Republicans and Democrats are in a sharp disagreement on the Critical Race Theory (CRT). What has surprised me is how can someone be against something and not even know what it is! It depends on who you ask as to what they will tell you. You may hear that it is an understanding of how American racism has shaped public policy or you may be told that it is a divisive discourse that pits people of color against white people. There are significant disagreements even among experts about the precise definition as well as how its tenets should inform K-12 policy and practice.
CRT is not a new concept. It has been around for over 40 years. The core idea is that race is a social construct and racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but something that has become embedded in our legal system and policies. CRT is a disciplinary intellectual and social movement that began after the civil rights laws were being eroded. Schools were being re-segregated and racial inequalities were being practiced even though legislation was enacted.
A key concept of CRT is intersectionality, which is the way different forms of inequality and identity are affected by the interconnection of race, class, gender, and disability. The lawmakers in Alabama want to silence the discussions of racism, equality, social justice, and the history of race. Their reasoning is that slavery and racism are betrayals of the founding principles of the United States and that individuals living today should not be punished or discriminated against because of past actions committed by members of the same race or sex, but that we should move forward to create a better future together. This may sound all well and good, but when these same politicians vote against the Equal Rights Act, it is nothing less than a double standard lie. To suppress the history of slavery in our country is a dangerous step backward that has emerged from coordinated national efforts to suppress our nation’s history and to deny the experience of the African American people and Native Americans.
Why are Gov Ivey and the Republicans making such a big deal over this? Critical Race Theory has never been taught in Alabama schools. The bottom line is that ignoring history doesn’t change the fact that it happened. To deny the truth is not providing the complete educational experience that would benefit our children to understand the history of slavery and the genocide of the American Indians.
What will our history books teach our children? Thanksgiving was a day of joy and friendship when the Pilgrims and Indians broke bread and enjoyed a friendly dinner. We didn’t really sell Africans to plantation owners like livestock? Since school administrators will lie or obfuscate to push CRT, parents have a choice. They have to elect candidates to replace the school boards that are in control. It’s hard to know what is going on in our school system if we do not make the effort to find out. Our children deserve to be educated, not indoctrinated.
Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Chair
SDEC Alabama Democratic Party