Banning critical race theory in schools is unjustified, argues Jason Stanley

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2022/07/14/banning-critical-race-theory-in-schools-is-unjustified-argues-jason-stanley

No paywall
https://archive.ph/bl6Nu

*snip*

Is crt taught in schools? The theory is born of America’s history. Any accurate American-history course must cover the Jim Crow regime and how it employed superficially race-blind practices (such as “literacy tests”) to purge the voter rolls of black voters. Mass purging of voter rolls continues to be employed in various forms today for the same purpose. In other words, the tactics that underpin voter suppression, as the historian Carol Anderson has documented, are an ongoing legacy of America’s racist past. This is just one of many examples. If American history is being accurately taught, so is much of the basis of crt.

crt as a theory, however, is not being taught in schools, nor are its proposed solutions to enduring racial inequalities. At most, public schools require students to learn facts, rather than theoretical analysis or prescriptions about policy. Though the facts of American history do, indeed, make a powerful case for crt, learning such facts is not in any sense indoctrination.

According to a tracker run by Education Week, an online publication, since January 2021, 42 states “have introduced bills or taken other steps that would restrict teaching [crt] or limit how teachers can discuss racism and sexism”, and 17 states have “imposed these bans or restrictions”. Bans now exist in Florida, Texas and Tennessee, for example. Politicians threaten to remove public funding for school districts caught in violation.

These laws are purposefully vague. They are easily interpreted as banning the teaching of the history that provides the basis of crt’s insights. If one bans this history, there will be even less support for needed structural changes to address inequality, including changes that would benefit all Americans (eg commitment to a strong nationwide system of free public schools and easily affordable first-class public universities).

*snip*

[onecaliberal]

1. WE DO NOT TEACH IT!!!

[Nevilledog]

2. That's clearly stated in the article.

Second paragraph from the OP

crt as a theory, however, is not being taught in schools, nor are its proposed solutions to enduring racial inequalities. At most, public schools require students to learn facts, rather than theoretical analysis or prescriptions about policy. Though the facts of American history do, indeed, make a powerful case for crt, learning such facts is not in any sense indoctrination.

[Demsrule86]

3. It is not taught in schools...it is a college level course...may even be a master's level class...

These idiots can try but they won't erase the terrible history of slavery and/or the Holocaust.

[Nevilledog]

4. Maybe the point of the article is too subtle, or we've become programmed to just say "No it isn't "

This is the main point:

Is crt taught in schools? The theory is born of America’s history. Any accurate American-history course must cover the Jim Crow regime and how it employed superficially race-blind practices (such as “literacy tests”) to purge the voter rolls of black voters. Mass purging of voter rolls continues to be employed in various forms today for the same purpose. In other words, the tactics that underpin voter suppression, as the historian Carol Anderson has documented, are an ongoing legacy of America’s racist past. This is just one of many examples. If American history is being accurately taught, so is much of the basis of crt.

[Voltaire2]

7. As usual the essay suffers from liberal over explanation

making a really simple issue complex.

Is CRT taught to children: no. What is the real issue: the right wants to ban all presentation of historical facts about our racist history.

[Nevilledog]

9. So you skipped over the actual words that say critical race theory is not taught in schools?

[Voltaire2]

10. Your three paragraphs manage to not actually make it clear.

He does say crt is not being taught, but then goes on to confuse the issue by explaining how the facts of our racist history sort of teach crt. So which is it?

This issue is not complicated. CRT is not being taught in schools.

[Voltaire2]

5. CRT is not being taught in public elementary or high schools.

What the fascists actually want is the elimination of all presentation of objective historical facts concerning our history that can be viewed as evidence of white supreMacy and racism.

[Nevilledog]

6. Everyone is missing the point of the article.....

*sigh*

[Voltaire2]

8. Nope. I'm tired of oversplaining.

[Walleye]

11. The more accurate term would be, criticism of racists theories