Support anti-racism curriculum in schools.

We previously discussed how conservatives are rallying against “critical race theory” to prohibit educators from teaching about American systemic racism. Although critical race theory, an academic theory often only seen in law schools, isn’t being taught directly in most schools in the country, parents, administrators and legislators are using the term to hinder conversations on racism, systemic oppression, even socio-emotional learning and restorative justice (The74).

We asked educators to check in and let us know how they’re doing. Here’s some of the ways bans on critical race theory are affecting our communities.

Good morning and welcome back! Yesterday we received a ton of feedback from our educator readers on how critical race theory discourse is affecting them. Today, we're unpacking the issue further and highlighting their perspectives. Thank you all for sharing!

Every time we cover this issue, I can't help but reflecting on my own educational journey. History isn't something we just learn, but experience. And as a child, I only learned of the racism that's embedded in this nation as it was inflicted upon me each day. I wonder how I would have felt if I had the words and history to contextualize the pain and isolation I experienced. I think, at minimum, our children deserve the same. But, more urgently, they deserve to live in a world that's committed to minimizing that harm for generations to come.

Thank you for your support! This daily, free, independent newsletter is fully funded by contributions from our readers. Make a monthly or annual donation to join in.

– Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Encourage educators in your community to sign the #TeachtheTruth pledge at the Zinn Education Project. As part, they’ll receive diverse and culturally-responsive resources for their classrooms.
Use this map to learn more about the legislation pending or passed in your state.
Attend school and district board meetings to advocate for diverse and truthful curriculum.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her) and Andrew Lee (he/him)

When we released our last newsletter on the topic, Idaho and Tennessee had already banned instruction that acknowledged white privilege. Now, twenty-six states have introduced or passed legislation in an attempt to limit discourse on racism and sexism (Newsweek).

The effects of these retrograde policies are already playing out. A white Florida teacher was fired for putting a Black Lives Matter flag in her classroom. A Tennessee instructor was terminated after showing a video of a poem about white privilege. A Missouri school district’s sole Black administrator resigned after receiving threats so severe she hired private security guards. Educators, especially Black educators, are being pushed out of schools. Experts warn of a “brain drain” in an already understaffed field (Yahoo). In response, activists and educators are preparing to fight this legislation in court (Axios).

We asked educators to check in and let us know how they’re doing. Here’s some of the ways bans on critical race theory are affecting our communities:

1. 42% of our respondents stated that the discourse related to critical race theory is impacting what they can teach in the classroom.

“I am a D&I analyst (newly created position for an online school). I'm not even done with my first year and have gotten push back on sharing articles on AAPI discrimination, having pronouns utilized in signatures, and speaking on how the rhetoric of Trump has increased discrimination against minorities. Just recently a school in the area was dealing with parent pushback on CRT, which has in turned made parents and staff in my own district/school question our approach or stance on CRT/DEI. They often conflate the two and threaten to pull their children from our school if the material is covered.”

"I am not a teacher, but I work as a support staff member for all schools in my District. Our District had a new goal which included anti-racist language, but it caused such a backlash with the white community, that they were forced to remove the language "white advantage". Our state (FL) has also proposed a rule to ban CRT."

"It is unreal to watch how quickly groups of parents in my district mobilized to monitor and brigade any teacher whose lessons explicitly mention terms such as 'equity, inclusion, white supremacy, systemic racism,' and anything else they deem out of the teacher’s jurisdiction as an educator. In a district that already struggles to practice what it preaches regarding equity, this does nothing but stifle the important conversations that need to happen because central office now feels the need to play it 'safe' to avoid drawing unwanted attention."

2. Others mentioned that the mere *perception* of pushback from parents and administrators is affecting the classroom.

“I teach 4th grade. We have a very outdated curriculum, however, my district has been doing work training teachers on cultural proficiency for a few years. My principal is supportive on teaching based around current events and social justice (I teach 4th grade). However, this is not a mandate and many teachers feel uncomfortable doing this as they are afraid of the backlash they may get from families and they feel there is no curriculum.”

"I teach an entire senior elective centered on CRT. So far, I haven't heard anything directed at my school or my class, but I did drive by a group of people protesting CRT two towns away last week. I am worried."

“Hard to say if this is true or false just yet, but I believe the impact is strong around the FEAR of what teachers/district leaders might get in "trouble" for, which leads to a scaling back of these important topics. Funding by private organizations will also impact what resources/partnerships schools have access to.”

3. This discourse is causing specific lessons and curriculum to be banned from the classroom.

“I teach African American History. I have to remove The 1619 Project from my curriculum due to a new state law [...] I don't know how to teach any class on history without discussing the role of race. Racism is embedded in US history and it can't be removed.”

