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Identifying CRT

Often, CRT-informed practices and programs are masqueraded in pleasant-sounding yet ambiguous codenames, but they are connected by some common identifiers:

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  1. Race and racism are often front and center of these practices.

  2. Most observed adverse outcomes in our society are attributed to institutional or systemic racism.

  3. Students and participants are often called to engage in political calls for action, to carry out activism to dismantle racism.

Common Codenames for CRT
Keywords of a CRT framework

Nowadays, virtually every university, every school, every large corporation, every government agency, and every scientific society has committed itself to the fashionable religion of CRT.

 

America’s largest teachers union, the National Education Association, is encouraging teachers to actively engage CRT and has pledged over $56,000 to conduct opposition research into opponents to CRT. Third graders from an affluent community in Cupertino California participated in a math class to deconstruct their racial and social identities based on “power and privilege.” Public school teachers in San Diego were forced to take “white privilege” training sessions to atone for the sin of “spirit murdering black children.” A Philadelphia elementary school subjected its fifth graders to a celebration of "black communism," followed by a simulated Black Power Rally to "free Angela Davis." The Oregon Department of Education is offering workshops on “ethnomathematics” to dismantle “white supremacy culture.” Similar examples abound and they collectively demonstrate that this movement is widespread.

 

So how can you ascertain CRT’s presence in your local settings? You can utilize these resources:

Based on existing databases, the CRT dogma has invaded over 200 colleges and universities, 299 local and regional government jurisdictions, and countless school districts in all 50 U.S. states.

Notable cases in K-12 education

Notable cases in Corporate America

Detailed accounts of outrageous cases

You can utilize our CRT Words Chart to become more educated about these important terms.

CRT Words
What do they want you to believe?
What does it really mean?
Examples
Equity

Everyone gets what they need[1]

Equal outcomes, political favoritism, racial spoils; counter to equal opportunity, and equality

"Critical race theory is an emerging transdisciplinary, race-equity methodology."[2]

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“If discrimination is creating equity, then it is antiracist."[3]

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“Critical race theory questions the very foundations of the liberal order including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law."[4]

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“(A) commitment to racial equality merely perpetuates our disempowerment. Rather, we need a mechanism to make life bearable in a society where blacks are a permanent, subordinate class.”[5]

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DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)

“Diversity is where everyone is invited to the party; Equity means that everyone gets to contribute to the playlist; Inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to dance.”[6]

Race-based treatment, proportionality, quotas

“DEI is part of a growing sociopolitical movement that is introducing contentious transformative changes based on fringe social theory to our institutions and throughout our culture, and enacting policies with almost no resistance or checks. The terms woke and Critical Race Theory are often used to describe core tenets of the typical DEI program.”[7]

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“DEI and similar efforts assert that institutions are oppressive and much of society is inherently prejudice. This is used as explanation for disparities in the identity groups that are represented in organizations and positions. Consequently, it forces the pursuit of social justice to be the priority of organizations and incorporated into every possible aspect of its operations."[8]

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“Critical race theory as a paradigm to critique and enhance the manner in which the subject of diversity is conceptualized and implemented.”[9]

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 “Promoting the employment and retention of a highly qualified and diverse staff that reflects the student demographics of the community and broader society.”[10]

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Whiteness

(White Supremacy, White fragility,

White rage…)

Racism based on whiteness is the primary cause of adverse outcomes for people of color

Race essentialism and racial scapegoating

“You dismantle white supremacy by deconstructing whiteness.”[11]

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“A regime of white supremacy and its subordination of people of color have been created and maintained in America.”[12]

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“White misunderstanding, misrepresentation, evasion and self-deception on matters related to race are among the most pervasive mental phenomena of the past few hundred years, a cognitive and moral economy psychically required for conquest, colonization, and enslavement.”[13]

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“Why do we, of all nations, insist on a sharp racial bifurcation with no shadings or blurrings? The reason is that the gulf was created and then perpetuated by whites, for their own protection.”[14]

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“Whites simply cannot envision the personal responsibility and the potential sacrifice…that true equality for blacks will require the surrender of racism-granted privileges for whites.”[15]

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Systemic/

Institutional racism

A hierarchy of power and privileges baked into systems and institutions that govern our daily life, benefit the privileged groups and disadvantage the victims

An illiberal hoax that attributes all group and power differences to vague “racist” systems; a fatalist and defeatist worldview against hard work and good values, that victim groups cannot advance in life on their own

“Systemic racism persists in our schools, offices, court system, police departments, and elsewhere. Why? Think about it: when white people occupy most positions of decision-making power, people of color have a difficult time getting a fair shake, let alone getting ahead.”[16]

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“America is the land of liberty for white people, but for the people of color it's Nazi Germany.”[17]

