Critical Race Theory breaking ground across nation

Posted Oct. 4, 2021

By T Gedi

Staff Editor

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is the process of analyzing the United State’s part in treating African Americans like second class citizens and analyzing how social institutions (such as healthcare, prisons, and education) are entwined with anti-blackness, exploring how anti-black practices have held back African Americans and deter their success.

CRT first started as a college class in the 1970s, pioneered by American scholars Kimberlé Crenshaw, Patricia J. Williams, Derrick Bell, Alan Freeman, Richard Delgado, Cheryl Harris, Charles R. Lawrence III, and Mari Matsuda.

“Critical race theory is based on the premise that race is socially constructed, yet it is real through social constructions,” said Kimberlé Crenshaw, who breaks down Critical Race Theory in a Vanity Fair article. Crenshaw is a lawyer, civil rights advocate, and leading voice of critical race theory.

Just recently David Douglas High School implemented Black Studies as an ELA course that students can take as an elective credit. The class explores the history of the flawed conceptions of race and the prevalence of racial injustice in American society, both past and present. However, the class does not cover Critical Race Theory. The Black Studies course is taught by ELA teachers Chris Mathews, Anderson DuBoise, and Chris Odom. In addition, student teacher Yusef Graves, also assists Mathews in teaching the course.

“We are currently discussing Race & Identity and reading Between The World & Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates,” said Mathews. “Later in the year we will study Black Education, The Harlem Renaissance, Oregon Black History, Independent Research Projects, and a number of other books.”

Teaching CRT in schools has been an ongoing controversy in America. Some states like Texas have gone as far to ban the subject as a whole. Other states, including Idaho, Tennessee, and Arizona have followed suit. Some states like Virginia have held anti-CRT protests, urging lawmakers and school districts to put a ban on the curriculum.

Their nebulous reasoning lacks an in-depth knowledge of what critical race theory is. They point out that critical race theory creates a divide between people of color and white people. It is also stressed that CRT spreads anti-patriotism and a false narrative of the United States.

As a rebuttal, others argue that banning Critical Race Theory ignores the struggles of minorities, such as Black Americans, and takes responsibility away from the United States for its part in oppressing minorities. Those in favor of and who support an anti-racism curriculum argue that banning CRT in schools sets America backwards and halts change in the nation. The spark of Black Lives Matter protests over this past year has proven that students are already talking about race issues, and banning CRT in schools won’t stop these discussions. If anything, it can strip Black students (and others) of a space to discuss their lived experiences.