The Harm on Intellectual Growth by the Ban of Critical Race Theory: Potential Disrupt to the Future of American Education

Credit: Sandra Seitamaa

Flames rise as ashes disperse, clouding the air with smoke as the specks of pages burnt off of revolutionary and racially educational books fly all around us. At this rate, all that will be left in classrooms are bibles and picture books. Our world will become similar to that of Fahrenheit 451 if we continue to let discussions of race and ethnic history be removed from our education. 

The center of this educational controversy that has led to book bans is what has been termed critical race theory (CRT). Essentially, critical race theory is a series of concepts that illuminate the racial inequality our country was founded on, and explains how Western society, as well as legal and social institutions, were established for white people to thrive (Zamudio, Russell et al., 2011). Teaching strategies informed by these theories acknowledge and break down the history behind this oppressive exclusion and provide knowledge with the aim of ensuring that the next generation doesn't make the same mistakes as generations previous (Kinkade et al., 2021). Critical race theory is a way to systematically create a more just future.

On the flip side, there have been ongoing discussions across the United States by those attempting to “eliminate critical race theory” from our classrooms. What would happen if we were to stop having these conversations and lessons? Would this happen even though it is crucial to have an accurate understanding of our past, present, and future? It would, and it already is. We, as students, parents, children, professors, and scholars, are currently witnessing active bans, protests, harassment of teachers, and think tanks against critical race theory (Gross, 2021). The  consequences of this counter-movement would consist of negative impacts on wealth disparity, jobs, politics, the prison system, redlining, the treatment of individuals of different races, and a wide range of other negative possibilities. Choosing to deny a part of history, to the extent of banning it, is representative of the flaws and biases of the inner workings of the United States, which is seeping into our education. 

Currently, there are two primary reasons politicians and citizens alike are consistently using to justify banning critical race theory. The first is a belief that racism is an extreme and rare occurrence. They believe CRT has no place in a classroom filled with children with impressionable minds, especially when they will never experience racism (Corbin, 2023). They see CRT as a form of indoctrination, poisoning the minds of children when taught in schools. Though this is the reasoning of many conservative schools and states, it is quite contradictory, as it shields these children from the realities of race in America, whether that means students of color not feeling acknowledged, or white students engaging in racism without being educated against it. The second reason, which has a deeper complexity, is that these politicians and citizens believe that critical race theory makes white people out to exclusively be oppressors, while classifying all Black people as victims (Ray, Gibbons, 2021). The complexity deals with addressing a race-based hierarchy in America, which our government is not yet ready to admit. However, critical race theory is not in reality what these conservative states and schools want to portray it as. It comes from the truth of a history in the United States that has been blatantly covered up due to prevention of accountability, compensation, and change. 

The controversy surrounding this curriculum is no longer just discourse: burning books is no longer an abstract idea but a plausible event for the immediate future. Discussions of race in the classroom have been banned and stripped from educational institutions in 16 states, and 35 have attempted to enact a legislative ban (Alfonseca, 2022). This anti-CRT movement is one of the largest threats to American education, posing serious harm to the future generations that will be running government, impacting society, and making permanent changes to our world. The imminent negative potential of removing this form of education that acknowledges the ways in which racism in the United States has shaped public policy, and the ways in which it impacts all aspects of our life, could do irreparable damage (Sawchuk, 2021). 

Further, the banning of this curriculum will entirely countermand all that Democrats, educators, and speakers of the truth have worked so hard to achieve in their efforts to implement racial equality and justice in the United States. The misrepresentation of what critical race theory is, and what is taught in schools, is one that also furthers the desire to remove discussing subjects such as the civil rights movement, women’s movements, and the impacts of slavery in the United States. (Kreiss, et al, 2021) This includes both the injustices being carried out in the present and throughout history that were fundamental to the establishment of our country. The forced termination of discussions of such critical topics in class from kindergarten through senior year is drastically altering the trajectory of U.S. education (Skyes, 2021). In addition to this, it will have permanent and lasting effects on our society as a whole. Parents, students, and future generations alike will have a less accurate understanding of such a significant part of our past, present, and future.  All of these people should be afraid of the future to come if this curriculum is banned. That fear, however, should not be one of intimidation, but rather inspiration, to redirect the path towards injustice and ignorance that our system of education is headed towards. Though these are not the only solutions, some that are widely accessible include buying banned books, listening to present and previous lectures, and informing schools of their beliefs. People need to do anything and everything in their power to prevent this dangerous future. We must  not let the ban of critical race theory have the impact it was designed to have. The citizens of the United States must use all the tools in their arsenals to combat the oppressive actions of repressing history and preventing equitable future growth. 

Bibliography

Alfonseca, Kiara. 2022. “Map: Where anti-critical race theory efforts have reached.” ABC News, March 24, 2022, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/map-anti-critical-race-theory-efforts-reached/story?id=83619715.

Corbin, Mala Caroline. 2023. “A Critical Race Theory Analysis of Critical Race Theory Bans.” UC Irvine law Review 14 (2024): 57-102.

Gross, Terry. 2021. “Uncovering Who Is Driving The Fight Against Critical Race Theory In Schools.” NPR, June 24, 2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009839021/uncovering-who-is-driving-the-fight-against-critical-race-theory-in-schools

Kingkade, Tyler & Brandy Zadrozny & Ben Collins. 2021. “Critical race theory battle invades school boards -- with help from conservative groups.” NBC News, June 15, 2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/critical-race-theory-invades-school-boards-help-conservative-groups-n1270794.

Kreiss, Daniel & Alice Marwick & Francesca Bolla Tripodi. 2021. “The Anti-Critical Race Theory Movement Will Profoundly Affect Public Education.” Scientific American, November 10, 2021. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-anti-critical-race-theory-movement-will-profoundly-affect-public-education/.

Rashawn, Ray and Alexandra Gibbons. 2021. “Why are states banning critical race theory?” Brookings Institution. United States. July 2, 2021. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/4142874/why-are-states-banning-critical-race-theory/4951934/. 

Sawchuk, Stephen. 2021. “What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?” Education Week, May 18, 2021. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05.

Sykes, Emerson and Sarah Hinger. 2021. “State Lawmakers Are Trying to Ban Talk About Race in Schools.” ACLU, May 14, 2021. https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/state-lawmakers-are-trying-to-ban-talk-about-race-in-schools.

Zamudio, Margaret & Christopher Russell & Francisco Rios & Jacquelyn L. Bridgeman. 2011. Critical Race Theory Matters: Education and Ideology. New York: Routledge, 2011. 

Kingkade, Tyler, Brandy Zadrozny, and Ben Collins. 2021. “Critical Race Theory Battle Invades School Boards — with Help from Conservative Groups.” NBC News. NBC News. June 15, 2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/critical-race-theory-invades-school-boards-help-conservative-groups-n1270794.