Imagine being in a history classroom and not learning about Jim Crow laws or about the systematic prejudice against African Americans that continues today, both of which are crucial aspects of Critical Race Theory (CRT). Would you develop essential skills such as critical thinking, empathy and understanding of the world?
In September 2020, Trump signed an executive order banning federal contractors from participating in racial sensitivity training, including CRT. Although rescinded by Biden in 2021, 18 states have passed laws to restrict the teaching of Critical Race Theory as a result of conservative influence.
Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and founded by Derrick Bell, Critical Race Theory is an academic and legal framework that argues that racism is embedded in laws, institutions and policies in the United States. There are several core points of CRT: these include the idea that race is a social construct and not a biological concept and that racism is systemic and embedded in laws. CRT also includes interest convergence, a theory that postulates that improvements for minority groups occur solely for the benefit of the majority group. It also includes intersectionality—the overlapping of identities which creates more oppression—as well as counter-storytelling of personal experiences and critiques of the approaches taken by liberalism to combat social injustice.
In one of the most cited quotes about the consequences of not learning history, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” From pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, we learn numerous subjects and topics, and as we develop, we adopt skills. Additionally, certain ideologies and values are instilled in a child from an early age. Now, what if a child didn’t learn of chattel slavery, or of the physical and emotional impacts lasting over generations to the enslaved African Americans? A person who is shielded with ignorance is bound to be manipulated and make irrational decisions.
Racism exists not solely in personal experiences; it is also woven into institutions and discriminatory laws. For example, based on a 2017 report, Black men got 19.1 % longer sentences for the same federal crime than white men. An earlier example of prejudice inserted into laws is the Chinese Exclusion Act, a law that prohibited Chinese immigration in the late 1800s. In contrast, white immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries were welcomed and employed despite entering the country illegally. Even if discrimination may seem like a relic from the past, the impact lingers today.
Crucial Race Theory is controversial, especially in conservative groups. Conservatives believe that the theory is advocating for reverse racism towards white people to achieve equity. Furthermore, since January 2021, 44 states have proposed or adopted bills to restrict the teaching of CRT and gender equality, citing concerns that sensitive material will affect white children. However, Critical Race Theory is essential in schools as racial inequalities persist in the K-12 education, as evidenced by the underfunding of Black and Latino school districts. Eliminating the conversation runs the risk of erasing the racial disparities that affect children of color.
Critical Race theory is more than an exploration of the layers of racism and injustice towards people of color: it proves why an understanding of CRT is important and valuable in our society. It affects our children, who are the next generation. The history we learn is the fundamental building block of society. To erase the ugly history of America is to set us back a century. Throughout time, the American government has adopted laws or policies that contravened our civil rights, and now it is our responsibility to take preventative measures against the same thing happening again.
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