Op-ed: I am a teacher, and yes, critical race theory is in your school
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Over the past few months, I have engaged in countless debates with colleagues over whether critical race theory is in our school district. Teachers deny critical race theory’s existence because they do not truly know what it is and hence cannot recognize its influence on their practices. Critical race theory rests on two presuppositions: The first is that racism in America is not aberrational but normative, and the second that America’s social, legal and political institutions are inherently racist as a consequence of our admittedly shameful racial past. In other words, racism permeates our modern sociopolitical fabric.
Critical race theory is the practice of interrogating race and racism in American institutions and society using the aforementioned presuppositions. It is a critical analytic lens for understanding the racial disparities in our country and an activist imperative for action. Unlike social science theories constructed on empirical evidence, critical race theory uses a new epistemology in which truth is subjectively determined by “lived experiences” rather than what can be impartially observed, quantified or falsified.
If one expects to find critical race theory to be listed in school district training manuals or curriculum maps, they’re going to be disappointed. However, one mustn’t allow oneself to become pigeonholed into this idea that to identify critical race theory’s influence and application, it must be explicitly named. It does not exist in education as a course of student studies but as praxis (the practice of theory).
Think of critical race theory like the scientific method, which is both a theoretical framework and tool. The study of and training in the scientific method takes place in institutions of higher learning, which is then applied in professional practice. That your doctor does not mention it during their work does not mean it is not embedded in the field. It is entirely possible, even likely, that the scientific method is seldom named or discussed as a topic of conversation in most medical practices. Would anyone use that as evidence that the scientific method does not exist in medicine? Of course not. Therefore, knowing the distinction between theory and praxis, we must look for applicational evidence of critical race theory in education.
The proceeding list is not intended to be exhaustive or definitive but rather a guide to identifying clues that CRT is being applied as an activist tool in your school district. These clues should form the basis of a parent-driven dialogue and a more thorough investigation.
Critical race theory praxis in education may involve:
• Claims that the school is systemically racist as a foundation for district analyses of policies or practices that are “oppressive.”
• Teacher- or administrative-led activist language centered on dismantling institutional bias and oppression in education.
• District-level racial analyses of disparate academic or behavioral outcomes that presuppose bias without a more rigorous method of inquiry.
• Schoolwide dialogues, particularly in staff professional development, centered on interrogating race and power in the school district.
• Curricula built upon the presuppositions of critical race theory.
• Lesson plans that require students to use racially interrogative lenses.
• Pedagogues and behavior management theories constructed through a racially analytic lens; precisely, one that interrogates racial power dynamics in the classroom.
I encourage parents to use this list as a lens to analyze the specificities unique to their school districts. Above all, remember that labeling these manifestations of critical race theory as such is not as important as having well-formed arguments against them.
Know why you object to these modalities of thinking and make your case to other parents and the school board. For my fellow teachers, you can decide for yourself whether or not you find these practices helpful, but do not deny their origination or call parents ignorant or crazy for identifying them as critical race theory.
More important, teachers, do not use the sacred power and trust bestowed upon you by parents to impose this worldview upon their children. You are educators, not activists, and if you think you are the latter, you should reconsider your post.
Francis McCormick is a high school history teacher from Waukegan.
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Today's lesson from a concerned teacher.
Need more proof?
There are a couple here that STILL won't admit what the hell is going on. Stupidity and ignorance. Stignorance.
Good thing she didn't say "is being taught" but instead "Is in your school" or some here at NT would have a cow..........
They are going to point to official school curriculum as one already has. This seed shows the error of doing that.
On the other hand are those who defend it.
I have been following what is going on in Loudoun County. Not because of the CRT but because I believe the school board should all be replaced because of the rape they tried to cover up.
I read an article yesterday that had a link to a contract they have, or had ( the link states the contract was made in 2019 with the Equity Collaborative) if anyone is interested here are the links.
