Really? I know of absolutely No--NONE--zero-zip-nada elementary or secondary history or English teachers who are teaching Critical Race Theory. CRT is an obscure 1970's idea hatched by a professor of ethnic studies. I am sure he/she has his/her reasons for teaching the idea that racism is inherent in American or world history, but it is not taught as such. Whoever is perpetrating this idea is trying to get a rise out of you or has other motives, like trying to make sure you do not keep your eyes on the real issues facing this nation and the world and our educational system.
Having said that, you are being influenced to believe your “4 year old grandson" is going to be taught that he is "a natural born oppressor." Seriously, Sharon--you have to be drinking too much of the Kool-Aid to buy that. You are way too well read to fall for that stuff.
My wife was a second grade teacher and I know literally hundreds of teachers from K-12 who never heard of CRT until this year. That's why I wrote the article! What I taught, as you noted, is valuable and historically accurate. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TEACHING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
I might note that the Milliken v. Bradley decision is not taught unless the teacher has read some of the court cases that Jonathan Kozol chronicled in his work. One reason I brought that case up is because students will ask me the most profound question--why? Why did these things happen? Why were Jim Crow laws enacted? Why did slavery even occur? Why were black/ brown people viewed as lesser human beings? Why? So to answer that question you have to get at the roots of power and economy. It is not pretty. But kids want to know the truth. They are truly LESS COLORBLIND.
As for the argument 'Well, I don't want my children depressed or made to feel guilty"--are we to ignore the mistakes of the past or learn from them? That is the most important question to ask yourself.
You are correct that the Southern Democrats were the key to producing Jim Crow laws. LBJ knew that the moment he signed the Civil Rights Act(s), the Democrats would lose the South for generations. But the important thing is that he acted with integrity--just as Eisenhower did in 1958.
Finally, you point out that my article is not really focused on CRT. Correct again. Why not? Because it is a sham. These teachers you spoke of are NOT in ANY way representative of teachers as a whole. Besides being isolated and dubious (at best), they are stirring up hatred that is the go to MO of the Trump era. If they are complaining about books that make clear that life for African Americans is /was dreadful (like "The Color Purple"), and they don't like it--too bad. That says more about them as people than anything else. (Do you really thing that material is taught at the elementary level?)
I am taking all this time to set record straight. Some intellectuals may be discussing this obscure 'theory' and TV may be harping on it; but trust me when I say for 33 years in the classroom (and as the San Diego County's Teacher of the Year, Disneyhand's Top 100 Teachers, and other awards that allowed me to travel to many conventions to speak to teachers) –your grandson is not only safe but will be well served by public schools.
As for Joy Reid, Kyle R. or the politician you mentioned, I do not care to comment because none of it is germane to the issue at hand. I am interested in the historical facts and why these things became part of the tapestry of the great nation—warts and all.
And BTW this entire CRT issue is just another subterfuge of the private school industry to tear down public schools and replace them with expensive private/ charter schools--ones that draw funding from the public schools.
Thanks you for your response; I am glad someone is reading it.
Sincerely, Robert
