to discussion in law review articles unread by the larger public. Keziah Ridgeway is a public school teacher, activist, wife, and mother born and raised in the Lenapehoking territory of Philadelphia. Kennedy once said, “too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” It’s time we leaned into our discomfort around race, including in the classroom. As a teacher, I’m willing to teach the truth even if it costs me my job. As a society committed to progress, we can’t let this happen. And they are so committed to this narrative, they are even willing to punish teachers to preserve it. They want a return to the days where history around the country is taught from a singular, often whitewashed perspective at the expense of Black, brown, Indigenous, and queer children. The real issue is that politicians and others don’t want white children to grapple with difficult and uncomfortable topics and history. It appears, then, the issue isn’t with CRT at all. You know what else critical thinkers do? They demand more from politicians, make informed decisions about candidates, and are not easily swayed with 60-second soundbites that dominate the news cycle. “The real issue is that politicians and others don’t want white children to grapple with difficult and uncomfortable topics and history.” Keziah RidgewayĮssentially, opponents of critical race theory are afraid of students learning the truth and becoming critical thinkers, because critical thinkers will question everything. while the do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”
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And Abraham Lincoln, the “Great Emancipator,” once said: “I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people. Thomas Jefferson was no saint, but a slave owner and father to Black children conceived through the rape of an enslaved woman named Sally Hemings. What we should be teaching them is that “hero” Christopher Columbus ushered in the trafficking, enslavement, and genocide of Indigenous peoples. So, instead of getting uncomfortable and talking about race, those opposed to CRT would rather educators teach lies and simplify history. CRT’s opponents do not want students to learn this truth because it would lay bare to students that our nation is not perfect, and the only way to move toward a more perfect union is to dismantle many of the narratives we hold dear. This country was literally built on slavery and genocide. Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado, CRT values the scholarship, experiences, and movement building of Black, Latino, Asian, and queer people of color by recognizing that racism is in the building blocks for every institution in the United States. As developed by academics including Derrick Bell, Kimberlé W. Ferguson, which codified segregation - to shed light on the intersections of law, race/racism, and gender inequality within power structures in our society. Critical race theory moved beyond obviously racist law - like Plessy v. So what is it? CRT is an offshoot of critical legal studies, which focuses on the ways law is used to sustain power structures within society. In fact, most K-12 educators probably have never used the words critical race theory when lesson planning and probably couldn’t give a good working definition of what it is. The issue is that most K-12 schools in the country do not and are not equipped to do so.Ĭritical race theory is such an advanced subject that the only places where you’ll find it being taught are colleges, universities, and advanced high school courses like my IB anthropology class.
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Pennsylvania schools should absolutely teach with a critical race theory (CRT) lens. Yes: Opponents of CRT want whitewashed history.