Should Critical Race Theory be mandated in American schools? - Brian Totey

In this opinion piece, I will argue why I believe that Critical Race Theory (CRT) being mandated in the American school system is detrimental to our society. I will explore the many ways in which CRT acts as a form of reverse racism and will provide a much more uplifting alternative that is less damaging to society. 

Critical race theory has been taught in universities for years and is currently being taught in some of our schools, in some cases under a different title. I would argue that CRT advances questionable and race-baiting rhetoric which serves no place in our elementary schools. Although I do not believe that CRT should be mandated in our school system, the issue I have with banning it stems from the possibility that future electives may be banned as well. Electives that may be beneficial for students that I, and many others, may agree with and could face the possibility of not being available because others who are in an authority position do not agree. I believe that older students, whose minds are less impressionable, should feel free to choose which programs or electives that they deem fit to further their educational goals. CRT is highly divisive and can have an extremely negative impact on how children can and will view society and its impact on children of different backgrounds. That being said, CRT should not be taught to very young children, in my view.

CRT is an unproven ideology that, generally speaking, affirms that society is inherently racist. It states that the root cause of the socio-economic issues facing people of color is due to the “oppressor”, not the individuals that are labeled oppressed. For people of color, no matter what individual actions they take, they will always be denied opportunities to be successful because their destiny is in the hands of the “oppressor”. The ideology of CRT is extremely hurtful to ethnic and racial minorities and has a complete disregard of their individual qualifications and accomplishments. It pins a victim label on them solely because of the color of their skin. It prescribes characteristics that are based on race that further strengthen the racist beliefs that white people' are the ‘superior race’ and that black people are ‘the inferior race'. CRT attaches a false credibility to racial stereotypes such as being on time, having a strong marriage, children being born out of wedlock and many other hurtful stereotypes. This narrative is also detrimental to white people because it states that in order to be socially disadvantaged in our society, you need to be a person of colour. Thus, it overlooks some of the real problems facing this demographic today. It automatically assumes that people of color are discriminated against, not requiring any evidence of such and putting in exceptions or programs that only favor them.  

If the American school system truly wants to educate for positive change, a much better solution would be to teach anti-racist initiatives and practices that are rooted in and inspired by the philosophies of Dr Martin Luther King and a liberal philosophy. I believe, ultimately, the responsibility of educating our children is on the parents. Parents need to encourage their children to question everything with good intentions and to research what they are being taught. 

We need to be concerned that our history is being warped into a false ideology that ‘whiteness’ is being taught as original sin. CRT ironically seems to be perpetuated by many white scholars in an attempt to seemingly pad their pocketbook and virtue signal to the highest degree. We need to be highly suspicious about such an ideology no matter what we hope to achieve in our life. We have made such great strides when it comes to race relations throughout our history and we cannot afford to press the rewind button and have CRT mandated in our school system. CRT will be a reversal of what Dr Martin Luther King taught us, and we will be judged not by the content of our character but by the color of our skin. 

In conclusion, we cannot go to a totalitarian system that strips us of our freedoms to choose and continue to be fed a damaging narrative of the fallacies of Critical Race Theory. Hopefully we become more open to positive and liberal anti-racism approaches as a means to deal with racism and to better educate not only our students but all of us.