Let’s stay totally focused.
Teaching critical race theory to young White students will not shame them.
However, teaching critical race theory to the next generation would shame racist White adults, and could possibly change the racial dynamics in this country.
For that reason alone, many White Republicans have become adamant about eliminating lessons of systemic racism, White supremacy and White privilege from American classrooms.
The problem that confronts White racists is the fact that if we teach young children about the dangers of systemic racism and White supremacy, then the White privilege that some may enjoy, will evaporate and transform into something called equality.
And true equality sounds like reverse racism and division to those who have benefited from centuries of privilege and inequality.
What exactly is critical race theory?
CNN reported, “Critical race theory recognizes that systemic racism is part of American society and challenges the beliefs that allow it to flourish.”
Kimberle Crenshaw, a law professor who teaches at UCLA and Columbia University and a founding critical race theorist, said, “Critical race theory is a practice. It’s an approach to grappling with a history of White supremacy that rejects the belief that what’s in the past is in the past, and that the laws and systems that grow from the past are detached from it.”
Furthermore, critical race theorists believe that racism is an everyday occurrence for people of color.
Critical race theorists, unfortunately, believe that many Americans have no interest in doing away with racism because it benefits White elites.
Additionally, many critical race theorists believe that American institutions are systemically racist, and privilege and oppression depends on the color of a person’s skin.
Sounds like a simple and truthful concept doesn’t it?
However, many people (White Republicans) believe that critical race theory teaches a hatred of America and will shame young White students who would have to learn the truth about America’s original sin.
Idaho lawmakers said that critical race theory “tries to make kids feel bad.”
Tennessee legislators accused critical race theorists of “promoting division.”
Furthermore, a Rhode Island bill bans the notion that “the United States of America is fundamentally racist and sexist.”
An article for Foundation for Economic Education labeled critical race theory a “harmful and divisive ideology” that “places group identity above individualism and creates a binary conflict between ‘oppressor’ and ‘oppressed’ in relation to race.”
With all due respect to Foundation for Economic Education, the conflict between oppressed and oppressor has existed in this land since the first slaves arrived in Jamestown, Va. in 1619.
And failing to recognize systemic racism and oppression in this country, and not doing something to end it, is what is harmful and divisive.
To put it bluntly, critical race theory does not teach a hatred of America.
Critical race theory teaches a hatred of hatred.
The theory will teach children to hate racism, discrimination and oppression.
Attacking a problem is never the problem.
Maintaining the problem is the problem.
And the reason why many White Americans do not want to alleviate the problem is because they do not want their power and privilege alleviated as well.
What’s even worse than not wanting to tackle racism and White supremacy is the fact that many White Republicans have used innocent children as pawns in their game to maintain White supremacy.
Children are born naïve to the world.
What they learn, initially, is what adults teach them.
Therefore, if America wants to correct its wrongs, it is probably best to start with the children because they are a clean slate, not corrupted by the evils of this world.
To teach them the truths about racism is to make an effort to create equality, regardless of race.
However, by not teaching them the truth about race is to allow these same racist adults to plant lies in their heads like people are superior or inferior based on race.
Those who believe that critical race theory will make certain people feel bad have to realize that those people should feel bad.
The only way that a person should feel guilty about racism is if a person is actually racist.
When I hear about murderers it does not make me feel guilty.
When I hear about rapists it does not make me feel guilty.
When I hear about thieves it does not make me feel guilty.
The reason?
The reason is because I have never been a murderer, rapist or thief.
Likewise, when a person calls out a Black person for their bigoted views, I feel no guilt whatsoever because nothing about my thinking is bigoted.
There is an old saying that says hit dogs holler.
Unfortunately, some White people are hollering, and literally crying, about critical race theory because the truths that it contains hits very close to home and they are feeling guilty for the racist views and behaviors.
Children and adults need the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts.
America was built on racism.
And unfortunately, America still operates on racism, White supremacy and White privilege.
How else could people explain the discrimination in voting, housing and policing in this country?
Everything about America centers on race and the pushback from many Republicans from voter suppression to attempts to ban people from talking about racism in American classrooms proves it.
But let’s stay focused.
The pushback from Republicans is because in 2008 people believed that America had become post-racial.
If America truly becomes post-racial, some people of a certain race might see some of their privilege diminished because of equality.
Therefore, the racist pushback has tried to make America “great again” by erasing the gains made during those glory years of 2008-2016.
And it is critical that non-racists prevent them from succeeding.