If that's true, why did you post links to the Equity Collaborative contract? Why not post links to support your allegation that Loudoun County covered up a rape?
Thank you for those links. Good news...First to see that parents have organized - Fight for Schools!
And second to see that there was a responsible judge handling the petition:
"Fight for Schools previously acquired enough signatures to challenge Beth Barts (Leesburg District) before she resigned . The court had allowed the case against Barts to proceed, but a judge barred Buta Biberaj , the county's Commonwealth's Attorney, from presiding over the case. Biberaj had expressed support for the district's racial equity policies, which parents have faulted for inculcating critical race theory."
Your second link clearly shows what Loudoun County signed up for.
That one is a keeper!
That one goes right to the teaching of CRT. Are you going to try and contest either outrageous act?
BTW, you should actually read the content of your links and vet them.
Your second link LIES about the content of the Equity Collaborative's website.
'defendinged' claims that Session 1 of the 'Advanced Practice Series" is:
That is false. Session 1 on Equity Collaborative's website is:
Since 'defendinged' feels it needs to LIE about it's opponent to bolster it's posit, they lose all credibility.
This story has already been proven true by emails by the schoolboard on the day of the assault and no report filed by the district months later.
It's been all over the MSM. It's an easy google!
Well gee Vic, since Jane Doe said that CRT wasn't the reason that she [?] was 'following what is going on in Loudoun County', that's irrelevant, isn't it?
What outrageous acts are you referring to Vic? Please be specific.
No she didn't. And btw she is not on the witness stand.
was 'following what is going on in Loudoun County', that's irrelevant, isn't it?
It's totally relevant, because the educated, professional lying scum on the school board lied about both things.
What outrageous acts are you referring to Vic?
Teaching CRT, teaching gender confusion and covering up rape!
Is that specific enough?
The Equity Collaborative 'story' isn't true. Reading is fundamental.
Yes she did Vic.
No one here is Vic. Yet we as members ARE expected to be able to support our statements. Refusing to do so shows a lack of credibility and should cause other members to dismiss that members claims. You of all people should recognize that.
Obfuscation.
Why yes it is Vic. Now PROVE it.
Not possible because none of it is true.
You know how that goes. Just looking for someone to chase them down the rabbit hole where things are twisted into a bunch of BS
Let's start with YOU. YOU claimed the The Equity Collaborative 'story' isn't true! PROVE IT!
Obfuscation.
The facts!
Why yes it is Vic. Now PROVE it.
Teaching CRT -
Teaching gender confusion -
Covering up rape -
That's called a "Grand Slam!" Have a good day!
Since the 'story' is based on the FALSE statements in Jane Doe's link and I refuted that claim, I already DID Vic.
That link contains NO evidence that CRT is being taught in Loudoun County schools Vic.
FAIL.
That link contains NO evidence that Loudoun County is 'teaching gender confusion'.
FAIL.
So you claim that your final link PROVES that they are 'teaching gender confusion' [it doesn't] AND that Loudoun County covered up a rape.
That's delusional.
MAJOR FAIL.
Three strikes, you're OUT.
So you can't answer a simple question or support your allegation. Got ya.
It’s at the true beyond any reasonable doubt at this point.
demonstrated here daily, by the conservative right...
You pretty much nailed it.
White parents are willing to accept that slavery and racism existed once upon a time in America, but they draw the line at teachers trying to blame white people blamed for it.
Are you responsible for slavery?
I have never said individuals today are responsible for slavery, so no I am not.
If the past doesnt matter, why do we have 4th of July every year? Why do they go to Normandy and lay wreaths? Why do we incessantly hear about the founding fathers and the great things they did?
Just put your big boy pants and and accept that "white people" did bad things to Africans and Native Americans and it resonates until today. If everyone would just accept that undeniable truth we could totally move on within a generation or so.
Instead we have tons of white people saying they are the real victims of racism. It is absurd.
Should kids be taught Muslims are responsible for slavery?
