Critical Race Theory

[Spongebob]

It is possible that I'm over reacting to this sort of thing, which is something I tend to do. On the one hand, I believe teachers should be free to discuss all aspects of current events and students are likely to be more interested in that than, say, events that happened 150 years ago. This reminds me of the Socratic method of teaching and I feel there's value in that.

On the other hand, I'm also a big proponent of curriculums. This is one tool science had leaned on heavily to ensure that science teachers don't veer into creationism and "explore" the differences between religion and science, giving both equal time in a science classroom. In grade school, there is no such thing as academic freedom (as opposed to college). Teachers are meant to teach what the school board has approved. So I guess I'm not being very consistent here.

And with social media today, does it really matter? Kids get exposed to so much more news and events than I did that its incredible. I remember seeing stories about Watergate on the evening news and asking my parents what that meant. We never heard about this in school or anywhere else. Had I not seen it on the news I might have not known it existed and its a wonder I was watching the news anyway; it was mostly boring. I was just waiting for Start Trek to come on.

---

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill last year banning the teaching of CRT.  In his defense, the law does mandate the teaching of some significant racial topics, such as the KKK and slavery, but it does appear to be a way to limit open discussion of current events as they relate to race.  Like many state and federal laws, it's basically a hammer where a scalpel would make more sense.  And its reactionary.

Deats:  https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/15/...heory-law/

Did you read the article?

This law, which goes into effect Sept. 1, includes a list of founding documents that Texas students must be taught. It also includes a list of additional historical documents written by people of color and women that House Democrats had added. It also mandates that students be taught “the history of white supremacy, including but not limited to the institution of slavery, the eugenics movement, and the Ku Klux Klan, and the ways in which it is morally wrong.”

Still, many educators and education advocacy groups had opposed the bill, which states that teachers cannot be compelled to discuss current events and if they do, they must “give deference to both sides.” Opponents say it limits honest conversations about race and racism in American society and will force teachers to equivocate on controversial or sensitive topics that will result in less educated students.

Sounds appropriate for K-12, especially in Texas. My guess is that some of those issues might never have been taught/addressed at all without this bill.

Of course I read the article.  I wouldn't have commented otherwise.  Your guess could be wrong.  The intention is to prevent teachers from discussing anything they deem "uncomfortable" for white children that regard race relations.  As I said in the OP, this now extends to the books that populate the library and of course the determination of what books pass muster is left up to a white person's judgement.  The book I mentioned in the OP doesn't sound remotely like something that should be banned.  But this is the sort of thing that happens when society does this kind of thing (speaking generally).  I believe this is little more than a modern version of Jim Crow.