Editorial: What critical race theory is — and isn't — and why it belongs in schools

[Rogue Valley]

Editorial: What critical race theory is — and isn't — and why it belongs in schools

Critical race theory is little understood, and it does not have to be divisive. But the uproar over ethnic studies in public schools is clouding the realities.

www.yahoo.com

8/8/21
Los Angeles Times Editorial Board

Race is a touchy subject in this country at the most easygoing of times, and these are not the most easygoing of times. It’s not surprising, then, that a renewed call for ethnic studies in public schools has caused a nationwide wave of contentious school board meetings. The verbal cudgel that opponents wield most often against ethnic studies is that it's a version of “critical race theory,” an area of academic study that emerged during the 1970s that has lately become the bête noire of the right. More than 10 Republican-controlled states have moved to ban teaching anything about critical race theory in schools, even though many people have very little idea what this complex vein of scholarship is. What many of its detractors do realize — and what they can’t stand — is that critical race theory challenges the notion that this is a land of equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, ethnicity or background. As it should. This is a land of equal opportunity — but only for some people. In those groups, opportunity has been passed on from one generation to the next, while other groups are perpetually left out. It’s disturbing enough when parents rise up against their children learning uncomfortable realities. It’s deeply problematic for legislators to turn this into a political opportunity by putting a chokehold on the truth.

At the heart of critical race theory is the concept of systemic and institutional racism — the notion that racism isn’t an occasional aberration of individuals acting in biased or hateful ways, but entire systems that have built up over this nation’s history that put people of color at a perpetual disadvantage and that will take purposeful action to remedy. Ethnic studies is one place where the intention is for students to see topics through the history and eyes of Black, Latino, Asian and Native Americans, the nation’s four most marginalized groups. Students spend most of their schooling seeing these issues through the eyes of white people who had the power to create the institutions and tell most of the stories. It is true that students should not be proselytized and told what to believe. But they need to be taught the truth. The nation's treatment of its most marginalized groups must not be glossed over. Students should be researching the very rich though disturbing topic of this nation’s racial history and current realities, learning both sides of controversial topics and debating those with others as they learn to reach informed and independent opinions.

This LA Times Editorial is a result of the Orange County School Board holding a public forum on CRT, but stacking it with panelists with who detest critical race theory.

Dishonest right from the get-go. Ronald Reagan once described Orange County as the place “where good Republicans go to die.”

 

[Yakshi]

critical race theory challenges the notion that this is a land of equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, ethnicity or background. As it should. This is a land of equal opportunity — but only for some people.

I really liked reading that. That's an opinion that I never heard discussed in school.

 

[SoCal]

If we allow minorities to be exposed to CRT they will learn to hate white people.
If we require gun purchase background checks, they will come and take your guns away.
If we allow public school integration it will lead to the mongrelization of the human race.
If we pass Social Security, our country will become communist.

Is anyone seeing a pattern here?...

 

[Yakshi]

If we allow minorities to be exposed to CRT they will learn to hate white people.
If we require gun purchase background checks, they will come and take your guns away.
If we allow public school integration it will lead to the mongrelization of the human race.
If we pass Social Security, our country will become communist.

Is anyone seeing a pattern here?...

Fear. Vulnerability to the slippery slope fallacy.

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

Editorial: What critical race theory is — and isn't — and why it belongs in schools

Critical race theory is little understood, and it does not have to be divisive. But the uproar over ethnic studies in public schools is clouding the realities.

www.yahoo.com

This LA Times Editorial is a result of the Orange County School Board holding a public forum on CRT, but stacking it with panelists with who detest critical race theory.

Dishonest right from the get-go. Ronald Reagan once described Orange County as the place “where good Republicans go to die.”

The editorial made a bad case for CRT.

 

[reflechissez]

The editorial made a bad case for CRT.

How so?

 

[SoCal]

Fear. Vulnerability to the slippery slope fallacy.

Why do they never learn?? How many times do their, 'chicken little' fears that never happen begin have an effect? Do they no have memories? Are they unable to remember what they claimed that never happened? How many times can you claim the sky is falling before people just start laughing at you? Rightist couldn't tell a slippery slope from a desert salt flat...

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

How so?