Or should kids be taught that white people are responsible for things like the polio vaccine, aircraft, computers, western medicine, etc? I'm curious how your racialist teaching agenda plays out. Is it just bad things that are collectively the responsibility of white people?
But you are white. And you seem to be arguing that kids should be taught that white people are to blame.
Instead of teaching history through a racist lens, why not teach the kids the truth? Europeans traded goods to Africans for slaves. They than transported Africans to the Americas where they sold the slaves and brought back goods..
Teaching the truth rather than distorting history to further racist agendas is not only the right thing to do, you aren't setting students up for a fall when they realize the simple little narrartvie they were indoctrinated with doesn't really explain how millions of Whites came to be enslaved by Muslim powers. The poor kids brains will explode trying to figure out how white people are to blame for being enslaved
So is your argument that "everyone" is responsible for racism? That seems to be what you are saying (since we cant specifically credit whites for inventing polio vaccine then we shouldnt specifically blame them for racism in the United States ) . Is that really what your argument has devolved into?
You claimed that kids should be taught that white people are to blame for slavery, which is silly. Teach kids the truth about the slavery, don't indoctrinate them with falsehoods to serve a racialist agenda.
since we cant specifically credit whites for inventing polio vaccin
Why not? If you believe the teaching of history is about blaming entire races for what happened in the past, shouldn't you credit them as well? If, as you seem to believe, everything is about race, than everything is about race.
White people ARE to blame for racism in the United States.
Do you want schoolchildren taught that race based slavery was an accident?
Your entire position seems to be that in spite of the fact that racism (from whites toward "people of color" ) has existed for hundreds of years and substantially diminished millions of lives , because in the past relatively few years there has been some progress made against the effects of racism, we should now pretend the previous 400 years didnt happen.
Why is everyone so sympathetic about what white parents want taught to their kids? Do the same people show the same interest in what black people want taught to their kids?
But the world existed both outside of, and before, the United States. Kids should be taught accordingly.
e should now pretend the previous 400 years didnt happen
I've never said anything close to that. I think kids should be taught the truth, not indoctrinated into playing racist, ideological blame games.
Teaching accurate history without devolving into racist identity politics should be something we all agree on. Identity politics were wrong in the Jim Crow south, and they are just as wrong today.
Do the same people show the same interest in what black people want taught to their kids?
I think people are interested in not wanting their kids to be indoctrinated in racist ideology. As the success of Robin Di Angelo shows alot of white parents disagree with that. It's not about the race of the parents.
When kids are taught world history they can be taught about Islamic atrocities or whatever. I am talking about US history.
How would you teach the "accurate" history of the US that includes 400 years of racism without singling out whose fault it was ?
As has been proven here ad nauseam, it's impossible to do so. The difference is that they think it's all good as long as they can smugly put the blame on Southern 'Democrats'. Now the shinny object has culminated in conflating CRT with the 1619 Project and since that predates Democrats they're finding it hard to shrug off the blame.
How would you teach the "accurate" history of the US that includes 400 years of racism without singling out whose fault it was
America is not even 250 years old....
Regardless, it's pretty easy. The point of history is not to blame races. You "blame" people engaged in the slave trade and those who owned slaves, you "blame" racists for being racist. Although, the point of history is not to play the blame game.
There is a rather obvious similarity between the "white parents" who dont want any group in particular to be blamed for historic US racism when the subject is taught to schoolchildren, and the conservatives on NT who think we should single out the many tens of millions of white racists who have existed in America over the past 400 years individually by name because we shouldnt cast unreasonable aspersions on an entire group of people.
History places 'blame' all the time Sean.
Your statement is ridiculous.
I want to know how the fuck these parents expect their kids to learn critical thinking. These idiots are mandating that teacher refuse to answer relevant question, like who and why.