"I am concerned that I won't be able to teach persuasive writing specifically focused on elected officials, which is something I had hoped to do this year. I'm in Texas, and the bill that was passed during our regular session states that you can't give credit or extra credit for political activism, including writing to elected officials."

4. However, many educators note that their schools and communities are more intent on diversifying their curriculum. These educators, though, were mainly at charter or private schools.

"I work in a Charter School with a principal, superintendent and board that is very supportive of making sure our students get an education that recognizes their identities. We are able to rewrite our curriculum to focus on anti-bias and anti-racism as we teach Social Studies and ELA. The only impact from the CRT is that we are trying to do better about what our students are learning."

"I am a 5th grade teacher in a Catholic school. I teach 4th and 5th grade Social Studies. I try to teach history as honestly as I can---I wouldn't call it "critical race theory" because that is way too complicated for elementary students. But I am pretty much allowed to teach what I want and have received no pushback so far for teaching students that the Founding Fathers were racist, indigenous genocide, etc. It probably helps that my school is majority Mexican; I think white parents would react differently."

What can we expect as the school year unfolds? It's unclear – nearly half of respondents that haven't run into an issue mentioned that it might be too soon to tell. But it's clear that this coordinated attack will have lasting implications for students in the years ahead.

This recap highlights a sample of 90 survey respondents from the U.S. 55% represent K-8 educators, and 45% represent 9-12th grade educators. All responses are anonymous.

Key Takeaways

Discourse around critical race theory is making it difficult for educators to teach content related to racism and systemic oppression in their classrooms.
Twenty-six states have introduced or passed legislation in an attempt to limit discourse on racism and sexism (Newsweek).
In our survey with educators, we found that 42% are being impacted by these conversations today.

Learn about critical race theory and the conservative efforts to mislabel it.

Repeal the Trump Equity Gag Order.

The Trump administration kickstarted the latest attack on racial discourse. Read more about those efforts and their implications.

Stop white centering.

The harm of centering whiteness and white privilege in curriculum.

Support the 1619 Project.

Analyzing the lack of truthfulness in history books and the importance of resources like the 1619 Project.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.

Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza

Nicole Cardoza 5/7/21 Nicole Cardoza 5/7/21

Advocate for critical race theory education.

Yesterday, the governor of Idaho signed a bill into state law designed to prevent critical race theory from being taught in schools and universities. Specifically, the law bans discourse on the notion that any members of any race, sex, religion, ethnicity, or national origin are inferior or superior to other groups and that certain groups benefit from privileges based on society’s perception of their identity (The Guardian). A similar law was also enacted this week in Tennessee, and other states – including Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Florida – have proposed to do the same.

It's Friday! Welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. We briefly touched on this topic last fall, but as the conversations heat up again in schools, it's important to revisit the foundation of critical race theory. If you're reading this email, you're already familiar with the framework – we touch on many of the themes regularly. Take action to protect this necessary curriculum in schools.

This newsletter is possible because of our gracious supporters! Consider giving $7/month on Patreon. Or you can give one-time on our website or PayPal. You can also support us by joining our curated digital community. Thank you to all those that support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

The Department of Education has a list of proposed priorities for creating a more culturally-responsive American History and Civics Education. They are requesting public comments from the community to gauge sentiment. Take a few minutes to review the curriculum and leave a (positive) review. The majority are negative.
Read this introduction to critical race theory to get a comprehensive overview.
Research specific bills that have been proposed or passed in your state, and the best way to take action.
Consider: How has your education so far informed your perspective on racism and systemic oppression? If you experienced institutionalized education, what has it contributed to what you know now?

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

This is the latest iteration of a long conservative tirade against the notion of educating on race in schools and organizations, accelerated by the Trump administration. Former President Trump wielded conservative sentiment around critical race theory to his advantage, using his platform to admonish the idea of diversity and inclusion trainings, the 1619 Project, and talking about racism in school (PBS). During its time, the Trump administration passed an executive order banning the federal government and its contractors from using curriculum that examined systemic racism, which was reversed by the Biden administration immediately after taking office (USA Today).

A common refrain against introducing critical race theory in schools is that it “indoctrinates” kids into racism. But in reality, critical race theory is a framework designed to help identify and understand how racism plays a part in our society. It helps provide insight and understanding of how racism can be studied, processed, and dismantled. It was created during the 1970s by a group of lawyers, activists, and legal scholars. Although it began as a theory for legal studies, critical race theory is widely taught and studied across disciplines, including education, sociology, and medicine (Critical Race Theory).

