By: Mark Glennon*
Stories across Illinois and most of America now report furious parents standing up against what’s bundled under the term “Critical Race Theory,” or CRT, widely taught in K-12 schools.
Those who know what CRT is don’t like it. A new Economist/YouGov poll found opposition beating support by 58% to 38%. And opponents feel strongly. Those with “very unfavorable” views of CRT outnumber those with “very favorable” views” by 53% to 25%. Opposition is even more intense when specific tenets of CRT are polled.
What is CRT? Why the intense opposition? Does only the “right wing” oppose its teachings, as Gov. JB Pritzker claimed on Wednesday?
Call it “antiracism,” “culturally responsive teaching,” “equity” or “wokeness” if you want; dissecting the differences would be quibbling. Here are the specific teachings they have mostly in common that are generating the rage:
• Individuals are forever defined by race, not character. CRT expressly rejects notions of color blindness and the melting pot.
• America is systemically racist and all whites are racists or at least implicitly biased.
• The Constitution and the American system of government were designed to perpetuate slavery and oppression.
• Equality of opportunity means nothing; only equality of results matters.
• Individuals are either oppressors or victims; there’s nothing in between.
• America’s true history is told by “The 1619 Project,” which holds that America’s real birth date was 1619 when the first slaves arrived, and that it is “out of slavery – and the anti‐black racism it required” – that “nearly everything that has truly made America exceptional” grew.
• Capitalism is evil. “In order to truly be antiracist, you also have to truly be anticapitalist,” says Ibram X. Kendi, a leading CRT proponent.
That’s probably enough to insult the core values and common sense of most Americans, but three overarching themes in CRT add to the fury.
First it’s taught as incontrovertible truth. “This is not teaching about critical race theory; it is teaching in critical race theory,” an important distinction Andrew Sullivan describes in a superb, new article.
“And this is why — crucially — it will suppress any other way of seeing the world — because any other way, by definition, is merely perpetuating oppression,” Sullivan wrote. “As Kendi constantly reminds us, it is either/or. An antiracist cannot exist with a liberalism that perpetuates racism. And it’s always the liberalism that has to go.”
Second, it is Marxist in its roots and a broad assault on most everything about classical liberalism. “Critical race theorists attack the very foundations of the liberal legal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law,” says a detailed look at CRT’s origins.
Third, there’s little hope for rational debate with CRT supporters. Their standard claim is that opposition means refusal to recognize racism and the history of slavery. There would be no controversy if that were true, and the polls demolish claims like Pritzker’s that only the “right wing” is opposed, or “ultra-conservatives” as NBC and many others have claimed.
The Illinois State Board of Education was particularly deceitful in defending its “culturally responsive” teaching standards. “The standards do not impact teachers licensure or evaluation,” it wrote, yet that’s precisely the object of its new rule. And its standards aren’t about curriculum, ISBE falsely claimed.
The national press, as you’d expect, suppresses opinion opposed to CRT. Take a look at the ever-growing compendium of black scholars and activists who hold different views, compiled at FreeBlackThought.com. They are dead to the world as most of the MSM sees things.
*************
Illinois is where the first skirmish occurred in a school in what is now a national battle. Four years ago, a rather small group of parents objected to the narrow, radical curriculum of New Trier High School’s “Seminar Day” on race – “Racial Indoctrination Day,” as the Wall Street Journal called it. That was before terms like “woke” became a thing and before Critical Race Theory became the commonly used label, but the issues were largely the same as today: Dissenting parents objected to what they saw as authoritarianism in the school’s exclusion of alternate viewpoints.
The parents lost. New Trier refused to include those alternate viewpoints.
They lost, in part, because many angry parents were afraid to speak up. They feared retribution from those who labeled all critics as racists.
But national coverage of that story and more alarming ones ensued. Having seen the reality of what CRT means to classrooms, its critics are now the majority.
Gone is any excuse for silence. CRT is in our schools due only to a loud and aggressive minority concentrated in today’s political, educational and media establishments. It will be driven into the obscurity it deserves if the majority continues to speak up.
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level.
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don’t want to touch the tax’s cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans’ tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more.
We live in a Republic… therefore if 37% of the community decided that crt is wrong teaching to our children, we the parents/people can and will tare it down, eliminate this open sewer that vex us all…!
Let’s tare it down.. it doesn’t belong in our schools or work environment, or anywhere for that matter.
Capitalism is not a government position. Capitalism is a theory on economic transactions.
Capitalism as a theory explains why Communism fails.