This:

"Yet it is important to acknowledge that critical race theory confuses parents and the public — and many educators — because its adherents take different views about how it should be interpreted and used. Those who rail against it point with some justification to the first draft of California’s model ethnic studies curriculum, which Montaño played a role in creating. It attempted to inculcate in students the idea that capitalism is, like racism, a form of oppression and power. The curriculum left no room for the idea that there might be another side and that students could research and debate this in meaningful ways. The same was true of its one-sided and loaded take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, its list of social justice groups worth studying and various other topics."

Not to mention the notion that skin color dictates behavior.

"Students spend most of their schooling seeing these issues through the eyes of white people who had the power to create the institutions and tell most of the stories."

This is teaching that light skin equals racist.

 

[Razoo]

Learn CRT and be smart .....

 

[reflechissez]

This:

"Yet it is important to acknowledge that critical race theory confuses parents and the public — and many educators — because its adherents take different views about how it should be interpreted and used. Those who rail against it point with some justification to the first draft of California’s model ethnic studies curriculum, which Montaño played a role in creating. It attempted to inculcate in students the idea that capitalism is, like racism, a form of oppression and power. The curriculum left no room for the idea that there might be another side and that students could research and debate this in meaningful ways. The same was true of its one-sided and loaded take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, its list of social justice groups worth studying and various other topics."

Not to mention the notion that skin color dictates behavior.

"Students spend most of their schooling seeing these issues through the eyes of white people who had the power to create the institutions and tell most of the stories."

This is teaching that light skin equals racist.

and where did that come from?

 

[aociswundumho]

critical race theory challenges the notion that this is a land of equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, ethnicity or background. As it should. This is a land of equal opportunity — but only for some people.

I really liked reading that. That's an opinion that I never heard discussed in school.

Yeah, because "this is a land of equal opportunity for all" is a dumb straw man. Opportunity is never equal; it can't be equal. Opportunity isn't even equal for identical twins, and they have the same dna.

 

[GregTheGreat657]

It should be taught in schools that race is insignificant in the modern day and that we should treat people of all races the same

 

[Yakshi]

Yeah, because "this is a land of equal opportunity for all" is a dumb straw man. Opportunity is never equal; it can't be equal. Opportunity isn't even equal for identical twins, and they have the same dna.

This is the same kind of nitwit response that I read in climate change threads.

Some mental giant will inevitably say, "Of course climate changes. It changes every day."

Hurry. Award that deep thinker with a genius grant.

At some point, someone broke through the basement and found a new sub-basement where sounding like a know-it-all about a dumbass argument isn't embarrassing anymore.

 

[The AntiDonald]

It should be taught in schools that race is insignificant in the modern day and that we should treat people of all races the same

Should be taught in schools? The problem is, that's not how it is. Before we can move toward your wishful thinking, we need to learn how is it was and how it is now. Yes we should treat all people the same, but we don't.

 

[aociswundumho]

At some point, someone broke through the basement and found a new sub-basement where sounding like a know-it-all about a dumbass argument isn't embarrassing anymore.

If it were so dumb you would have addressed it, but I notice you did not.

People like you measure equality of opportunity by outcomes. For you, unequal outcomes means unequal opportunity means racist society holding people back. It's a case of starting with the conclusion you want and then working backwards from there.

The problem of course, is that the conclusion you desperately want to believe in is false. While some racism exists everywhere, the US is not a racist society, and the only person holding you back is you.

 

[Yakshi]

If it were so dumb you would have addressed it, but I notice you did not.

People like you measure equality of opportunity by outcomes. For you, unequal outcomes means unequal opportunity means racist society holding people back. It's a case of starting with the conclusion you want and then working backwards from there.

The problem of course, is that the conclusion you desperately want to believe in is false. While some racism exists everywhere, the US is not a racist society, and the only person holding you

First, you assume that people should have an obligation to address dumb arguments. That makes little sense to me. It is my opinion instead that dumb arguments should be pointed out as dumb. So that's what I did.

Next you assume, beginning with "People like you," that I am making an argument that I am not making and have never made. That is also quite stupid.

Dumbest of all was the part where you made a conclusion about the counterargument that you made up.

For a post like yours, no one else is needed. You can simply continuing making up counterarguments sufficiently gentle enough for you to handle, and then attack them like Don Quixote launching himself at a series of windmills.

Safe travels.

 

[SoCal]

...The problem of course, is that the conclusion you desperately want to believe in is false. While some racism exists everywhere, the US is not a racist society, and the only person holding you back is you.