There are six key tenets to critical race theory:

Racism is a normalized and commonplace part of society. It is not just reflected in individual actions but embedded in our cultural and political practices and systems.
Consequently, whiteness is a “property” – something with tangible value – that offers white people unearned privileges and opportunities not afforded to people of color at the same level, like access to wealth, safety from law enforcement, opportunities for academic success, etc.
Because of this, the notion that all are treated equally, and have the same rights and opportunities, is a myth, challenging concepts like colorblindness and meritocracy.
Since racism benefits those with power and privilege, there is little incentive to solve it – unless it benefits both people of color and dominant members of society. This is also referred to as “interest convergence.”
Intersectionality is critical for understanding racism. Everyone has intersecting identities based on their racial/ethnic background, socioeconomic status, gender identity, etc., which means that each person experiences racism in unique ways.
The personal experiences of people of color are worthy and legitimate forms of discourse in the conversations on racism, especially when countering the default narrative.

There are several variations of critical race theory that focus on specific ethnic/racial groups, or intersectionalities within ethnic/racial groups – including critical race feminism (CRF), Latino critical race studies (LatCrit), Asian American critical race studies (AsianCrit), South Asian American critical race studies (DesiCrit), American Indian critical race studies (TribCrit), and disability critical race studies (DisCrit).

Our social world, with its rules, practices, and assignments of prestige and power, is not fixed; rather, we construct with it words, stories and silence. But we need not acquiesce in arrangements that are unfair and one-sided. By writing and speaking against them, we may hope to contribute to a better, fairer world.

– Critical Race Theory: The Cutting Edge (Third Edition)

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for some time, you’ll notice that we cover all of these topics regularly. Explore our archives to find many of these topics covered in previous newsletters. And if you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive overview of critical race theory here.

When understood from this lens, it’s clear how necessary this discourse is within our schools and universities. Like any other subject, racism needs theory to help understand it in practice. And students are already learning about racism in practice, whether it’s on the syllabus or not. If they are a person of color, they are impacted by it directly. And either way, it’s unlikely they do not hear about racist incidents through the news, social media, or other aspects of their everyday lives. I think our youth are due, at minimum, a framework for contextualizing the world they live in.

This conservative attack isn’t just for the sake of education but one of many attempts to delegitimize the notion of racism and, consequently, the policies and practices to change that. We must advocate for this, not just in education, but normalized in all aspects of our society. As Justice Harry Blackmun stated, “in order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way.”

Key Takeaways

States across the country have proposed or passed legislation to ban critical race education in schools and universities
Developed in the 1970s, critical race theory is a framework created by activists and scholars to understand how racism persists in the U.S.
This is part of a broader campaign to discredit the concept of racism and its influence in U.S.

9/7/2020 | Learn about critical race theory.

9/21/2020 | Support the 1619 Project.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 12/4/20 Nicole Cardoza 12/4/20

Repeal the Trump Equity Gag Order.

On September 22, the Trump administration signed an executive order prohibiting “divisive concepts" in diversity training programs such as systemic race and sex discrimination and implicit race and sex biases (White House). The order, often referred to as Executive Order 13950, seeks to discredit systemic racism and the impact of the enslavement and genocide of Black and Indigenous people. It discredits critical race theory. And it emphasizes that implicit bias has no place in policies, and federal policy shouldn’t be spent to combat it. All of this attempts to invalidate the work of organizations that have committed themselves – through research, advocacy, public policy, creating safe spaces, etc. – to name and dismantle white supremacy. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit against this executive order (NAACP).

Happy Friday and welcome back. The Trump administration's executive order on racial diversity training was signed two months ago and has already made a devastating impact on institutions and organizations, including ours. Today is a straightforward call-to-action to preserve the education and advocacy of the topics you've been reading here each day.

Yesterday marked our six-month anniversary of the Anti-Racism Daily! I started this newsletter on June 3 to offer consistent ways to take action to dismantle white supremacy. I never thought we'd be fighting against an executive order six months later. But I'm grateful we get to do it, together.

This newsletter is made possible by our generous group of contributors. Support our work by making a one-time gift on our website or PayPal, or giving monthly on Patreon. You can also Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). To subscribe, go to antiracismdaily.com. You can share this newsletter and unlock some fun rewards by signing up here.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Sign the petition demanding the immediate repeal of the Trump Administration’s Equity Gag Order.
Use the hashtag #TruthBeTold to demand the repeal of the Equity Gag Order.
Fill out this form to provide any information on how the Equity Gag Order impacts your lives and communities.

