As the EthicalEla article says, discussing race in a literature class is unavoidable. However, so many curriculums across the country are euro-centric, focusing mainly on white male authors like F.Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, J.D Salinger, and Truman Capote. Even when race becomes a focal point in the discussion, the books used are still written by white authors from white perspectives. Think To Kill A Mockingbird and Huckleberry Finn- two books used to teach students about racism without the actual perspective of people who have been affected by it. Let's ask ourselves- why are we using white authors as a starting point on these heavy topics?  Implementing the foundations of Critical Race Theory means thinking about what authors and books best represent what you want to teach, and giving students new perspectives through the lens of literature. Authors like Toni Morrison, Sandra Cisneros, Octavia Butler, Angie Thomas, and others will help give a true, non-sugar-coated view of the realities of racist histories that are just as much embedded in America's pages as The Great Gatsby. 

Critical Race Theory opens our eyes to the truth and lets students actually think critically about the world around them. There is a wide range of authors and novels that can accurately represent certain perspectives, within a broad range of genres. with such a diverse range of books, you can examine critical race theory through the lens of different genres like horror, science fiction, historical fiction, and realistic fiction. Toni Morrison's Beloved is a gothic horror neo-slave narrative that challenges how little slavery is often taught in schools, while The Bluest Eye focuses on racial trauma and mental health struggles that come from self-hatred. Octavia Butler, on the other hand, offers her perspectives through science fiction, with novels like Kindred and Parable of the Sower. Even more contemporary options are present to kickstart conversations about racism in the modern-day like The Hate U Give and Dear Martin.