This is true, the former apartheid system in South Africa is an example of an actual racist society. Although this is not proof or evidence that systemic racism does not exist in the US. There're many reasons why people do not have the same opportunities and for many minorities systemic racism is only one of them. To deny it is a roadblock (whether big or small) to millions of minorities is desperately clinging to a false view of America, an America where for many conservatives whites are the actual victims of racism...

 

[Glitch]

CRT is fine demonstration of leftist bigotry. That is all the insane left have is their abject hatred for humanity, and a nation that was formed to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Everything the left utterly despises. Which is why CRT will never be taught in Alaska.

 

[aociswundumho]

To deny it is a roadblock (whether big or small) to millions of minorities is desperately clinging to a false view of America, an America where for many conservatives whites are the actual victims of racism...

Fair enough, give me a few examples of roadblocks that apply only to minority groups.

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

and where did that come from?

So you did not read the damn link in the OP? FFS go read it before spouting crap.

 

[TheParser]

In my opinion, many Americans might be more sympathetic toward CRT if there were NOT so much violent crime in this country.

 

[reflechissez]

So you did not read the damn link in the OP? FFS go read it before spouting crap.

An opinion written by an "editorial board?" No.

 

[Cosmik Debris]

CRT is fine demonstration of leftist bigotry. That is all the insane left have is their abject hatred for humanity, and a nation that was formed to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Everything the left utterly despises. Which is why CRT will never be taught in Alaska.

"abject hatred for humanity"

I'm really beginning to love this place.

 

[SoCal]

Fair enough, give me a few examples of roadblocks that apply only to minority groups.

There're many experts out there that explain and document how systemic racism affects' minorities. Just Google, "examples of systemic racism" and you'll find many, many links that will answer your question much better than I ever could. This was the first link (and it references another) that came up when I Googled it...

"...Extensive academic research and data collected by the federal government and researchers has documented numerous ways that Black Americans experience life in the United States differently from their white counterparts.

It's called "systemic" racism because it's ingrained in nearly every way people move through society in the policies and practices at institutions like banks, schools, companies, government agencies, and law enforcement.

The resulting data show that these disparities exist along nearly every facet of American life, including employment, wealth, education, home ownership, healthcare, and incarceration.

Here are 26 charts that show the stark differences between the Black and white experience, because of systemic racism..."

 

[aociswundumho]

There're many experts out there that explain and document how systemic racism affects' minorities. Just Google, "examples of systemic racism" and you'll find many, many links that will answer your question much better than I ever could. This was the first link (and it references another) that came up when I Googled it...

I asked for roadblocks, and you provided charts which document outcomes, and none of those charts even attempt to explain the causality, because any difference in white and black outcomes is automatically assumed to be racism.

75% of NBA players are black, and I say that outcome is because of widespread discrimination against white and Asian players in the NBA. Does that make sense to you? Of course not, yet this is the exactly the same error you are making.

"...Extensive academic research and data collected by the federal government and researchers has documented numerous ways that Black Americans experience life in the United States differently from their white counterparts.

But the question is if the difference is caused by systemic racism. Again, name some specific roadblocks. Even the white sounding names get called back more isn't a roadblock. From the study:

Asian applicants often changed foreign-sounding names to something American-sounding—like substituting “Luke” for “Lei”—and they also “Americanized” their interests by adding outdoorsy activities like hiking, snowboarding, and kayaking that are common in white western culture.

One Asian applicant said she put her “very Chinese-sounding” name on her resume in her freshman year, but only got noticed after subbing in her American nickname later: “Before I changed it, I didn’t really get any interviews, but after that I got interviews,” she said.

How much of a "roadblock" can this be when Asian incomes are higher than whites?

It's called "systemic" racism because it's ingrained in nearly every way people move through society in the policies and practices at institutions like banks, schools, companies, government agencies, and law enforcement.

Yet this "systemic" racism doesn't hold back Nigerian and West Indian black immigrants who value education and typically earn more than whites.

Here are 26 charts that show the stark differences between the Black and white experience, because of systemic racism..."

No, you are assuming the differences are because of systemic racism, but you have not shown how systemic racism causes these disparities. One question to ask is if blacks have better outcomes in countries where there are few white people to be racist against them. The answer is no. I can't think of one predominately black country that I would consider successful. Can you?