No, we don’t need Critical Race Theory in Compulsory Education

The Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards will go before the Illinois State Board of Education on December 16th for a vote, and onto state lawmakers should it pass. The register contains a set of teaching requirements for primary school educators, which suggests how diversity should be made to be part of the curriculum.

The proposal reads like a Critical Race Theory training mandate inflicted at the k-12 level as opposed to when entering post-high school education and career paths where it’s often more prevalent. Just this year, Critical Race Theory was banned as a part of sensitivity training in government agencies and companies that would hope to contract with the federal government.

Some excerpts from the proposal:

Leading Standard b) “Systems of Oppression — Culturally responsive teachers and leaders understand that there are systems in our society that create and reinforce inequities, thereby creating oppressive conditions.

Sub points 3–7 really go for it -

3) Understand how the system of inequity has impacted them as an educator.

4) Know and understand how current curriculum and approaches to teaching impact students who are not a part of the dominant culture.

5) Be aware of the effects of power and privilege and the need for social advocacy and social action to better empower diverse students and communities.

6) Know and understand how a system of inequity creates rules regarding student punishment that negatively impacts students of color.

7) Know and understand how a system of inequity reinforces certain truths as the norm.

In regards to all the above, I can’t say I’m even remotely a fan of promoting this sort of political indoctrination at the compulsory education level.

This is a luxury viewpoint however, I can’t pretend to know about the experiences of others. I can only reply my gut feeling that teaching people that they’re at a disadvantage in society because of their background and that the systems that govern them are inherently biased against them will push a generation into the world that will seek to change an external system as opposed to the tried and true human method that’s promoted our progression…