The problem is crony capitalism which is another way of saying socialism.
When stupidity prevails, everybody has to live with it.
CRT is one misconception after another; it’s a dead-end worth banning.
I don’t like critical race theory because it creates winners and losers. CRT has the potential to tear the country apart.
Critical race theory is a poisonous extension of identity politics which values immutable identity characteristics over content of character. It teaches that all whites are collectively guilty for previous racism against blacks. It views people as monolithic members of an identity group instead of as unique individuals. It teaches concepts of group guilt, group privilege, and group victimhood. It prescribes group entitlement for perceived victim classes to correct for wrongs committed by previous generations. Critical race theory breeds hatred and we cannot tolerate it being taught to anyone whatsoever. Critical race theory needs to be fought against at the school… Read more »
You are right 100%
There’s a need to evaluate “CRT” proponents by their pre-, then post- espousal of this doctrine. What have they gained by it? Publicity? Fame? Fortune? Some or all of the preceding?
As one who was acquainted with the late John Hope Franklin, whose father lost his law office in the 1921 Oklahoma riot, I often wonder what he’d think about these blowhards who monopolize the airwaves and press for their own enrichment.
As for BLM, I’m disappointed that a better alternative meaning has not been applied to these initials: Black Lies Matter. For they surely do.
I hate to say that my wife and I are part of the problem, We went into the voting booth in April with absolutely no knowledge about any one of the school board candidates. In the future I will personally interview each candidate. Thats the main way to stop these seeds from being planted.
Thank you Mark for a great article. The left has lost its mind. First they rallied for equal opportunity. Equal opportunity gave them a place on the starting line. Then they discovered they would actually run the race and compete. There’s a word for that – work. That was not popular with those who are used to the government giving them everything for free. So they made a subtle word change. Equal opportunity morphed in to Equity. Equity to the left doesn’t mean equal opportunity, it means equal outcomes. Why even work up a sweat running the race – just… Read more »
As parents take back their schools and real discussions begin about how damaging CRT is for this nation, Illinois citizens will begin to realize that Governor Pritzker is one of the most racist people ever to be elected to office. He is truly evil in that he seeks to divide this state in order to reinforce his personal power.
All Illinoisans must be very careful going forward especially as we approach the next set of elections.
interesting to listen to the dem talking heads on Sunday morning political shows, pushing the narrative that if you oppose crt your a desperate trumpster/ hater (I’m not a trumpster)? meanwhile every Illinois neighboring state has passed legislation or introduced legislation banning or limiting crt (i believe Indiana working on legislation).
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/map-see-which-states-have-passed-critical-race-theory-bills-n1271215
Divide and conquer in action helped by the usual straw man attacks. Nothing new there and played expertly as only a Democrat can.
CRT is about power. It’s taking what you have and redistributing it to BIPOC and their allies. Antiracism is the justification. If you don’t see where this is all going then you’re not paying attention. The left feels that the winds are at their back and they can sweep ahead with their power grab and the only thing standing in the way are the non-progressive white people, which is why even leftist allies like Zorn can be easily discarded. It is unfortunately a war they will ultimately lose but history is filled with usurpers who burn it all down as… Read more »
100-thousand percent. It has always been about harnessing the inimitably unique power of White Guilt into something tangible.
It is ironic that as much as America has progressed in its values of true tolerance and equality, the screams for restitution of suppression grow louder and louder.
Thank you for continuing to give this issue visibility…..
Crt will not be taught to my children. They have enough left wing garbage forced on them already in IL schools. In 1 year we move out of IL and I make a lot.
Do it now before there is another false flag that keeps you in IL. It’s the blue state’s only option.
The fed bailout bought you some time. Still, I wouldn’t wait any longer than a year to get out. I’ll hold off congratulating you on a wise decision until you actually cross the state border to freedom.
Oh its a done deal Florida here we cone just waiting on children to graduate
CRT is nothing but advanced buzzword gibberish. It appeals to those incapable of logical thought. Just tell me what to think, supporting action will follow. The nonsensical flavor of the day. CRT is like Disco. All the weak minded flock to something. Perhaps embracing absurd theories that all of your dreams will become reality. Life doesn’t work like that. In fact life success normally depends on some form of working to achieve goals.
Right on.
Remember “Cultural Appropriation?” I haven’t heard that one in a few months.
I get the sense that the Left is running out of things to grieve, and now we’re just descending into parody.
Hey I love disco music! Kool & the Gang playing on the patio now.
Poor comparison for sure!