These action items are provided by the African American Policy Forum, an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. Learn more about their work and support if you can.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

We briefly referenced Trump’s sentiment on this issue in a newsletter outlining the history of critical race theory, before the executive order was announced. But now, two months later, we must talk about the impact that this executive order has had for institutions across the U.S. – far beyond the federal government. Many people assumed that this order was more performative than anything. But it’s easy to discredit its impact if you’re unfamiliar with the reach of federal funding.

First off, it had an immediate and significant impact on federal contractors themselves. The National Fair Housing Association, which rallies to end housing discrimination, provides training for federal agencies and industry leaders to ensure fair and equitable practices. As we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, systemic racism plays a significant part in housing equity – and all of this is exacerbated with COVID-19. Lisa Rice, the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer, emphasizes that undoing systemic racism is critical for mitigating these issues. But because of this gag order, her organization is now restricted from effectively explaining why this gap exists.

“
If we cannot tell the truth, we cannot effectively advocate for the policies that we need.
Lisa Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Fair Housing Association

But it goes beyond contractors. Organizations that rely on funding from the federal government worked quickly to act accordingly. This includes the education space, which is particularly horrifying. We’ve written about how critical it is to promote anti-racism education, from diversifying curriculum to actively acknowledging racism with the Gen Z community. Stanford University was thrust into the spotlight when they publicly released a checklist for approving diversity content. The corresponding memo states that the university prohibits diversity training that discusses whether the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist or whether meritocracy is racist, sexist, or made by one race to oppress another, alongside other referenced statements in the executive order (Venture Beat). After public backlash, the university expressed that the memo was shared pre-emptively and did not reflect their values.

It’s also affected organizations doing the work completely separate from federal agencies. The AAPI shared examples in their talk, and participants joined in through the live chat, and the impact was broad. An elementary teacher had her children’s books reviewed for restricted content. A diversity and inclusion trainer was asked to remove anti-racism from their invoice. A student was requested to remove lines about white supremacy from their dissertation! And our newsletter has been banned in schools and organizations alike – one organization asked if we could change our name to comply with their corporate standards.

So when we can’t talk about the historical context of these inequities, where does it leave us? Rice emphasizes that it places the blame on the victim; the individual suffering from these systemic inequities is responsible – not the system or the structures that oppress them. This idea is something that the administration has pushed consistently. Just weeks after this was launched, Donald Trump Jr. put it bluntly, stating that Black people have to “want to be successful” for his father’s policies to work (AP News).

“
Anti-racist speech is the most American speech. But we have to counter that against a President that believes ‘Make America Great Again,’ which means ‘make America white again.’
Charles R. Lawrence, III, professor and anti-racism scholar

This type of erasure attempts to diminish accountability for the federal government. But it also aims to deteriorate the foundation and strength of Black people. Our history, our culture, and legacy are not defined by the systemic inequities that we’ve faced – but certainly influenced by it. Furthermore, our labor and exploitation were critical to this nation’s growth and development; we wouldn’t be here without it. We can’t move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we’re coming from.

Based on the Biden adminstration’s focus on racial equity, it’s expected that this executive order will be reversed shortly after inauguration (USA Today). Ideally, they implement an executive order that counters this one, reinforcing the importance of this education for federal agencies, schools, and other institutions. And, most importantly, we must commit to keep doing this work ourselves. Continue to educate yourself, have tough conversations, and rally for change.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

On September 22, the Trump administration signed an executive order prohibiting “divisive concepts" in diversity training programs such as systemic race and sex discrimination and implicit race and sex biases (White House)
This executive order affects the scope of what federal agencies can learn about racial inequity and how it influences their work
It's also created complications for how racial history and theory can be taught in schools and corporate settings
This gag order restricts us from acknowledging the impact of racism in America and discredits the resilience and strength of the communities impacted

RELATED ISSUES

9/7/2020 | Learn about critical race theory.

9/21/2020 | Support the 1619 Project.

12/2/2020 | Fight racism within Gen Z.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Nicole Cardoza 9/7/20 Nicole Cardoza 9/7/20

Learn about critical race theory.

