Why We Should Teach Critical Race Theory

Clarification: I am not in any way attempting to equate Critical Race Theory and history. They are separate disciplines, with some interesting overlap. What I am suggesting is that theory can help us to think differently about certain aspects of American history.

---

I’ve been pretty consistent in my response to accusations from lawmakers and their allies across the country that our history classrooms have been turned into forums for the teaching of Critical Race Theory and other so-called dangerous ideas. That response begins and ends with the truth: CRT is not currently being taught as part of any history curriculum anywhere in the country.

My response has been driven by a desire to stand up for my colleagues in the face of ignorant lawmakers, parents, and other commentators.

In twenty years of teaching in private schools, I have never once heard a colleague refer to CRT. Not once has the subject been raised in the many professional development workshops that I have helped to organize and lead for history educators. In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that before this latest round of attacks began, I knew nothing about CRT.

I now see my response as misguided.

At its root, the attacks against teachers are an attempt to shut down critical thinking and the free exchange of ideas in the classroom. It is a war against ideas.

We need to acknowledge this for what it is and respond appropriately.

As educators we need to reclaim our classrooms and this debate. We should want our students to be curious about the world and consider a wide range of analytical tools to try to understand it. Republican lawmakers have managed not only to distort CRT, but frame it as something that must be avoided at all costs and feared.

This is anti-intellectualism at its worst.

I have only recently begun to try to understand Critical Race Theory. Here is a great place to start.

There is a reason why CRT is taught in law schools across the country. Like any theory, it is one among a number of theoretical frameworks that can be used to better understand the history and legacy of race and white supremacy in the United States Like any theory, it has its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, like any theory it has its advocates and detractors. None of this is particularly interesting or even controversial.

I am not suggesting that we officially add a course on CRT to a secondary school history curriculum, but we should be willing and allowed to introduce it to our students at an age-appropriate level. It certainly can help us to better understand any number of aspects of American history, including the codification of slavery into Virginia law by the mid-17th century, much of the Jim Crow era, and redlining in northern cities like Chicago and elsewhere.

Instead of simply denying that CRT is taught in secondary schools, we should demand the right to utilize all the intellectual tools at our disposal that will help us to do our jobs better.

Let me know what you think below in the comments section.