Critical Race Theory is a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism. Scholars developed it during the 1970s and 1980s in response to what they viewed as a lack of racial progress following the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Historically, it has been used primarily in graduate schools, where students study the modern-day impact of policies and laws. The central idea of Critical Race Theory is that racism is institutionalized and is embedded in America’s history, legal systems, and policies. It acknowledges the continuing impacts of slavery and segregation in America and critiques how institutionalized racism perpetuates a caste system that is inherently unequal.
Critics of Critical Race Theory deny the reality of institutionalized and systemic racism, ignoring the lessons of our history.
“Racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one’s racial identity no longer predicted in a statistical sense, how one fares. When we use the term, we are thinking about racial equity as one part of racial justice, and thus we include work to address root causes of inequities not just their manifestations. This includes the elimination of policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes by race or fail to eliminate them.” (from Racial Equity Tools)
This work of dismantling the systems that perpetuate the violence and oppression experienced by communities of color begins in schools. We believe every child deserves an excellent public education that provides an equal opportunity for success.
LEV is committed to this work. As we say in our 2021-2024 Strategic Framework, our mission is to embrace anti-racism. “We are committed to understanding and dismantling historic and systemic racism which creates stark inequities in education and being held accountable for our own action or inaction. We are also committed to looking inward at LEV’s history, committing to changes, and being accountable for them.”
LEV is not alone in this commitment. Over the past several years, much progress has been made in acknowledging the long-term impacts of institutional racism on our school systems and students. Teachers and building leaders all over the country have been working courageously to reflect on long-standing policies, routines, and practices to improve teaching and learning and address long-term disparities in student outcomes and experiences in school. Educators and educational leadership organizations at the state and federal level have taken courageous stands making their commitment to educational equity and racial justice clear and at the forefront of their work.
“The impacts of fear, hatred, systemic and structural racism within institutions cannot be ignored, and they yield tragic outcomes. Washington’s public education system must engage in anti-racist capacity building, leadership, and resource allocation. Dismantling systemically racist structures will make progress on inclusivity and will better serve students of color, students with disabilities, students who are English learners, students who are migratory, students experiencing homelessness, students in foster care, students experiencing intergenerational poverty, and students who identify as LGBTQ+. (Priority #1 – from OSPI’s Priorities for Early and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund)
“Equity is foundational to the work of WSSDA. Educational equity can only exist when a student’s level of opportunity and achievement cannot be predicted based on race, characteristics, or circumstances. Therefore we must eliminate any discriminatory practices and prejudices within our state’s public education system.” (Washington State School Directors’ Association)
“NSBA recognizes that based on factors including but not limited to disability, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, students are deprived of equitable educational opportunities. Operating with an equity lens empowers school board members to intentionally allocate resources, instruction, and opportunities according to need, requiring discriminatory practices, prejudices, and beliefs be identified and eradicated.” (NSBA Reimaging School Board Leadership – Actions for Equity, 2021)
Nevertheless, there is still much work to be done.
Due in large part to a misinformation campaign, a central topic of debate in school board elections across the country has been the topic of Critical Race Theory. Because of their unique oversight role over public school systems, it is essential that school board members and candidates for the school board have an accurate understanding of what Critical Race Theory is, its appropriate role in policy-making, and its connection to our shared goals of educational equity and excellence.
Questions and Answers
What is Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory is a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism. Scholars developed it during the 1970s and 1980s in response to what they viewed as a lack of racial progress following the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Historically, it has been used primarily in graduate schools, where students study the modern-day impact of policies and laws.
The central idea of Critical Race Theory is that racism is institutionalized and is embedded in America’s history, legal systems, and policies. It acknowledges the continuing impacts of slavery and segregation in America and critiques how institutionalized racism perpetuates a caste system that is inherently unequal.
Critics of Critical Race Theory deny the reality of institutionalized and systemic racism, ignoring the lessons of our history.
Why does this matter for school boards?
School district policymakers, particularly elected school boards, are in a position of developing policies on a daily basis. They also hire and supervise the superintendents responsible for implementing those policies. It is essential that school board directors consider, among many issues, the potential implications of the policies they create on students and communities of color, and whether those policies and decisions have the potential to exacerbate existing disparities. Failure to use this critical race or racial equity lens risks undoing much of the progress that has been made in shifting systems towards equity and excellence for all students.
How does Critical Race Theory show up in the classroom?
Critical Race Theory is not a curriculum that is taught in the K-12 setting. Nevertheless, it is essential that students learn the truth about historical events from multiple perspectives and have an accurate understanding of the present-day impacts of policies and events.
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