"Our social world, with its rules, practices, and assignments of prestige and power, is not fixed; rather, we construct with it words, stories and silence. But we need not acquiesce in arrangements that are unfair and one-sided. By writing and speaking against them, we may hope to contribute to a better, fairer world.”
– Critical Race Theory: The Cutting Edge (Third Edition)

Happy Monday. After a series of incendiary tweets, many people are asking about what critical race theory is, and how far the president will go to polarize the nation on the issue of race. Today's newsletter dives into the impact of these recent events and what we can do to keep the conversation moving forward.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated. These contributions are our only source of funding and help us pay writers and develop new resources. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza), or subscribe for $5/mo on our Patreon.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Reflect on the following questions, common to critical race theory work:

What is the significance of race in contemporary American society?
Where, in what ways, and to what ends does race appear in dominant American culture and shape the ways we interact with one another?
What types of texts and other cultural artifacts reflect dominant culture’s perceptions of race?
How can scholars convey that racism is a concern that affects all members of society?
How does racism continue to function as a persistent force in American society?
How can we combat racism to ensure that all members of American society experience equal representation and access to fundamental rights?
How can we accurately reflect the experiences of victims of racism?

Source: Purdue, which also has a comprehensive overview of critical race theory.

Research both presidential candidates’ agendas for racial equity. Choose one proposed policy by each candidate, and use the same questions for more critical inquiry.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza

Last Friday, Trump worked to cancel anti-racism trainings held by government agencies, a move that was widely shared on his social media. In a memo, the director of the Office of Management and Budget tells the agencies to “begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘critical race theory,’ ‘white privilege,’ or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil” (NYTimes). This action was sparked after a conservative activist was featured on Fox News segment that argued that these diversity trainings are “racist,” and “systematically attack the unifying ideals of this country” (CNN).

But these accusations aren’t accurate. Critical race theory is a school of thought designed to help identify and understand how racism plays a part in our society. It doesn’t say that everyone is racist, but that racism is a part of everyday life for people of color and unpacks how racial bias influences our conscious and unconscious responses. Although it began as an academic theory, critical race theory is widely taught and studied cross disciplines, including education, sociology, and law.

Some of the key themes within critical race theory include topics like institutional racism, microaggressions, reparations, determinism, intersectionality, and white privilege (JSTOR). It encourages criticism of liberal anti-racism ideas, like colorblindness and affirmative action (Harvard). And it emphasizes that creating spaces for communities of color to share their stories is necessary for growth. Critical race theory has influenced the approach I’ve taken with this very newsletter. Explore our archives to find many of these topics covered in previous newsletters. And if you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive overview of critical race theory via PDF here.

More variations of critical race theory have evolved to focus on specific ethnic/racial groups, or intersectionalities within ethnic/racial groups, including critical race feminism (CRF), Latino critical race studies (LatCrit),[50] Asian American critical race studies (AsianCrit), South Asian American critical race studies (DesiCrit), American Indian critical race studies (TribCrit), and disability critical race studies (DisCrit).

Before we discuss the broader implications of this change, we need to recognize its immediate impact. The federal government is the largest employer in the nation, employing nearly 9.1 million workers, or 6% of the total employment in the United States (The Hill). If these trainings do cease, they could negatively impact the workplace culture and the diversity of its staff.

Also, studies prove that federal contracts are disproportionately awarded to white-owned businesses, which has increased over the past twenty years (Washington Post). Not only will removing these trainings prevent leaders internally from being equipped to address these disparities, it eschews responsibility from fair and equitable practices moving forward.

And this has broader implications for our nation’s conversation on race. In some ways, this comment from Trump is nothing new; Trump’s social and political career has been shaped by his perception of race throughout the past decades (NYTimes). And in the past few months alone, he’s incited violence, denounced the Black Lives Matter movement, dismissed police brutality, and fueled anti-Asian racism during COVID-19, for starters (Vox).

But this action doesn’t just denounce marginalized communities and acts of injustice, but the concept of racism itself. Instead of delegitimizing movements towards racial equity, it’s as if he aims to eliminate the idea altogether. Regardless, it detracts from the racial reckoning that our country is fighting for, and is likely to incite more contention in a time where revolution is essential now more than ever.

Denouncing a theory doesn’t change the facts. It only emphasizes them. Racism is enough of an issue in the U.S. to drive political leaders to infer that it isn’t, which is why we need to continue to stay in inquiry with this work.

It feels a bit counterintuitive to write this; if you’re reading this newsletter, you’re clearly still part of the conversation. But nevertheless, we need to stay in dialogue – not about racism itself, but the actions we’ll take to transform this nation and provide justice for all. Because the how is the only part of the conversation that will move us forward. And we deserve to have clear and constructive steps outlined by both candidates as we head to the polls this November.

key takeaways

Critical race theory is a school of thought that analyzes how racism persists in social and political systems
The Trump administration aims to remove diversity trainings that use critical race theory, which impacts the federal government and conversations on race as a whole
Trump has fueled racism and divisiveness to maintain and gain power.