Kids know when you're hiding shit. They can tell if you're telling half truths or shoveling bullshit at them. When we were kids they may have been able to get away with hedging. Today, reality is just a google away. They can find out right quick that all of that 'manifest destiny' bullshit was just an excuse.
our statement is ridiculous.
Imagine you playing that card...
You don't teach or learn history to blame races. [deleted]
[deleted]
Historic widespread racism is a racial issue. It is not something that just happened. There have been many tens of millions of white racists in America (at least). You seem to be saying that unless they can be identified by name no one should be "blamed". It is bizarre.
Nonsense John. You teach facts. You teach slavery. You teach Jim Crow. You don't teach kids white people are racist.
This is about racism. Slavery and Jim Crow were the vehicles. Addressing racism without saying which race was the victim and which race were the perpetrators is just bizarre.
Facts aren't cards Sean.
That's quite different than:
Which is a ridiculous statement.
I see that your MO of posting personal insults hasn't change Sean.
You have the right to believe that is what I believe, no matter how baseless your conclusion.
The last kids whose minds I 'poisoned' with my 'racism' earned full rides to Howard University and graduated with honors. The eldest just named his first child after me...
Oh BTFW Sean, Howard is an HBC.
If they are capable of critical thinking, while learning about slavery and Jim Crow, they will come to that logical conclusion all by themselves.
George Takei has had a lot to say about the fact that it's impossible to teach about the history of US Japanese concentration camps without stating that it was motivated by racism.
Yes, especially since the author is a GOP hack.
BTW, one would think that a HS teacher would refrain from writing the false definition of praxis. Guess he wanted to sound smart instead of actually being smart.
"I Am A Teacher, And Yes, Critical Race Theory Is In Your School"
No, it's not taught in school K-12.
Critical Race Theory is not being taught in schools K-12 despite what this allegedly concerned teacher is saying.
More proof of what? Something that isn't happening?
A lot of angry white people complaining about something that is not happening, yet again.
angry white people?
Yesterday that was ok around here. Wait until Friday!
I see the "Nuh Uh" committee is already in denial mode.
More than usual it seems. Must be feeling the heat LOL
The seeded article doesn't actually state that CRT is being taught in schools.
What she says, basically, is (this is just an example)
She takes examples of HER definition of what's in CRT, applies that to the school, and if she can find anything similar, she tries to prove her point with it.
And what does that have to do with the sentence you quoted?
"The seeded article doesn't actually state that CRT is being taught in schools.
What she says, basically, is (this is just an example)
She takes examples of HER definition of what's in CRT, applies that to the school, and if she can find anything similar, she tries to prove her point with it."
Of course not, because it isn't.
So you didn't understand the article.
I'm sorry that the article doesn't actually say what you want it to say. Better luck next time.
Lol. You literally just make things up and claim they are in the article. It's sad.
This is fucking hilarious but also pretty sad. After reading this seed it is clear this teacher doesn't know what the fuck they're talking about. They claim CRT is like the scientific method. They admit it's not an actual curriculum being taught anywhere, it's apparently just in the ether and appears when anyone tries to measure outcomes by race. Apparently if your school wants to address glaring racial disparity in their schools by even acknowledging there may be a problem, that's CRT. If a teacher discusses race in any way, shape or form, that's CRT. If a district even analyses student outcomes through the lens of race, that's CRT.
Basically whiny piece of shit conservative bigots want to silence anyone who even mentions white club. They are desperate to hide the metaphorical bruises, black eyes and broken noses aka effects and outcomes that occur in society because of their white club. They get up and yell and scream at school board meetings all to protect white club. Such a bunch of sad sacks of useless shit doing everything they can to protect and deflect from their accepted and expected white privilege, attacking the messengers aka intellectuals, educators and rational educated parents and school board members who point out the glaring racial disparities still found in our schools and society.
First rule of white club, don't talk about white club. Second rule of white club, claim anyone talking about white club is teaching CRT.
I never would have thought of phrasing it that way.
But I wish I had......KUDOS.