The War On Critical Race Theory Continues As Some Call It Anti-White
As of late, discussions about Critical Race Theory have dominated the public conversation. Critical race theory (CRT) can be conceptualized as “a framework that offers researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers a race-conscious approach to understanding education inequality and structural racism to find solutions that lead to greater justice.” Under CRT, race is used as a primary mechanism to understand, unpack and analyze the ways that structures and systems continue to perpetuate racial inequality and uphold a racial hierarchy system. Scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw is cited as one of the originators of the CRT movement along with Neil Gotanda and Stephanie Phillips in 1989. CRT explores how racism is able to endure because it is embedded into the fabric of society. Critical race scholar Dr. Angel Jones shared in an email what initially drew her to study CRT. “I was originally introduced to Critical Race Theory during my doctoral program. I was immediately drawn to it because, as a Black woman at a predominantly White institution, it was the first time I read a theory that acknowledged the roles that race and racism played in my experiences both inside and outside of the Academy. It made me feel seen.” CRT is an effective lens to better understand disparities in housing, education, and healthcare, but not everyone is on board with CRT, and some demanding we refrain from teaching it to children in school.
Despite insurmountable evidence of how racism permeates every single system and structure within the U.S. and beyond, there is growing criticism and condemnation of CRT and its validity. Within many countries that have a documented history of slavery and genocide, there is still a failure to acknowledge the gruesome and grotesque legacy of racism that is upheld structurally and systemically to this day. It seems easier to write the past off as a distant memory that no longer impacts our currently reality. In January, Republican House of Representatives member Keith Ammon proposed a bill that was strangely reminiscent of Trump’s diversity training ban that was pushed forth in 2020. The bill proposed by Ammon prohibits schools and organizations from contracting individuals who will explore “divisive concepts” such as “race or sex scapegoating,” The Atlantic reports. Lawmakers in states like Arkansas, Idaho, and possibly Louisiana have introduced similar bills.
What’s interesting to note is that the CRT backlash is not just coming from white conservatives in southern and rural parts of the U.S. Some of the CRT pushback stems from those who are most impacted by racialized systems. Recently, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who also happens to be the only Black Republican in the Senate, remarked that “America is not a racist country.” And just days ago, Vernon Jones, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state of Georgia, debated academic and political commentator Dr. Marc Lamont Hill on whether CRT should be taught in schools. Jones tweeted “it’s time for our schools to stop teaching our kids to hate America.” CRT criticism is not just in the U.S. Activist and educator Constanza Eliana Chinea discussed the global CRT backlash in a recent Instagram live conversation. Chinea mentioned British politician Kemi Badenoch, who has been an outspoken opponent of CRT. Badenoch stated that she felt that CRT authors actually want a “segregated society.” She also shared that adopting a mindset that Black people are victims simply because of their skin color is “poisonous for young people.” There has been similar pushback in France, where anti-racism educators and activists are being accused of “threatening the values of the republic.” In Australia there have also been attacks on CRT, with many touting CRT as being “anti-white.” The increased wave of backlash against CRT is a direct result of the heightened support for Black Lives Matter following the murder of George Floyd, explained Chinea in her Instagram live video.
Although conversations about CRT are likely to be ongoing and contentious, it is vital for everyone to understand how race and white supremacy have impacted the ways that systems and structures operate. “Learning about CRT is important because in order to challenge systems of oppression, you must first be able to identify them. CRT encourages students to become more civically engaged by equipping them with the tools they need to think critically about issues of race and racism,” indicates Dr. Angel Jones. Despite the opposition, awareness about CRT is imperative. “The best way to combat the backlash and criticism about CRT,” Dr. Jones explains, “is through education.” As was witnessed during an interview between Vernon Jones and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, many challengers of CRT don’t have a full and thorough understanding of what it actually is. “Many of its opponents are unfamiliar with it, and their opposition is resulting from a fear of the unknown,” explains Dr. Jones. “Additionally, increased education would also help to dispel the myths and misconceptions about it. Contrary to the false narratives being told, CRT is not the enemy, racism is. And we defeat that enemy by using critical frameworks, like CRT, to help us challenge systemic oppression.”