There’s been way too much politics around CRT (Critical Race Theory). I do NOT believe that people following Dan Cox and Gordana Schifanelli have an honest picture of what CRT is. (Yeah, I know I’m going to get a lot of flak about this last statement – but don’t start bullying please.)
No one should trust any politician for this kind of information.
I know that I had no idea what CRT was all about. But I did know this:
I started substitute teaching in the high schools in Anne Arundel County after I retired. I NEVER saw anything like what the Dan Cox Campaign tells us about CRT. But I have heard the same stories across the country as you all have, and I wanted to find out for myself.
I do my own research. I’m reading books and materials from both sides. I try and find non-political information.
AACPS sent out this flyer announcing a meeting that was held last week at the Annapolis Branch of Anne Arundel Public Library:
I went. I learned a lot. I learned that what the extreme political right would have you believe is simply not true.
I hope that you will watch the entire meeting here:
I’m still getting oriented with the information I obtained from the meeting, alongside the experiences in my life that are now coming to the surface. I know this post will be a mix of my thoughts, and may not be as organized as I would like. I do want to take this further in future posts because I hope and I think we can have respectful conversations around this. What I learned and my comments:
First, CRT is theory – it is a way of viewing something. CRT started out as a way of viewing in a legal sense if and where racism exists. And yes, racism still does exist (And I say that as a white woman).
Think about this next comment. It is worth considering. “Whites do not help move the needle on racism, only and unless there is something in it for the white person.” (In marketing, we call it the WIFM – what’s in it for me.)
“CRT wants to understand the system that causes disparities.”
Racism exists in micro aggressions. We have heard of someone touching a black woman’s hair, right? Sure we have. That is a micro-aggression. That black woman gave no one the right to touch her hair.
Let me provide an example of my own micro aggression that I committed. I inadvertently asked someone of Asian descent in an elevator (her Asian mother was speaking to her in an Asian language), “Where is your family from?” I knew after I spit that out that I committed a “micro aggression” against this person. I changed course: “I apologize, I should not have asked the question that way. My son is married to a woman from Taiwan, and I have three Chinese/American granddaughters, all cute as a button. I simply wondered where your family came from, as I’m interested in hearing about Asian culture, Chinese culture. You see, I’m learning.”
To us whites, a micro-aggression may seem trivial. To that person to whom the microaggression is directed toward, that aggression is not minor. It is NOT trivial.
Point is: we whites have to become more aware of the things we say and how we say them.
Let’s move onto the CRT in education.
Is CRT being taught in Anne Arundel County Public Schools?
NO! CRT is NOT being taught in AACPS. (period, end of story)
Teachers in AACPS are being trained, however, in equity policy that started in 2020. The Guidebook for AACPS: “in every facet, a student should be able to see themselves in the curriculum.”
This is called Culturally Responsive Teaching – Every kid can see themselves and others during their day at school. It is NOT a practice of making ANY student deficient or bad. In fact it is quite the opposite. It is a way to see the diversity of our kids.
Nothing wrong with Culturally Responsive Teaching, is there? No!
Examples of Culturally Responsive Teaching:
1. My 3 Chinese/American granddaughters. I want to know that they see themselves in the classroom.
2. A kid who has two moms? I want that kid to know he sees himself in the classroom.
3. The kid who comes from a family at the poverty level. I want that kid to know he sees himself in the classroom.
4. The kid who is first generation Hispanic/American, whose parents do not speak English. I want that kid to know she sees herself in the classroom.
5. A kid who has learning challenges? I want him to see himself in the classroom.
“Every kid can see themselves and others in their classroom, at lunch, and in all school activities.”
Culturally Responsive Teaching
There are politicians and others who convolute the two: Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Teaching. “People are making it (Critical Race Theory) something it is NOT.” I submit that the Dan Cox campaign is guilty of this.
I very much appreciate Bunmi Omisore who was on the panel. She was the Student Member of the Board of Education for Anne Arundel County Public Schools last year, I believe.
She cited that many of her white peers say that CRT is unnecessary. She feels that this attitude invalidates the black history being taught – that, in fact, she is invalidated.
If you are struggling with understanding the previous statement, consider other circumstances where you felt invalidated, If you are a rape victim, how do you feel when someone tells you that you shouldn’t report it, or its time to get over it, or you instigated the rape? The rape victim is NOT heard – the rape victim is invalidated.
Let me provide two photos:
This photo was taken in 1960. I would have been 8 years old in 1960. This was similar to what I remember when I grew up during elementary school.
This could have been my high school class in 1968. Honestly I do not remember any black students in any of my high school classes. This could also have been a classroom during my college education – Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois.
I tried to find a photo of a group of students in the classroom from Knox College around 1970-1974. I could not. But I give you a photo of the Alumni Class of 1976, two years after I had graduated. I surely do not see many blacks in this class.
This speaks to the manner in which whites invalidate a minorities feelings, wants, hopes. – Culturally Responsive Teaching.
I think I’m going to stop here, with just this portion as an introduction to the rest of the video I posted. I hope you digest what I’ve written, and see if something doesn’t speak to you.
Where will I go from here? I don’t know. But these are the areas I’m going to explore for myself.
1. CRT is NOT Marxism.
2. CRT is NOT anti-capitalism
3. CRT is NOT a conspiracy against whites.
4. CRT IS an orientation to the world and its CONTEXT.
5. We cannot reject reality. The reality is we still do have racism.
6. We cannot have an accurate history of the US, if we gloss over our black history in the US.
7. Whites won’t give up something they have. Unless they have a WIFM.
8. Context matters.
9. Whites don’t have to think about race. Why? Because they made the original rules.
10. Minority groups have had to live within the rules made by whites. Why would a minority speak up? It is scary to be the only black person in the room. (More to come on this.)
11. Why do whites get so antsy about CRT? What are they afraid of?
To close out for now. I repeat: AACPS is NOT using Critical Race Theory. There have been NO curriculum changes.
Critical Race Therapy is graduate level coursework.
Culturally Responsive Teaching allows every student to see themselves in the class.
A few years ago, I was that white woman who said “I’m not a racist. We don’t need to teach this. I never had white privilege.” Yeah, I was there too with those of you readers who are getting angry about now. But I leaned into this. What was the final thing that made the light bulb go off in my head? Maybe I’ll answer that question someday for you.
CRT (Culturally Response Teaching) is a way of honoring every student in our public schools.
And by golly, that is fine by me.
P.S. I have recently made a friendship with someone who was in a high school class I subbed for at Ft. Meade High several years ago. I’m inviting him into this discussion if he wants. But I can assure you, I have already asked him for feedback – for me, not for you guys – that he gives to me privately. This young man has now turned into a mentor for me as I work through a topic that has us so divided.
Again: