Critical Race Theory- Pro or Anti-American?
MARCH 2023
by Kim Harris, M.Ed.
Distinctive Voice
Consulting
One of the
things I value most about being American is the freedom to choose our religion,
the freedom to choose our careers, the freedom to choose where we’d like to
live, but most importantly I value freedom of speech. Our country was founded
on democracy and in a democracy, we listen to various perspectives which stems
from our diverse backgrounds. As a diversity trainer and consultant, I honor
various perspectives and focus on elevating diverse perspectives so that we can
learn from one another and respect our differences.
In 2020 the
United States and the world experienced a racial awakening. We witnessed
disparities in health care and wellness which Covid-19 highlighted and we
recognized disparities in policing in black and brown communities. Having taught about equity, diversity and
inclusivity since 2013, I was overjoyed to see every day Americans talking
about systemic racism, inequity and disparities of achievement in black and
brown communities as compared to their white counterparts. When I started my
business in 2013, people asked me why I was talking about diversity and
inequity, fast forward to 2020 and I felt as if the world was ready to hear
what I had been teaching about for so many years. People were ready to talk
about systemic racism and I was overjoyed. Then the pendulum began to swing in
the other direction. Some people felt that the open discussions that our
country was having about race and inequity was not a good thing. It made people
feel uncomfortable. And when you look at equity like a piece of pie, and
someone points out that some people have been receiving more pie while others are
receiving less pie, unrelated to the work ethic of both groups, it can be uncomfortable.
And instead of being fair, those that are enjoying more pie decry, “Why don’t
the other people make another pie for themselves?” They can’t. There’s only one
pie!
And in some
respects, we cannot point the finger at those who are enjoying more pie for
taking advantage of a system that is structured for them to receive more pie
whether they have achieved it or not. This system is referred to as systemic
racism. This is behind the creation of Critical Race Theory (CRT). CRT helps to
explain systemic racism through an academic and legal framework. This framework
allows people to analyze American systems such as laws, policies and
institutions that uphold and reproduce racial inequalities in America leading
to some folks getting more than their fair share of that pie.
The theory
is credited to have been initiated by the late Harvard law professor Derrick
Bell. Bell initiated teaching about racial disparities in law and how race and
law interact. Bell resigned from Harvard over what he claimed was
discriminatory hiring practices. Later, student Kimberle Crenshaw enrolled at
Harvard after Bell’s departure and picked up the torch along with other fellow
students to explain the importance of understanding racial inequities through a
legal lens.
The
inequities in 2020 gave rise to a resurgence in the discussion in this theory
but as stated earlier, the pendulum swung leading to a backlash by conservative
Americans, who did not want the fact that some people were having more pie,
exposed. CRT had been transformed into the new anti-American theory that is
dividing our nation. In other words, exposing systems of inequity and looking
at the history of these systems became synonymous with being divisive, blaming
white people for what others did in the past, and teaching Americans to hate
America. Proponents of CRT believe that it provides a lens to teach the whole
truth about systemic inequity in America and that actions to shut down CRT
provides a cover for those who are not comfortable hearing the truth about the
history and state of race relations in the U.S.
CRT
opponents have taken their opposition to the political realm where legislation
has been created at both state and the federal level to ban CRT teachings.
Common elements of some state legislation include:
- Banning any discussion or teaching that the U.S. is inherently or fundamentally racist
- Bans on divisive concepts
- Teachers being required to teach without giving deference to any one perspective
- A ban on discussions of systemic racism and sexism that would make someone feel guilty about their skin color
- Drastic funding cuts for anti-bias training
- Provisions allowing the state to withhold funding for schools that violate these bans
Action at
the Federal level includes the former presidential administration’s “Executive
Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” in September of 2020. This Order
directed federal agencies to end trainings about diversity, equity and
inclusivity and discussions on critical race theory. There was even a phone
number for people to report their employer for hosting such trainings.
Thankfully, a federal judge later blocked the directive and the Biden
Administration has rescinded the Order.
And in the
spirit of this rescinded order, I aim to continue to speak the truth about inequitable
systems that privilege certain people over others which create disparate
outcomes, by offering a workshop on Critical Race Theory. I offer this workshop,
not in the spirit of making anyone feel badly about who they are because
talking about systemic racism is not personal or race blaming, but to raise
awareness about inequity so that we can do better. Thinking critically about
America requires Americans to separate their personal identities from American
institutions and to think about inequity from a systemic perspective. Once we
do this, we can have a real conversation about equity and inclusion that will
make America great for everyone.
Are you
interested in having a respectful conversation about whether Critical Race
Theory is pro or anti-American? If so, please visit to register for this
workshop: https://www.distinctivevoiceconsulting.com/store/critical-race-theory-pro-american-or-anti-american-workshop-saturday-march-18-2023-1000-am-12-noon-pst-via-zoom
