Teaching kids to hate America? Republicans want 'critical race theory' out of schools

[Judi Lynn]

Alia Wong, USA TODAY 33 mins ago

Idaho's governor last week signed into law a bill whose purpose, at face value, is noncontroversial. The law prohibits public schools and colleges from teaching that "any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior."

The catch? Baked into the legislation is an effort to stamp out conversations about race and equity. A dozen or so states — including Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and West Virginia – have introduced bills that would prohibit schools from teaching "divisive," "racist" or "sexist" concepts.

Critics warn these measures are part of a larger movement to draw America’s culture wars into classrooms. And this war centers on a once-obscure legal theory about how the legacy of slavery continues to permeate American society today.

“Critical race theory” goes beyond advocating for civil rights or banning discrimination. Proponents see it as a framework to examine how the taint of racism still affects Black Americans and other people of color in matters ranging from who gets bank loans and admission into elite universities to how suspects are treated by police.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teaching-kids-to-hate-america-republicans-want-critical-race-theory-out-of-schools/ar-BB1gGB7j?li=BBnb7Kz

[janterry]

1. I don't support banning a theory BUT

I do NOT support the way it is taught in some schools.

I assume this writer (of the article) knows better than what she is writing. She is flattening the discussion and that is making us (as democrats) unsophisticated in our understanding of why there is a push back.

I do NOT support forcing children/teens to discuss (if they are white) why they are racist. I know how it works (I had to do that in graduate school. If I didn't, I received a poor grade). At the time, I thought it was interesting. Over the years, I have come to see it as less helpful. (Also don't support forcing POC having to write out their own beliefs or come out to their classroom.)

School is not for psychological processing. POC and white students should not have to engage with theory like this (forced engagement). Learn it, sure. Why not? It's an interesting (and sometimes helpful) theory.

But whatever my thoughts are - this is what is happening on the ground:
There already are several lawsuits popping up. One by a mother of a student who didn't want to talk about his race, or announce a belief about his so-called gender, or religion in class - or get an F.

Why should children HAVE to do that at school?
From the lawsuit: Defendants compelled Plaintiff William Clark to make professions about his racial, sexual, gender, and religious identities in verbal class exercises and in graded, written homework assignments
https://www.scribd.com/document/489011066/Schoolhouserights-org-Nevada-Complaint#from_embed

FWIW, the plaintiff's mother is black (his deceased father was white).
I don't support banning a theory, of course. That's illiberal. But I sure wish we could have a discussion about a theory - how it can be harnessed effectively - and ways it might have been used in the classroom that are less effective.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

Republicans say a lot of things. Always without knowing what the fuck they are talking about.