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“Institutional racism is shown in the clear patterns of differential policing meted out on a systematic basis against black people. The whole criminal justice system then compounds those racist patterns.”[18]

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Anti-Racism

A series of policies to oppose systemic racism and promote racial tolerance

Race-based non-solutions to inflame racial divisions, attack liberalism, and cover up true policy failures

“In the absence of making antiracist choices, we (un)consciously uphold aspects of white supremacy, white-dominant culture, and unequal institutions and society.”[19]

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“Being antiracist is different for white people than it is for people of color. For white people, being antiracist evolves with their racial identity development. They must acknowledge and understand their privilege, work to change their internalized racism, and interrupt racism when they see it. For people of color, it means recognizing how race and racism have been internalized, and whether it has been applied to other people of color.”[20]

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Culturally Responsive

Learning

A deep understanding of different cultural values, beliefs and practices

Cultural and social stereotyping based on race-based CRT indoctrination

“By highlighting and critically examining moments when White racial domination has been instantiated and recreated within our own experiences, we attempt to open up a venue for imagining and re-creating teacher education in ways that are not grounded in and dedicated to perpetuating White supremacy.”[21]

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“Culturally relevant curriculum reflects the images and concerns of children whom it teaches, promotes critical questioning, and is committed to social justice. Finally, culturally relevant teaching is grounded in CRT.”[22]

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Social-

Emotional

Learning

An innovative learning process to advance equity and personalized achievement

An unproven and untested learning model for social justice, identity politics and CRT

“SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.”[23]

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“If we don’t apply a racial equity lens, abolitionist lens, and others to racial justice as you name it, very easily SEL becomes white supremacy with a hug because what happens is SEL is being used as another way to distinguish Black and Brown children and everyone else.”[24]

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References:

  1. CRT advocates have not clarified or defined who will determine what each person should get or by which criteria.

  2. Chandra L Ford and Collins O Airhihenbuwa. “Critical Race Theory, race equity, and public health: toward antiracism praxis.” American journal of public health vol. 100 Suppl 1,Suppl 1 (2010): S30-5. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.171058

  3. Ibram X. Kendi. (2019). How to Be An Antiracist. One World: New York.

  4. Richard Delgado, Jean Stefancic & Angela Harris. (2012). Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, Second Edition. New York; London: NYU Press.

  5. Derrick Bell. (1992). “Racial Realism.” Connecticut Law Review. Vol. 24, No. 2: 377.

  6. University of Michigan (2021). “Defining DEI.” https://diversity.umich.edu/about/defining-dei/. 

  7. D20 DEI. “What is DEI?” https://d20dei.org/dei/.

  8. Ibid.

  9. Larry Ortiz and Jayshree Jani. (2019). “Critical Race Theory: A Transformational Model for Teaching Diversity.” Journal of Social Work Education. Vol. 46, No. 2. 175.

  10. Solano Beach Unified School District. (2021). “Board Policy 0415: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

  11. Benita Grace Joy. (2019). “Diversity Training is White Supremacy.” Toronto Relationship Clinic. https://torontorelationshipclinic.com/blog/diversitytraining.

  12. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Neil Gotanda, Gary Peller, Kendall Thomas (eds.) (1995). Critical Race Theory The Key Writings that Formed the Movement. New Press.

  13. Charles Mills. (1977). The Racial Contract. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 18-19.

  14. Richard Delgado. (1996). The Coming Race War? And Other Apocalyptic Tales of America After Affirmative Action and Welfare. NYU Press, xi.

  15. Derrick Bell. (1980). “Brown v. Board of Education and the Interest-Convergence Dilemma.” Harvard Law Review, 522-533.

  16. Ben & Jerry’s Website. “7 Ways We Know Systemic Racism Is Real.” https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2016/systemic-racism-is-real.

  17. Abhijit Naskar. (2021). Generation Corazon: Nationalism is Terrorism. Neuro Cookies.

  18. CARF. (1998). “What is institutional racism?” Institute of Race Relations. https://irr.org.uk/article/what-is-institutional-racism/.

  19. National Museum of African American History & Culture. “Being Antiracist.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/being-antiracist.

  20. Ibid.

  21. Cleveland Hayes and Brenda Juarez. (2012). “There is No Culturally Responsive Teaching Spoken Here: A Critical Race Perspective.” Democracy & Education. Vo; 20, No.1, 1.

  22. Judith Briggs. “Engaging Critical Race Theory and Culturally Relevant Teaching: Preparing White Teacher Candidates to Teach in Urban Environments.” Gauisus. https://gauisus.weebly.com/briggs---engaging-critical-race-theory-and-culturally-relevant-teaching.html.

  23. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2020). “What is SEL?” https://casel.org/what-is-sel/.

  24. Haymarket Books. (2020). “Abolitionist Teaching and the future of Our Schools.” https://youtu.be/uJZ3RPJ2rNc.

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