Tag: Critical Race Theory

What’s Wrong With the Truth?

What’s Wrong With the Truth?

On July 1, Tennessee enacted legislation that inherently bans schools from teaching anything related to the truth of Tennessee or American history in all state public and charter schools.  

Is history all pretty? Hell, no! But it is the truth, and the truth isn’t always pretty. However, teaching the truth is the gateway to learning, understanding and not repeating the past’s errors. So again, I ask, what’s wrong with the truth? Absolutely nothing if one isn’t encased in fear with blinders to hold onto the past.  

Who’s Silencing Whom on University Campuses?

Who’s Silencing Whom on University Campuses?

Right-wing outlets—and sometimes mainstream ones, too—tell us that individual professors are being silenced by a “woke orthodoxy” that is overtaking college campuses.

From where I sit at a state university in the Pacific Northwest, this is incredibly ironic. My experience has been precisely the opposite: The faculty loudly decrying their victimhood are the ones who succeed in silencing the rest of us. 

The Anti-CRT Movement: El Paso and Our Communities Deserve Better

The Anti-CRT Movement: El Paso and Our Communities Deserve Better

The El Paso shooting wasn’t an accident. A young person fell down a rabbit hole of racial hate and violence on the internet and, without having the tools to navigate these dynamics, his actions were catastrophic.

We need young people to have the tools to understand race and racism.  We need young people to understand the ties between history and current events. We need young people to be the leaders to create a fair, compassionate, and socially just society. This reality will only happen if our curriculum reflects these values.  

Black Feminist in Public: A Conversation Between Farah Jasmine Griffin and Janell Hobson on Black Life, Literature and the Black Feminist Imagination

Black Feminist in Public: Black Life, Literature and the Black Feminist Imagination—a Conversation Between Farah Jasmine Griffin and Janell Hobson

On September 25, Black feminist scholars Farah Jasmine Griffin and Janell Hobson took part in a public conversaton about their respective new books, discussing Black literature and the Black feminist imagination.

“When I talk about ‘Black feminist imagination,’ I am thinking of how Black women have been able to articulate the presence of an absence. How do we give voice to silence?”

On Banning Critical Race Theory in Schools: "The Pursuit of a More Just World" Requires Confronting Racism and Privilege

On Banning Critical Race Theory in Schools: “The Pursuit of a More Just World” Requires Confronting Racism and Privilege

Black people make up just over 13 percent of the population—but 22 percent of the fatal police shootings, 47 percent of the wrongful conviction exonerations and 35 percent of the individuals executed by the death penalty.

What kind of schools and worlds are we attempting to create if reflecting, deconstructing and confronting racism and privilege aren’t regular practices?

As Long as We Have Racism, We’ll Have Sexism—and It Starts With Our Word Choice

As Long as We Have Racism, We’ll Have Sexism—and It Starts With Our Word Choice

We not only mistreat people of different colors—but we also use those same techniques to keep women in ‘their place.’ One of the things we use most thoughtlessly is words. Whoever said, “Words are the most powerful weapon devised by humankind” was right.

So let’s look at a few words used by racists and see if their use can be compared to the words used in sexist literature.

California Leads the Way in Educating Students on Racial History—But Vigilance Is Still Needed

California Leads the Way in Educating Students on Racial History—But Vigilance Is Still Needed

When it comes to progressive politics, the Golden State can’t be messed with, historically leading the way in many areas including the environment, labor and education.

But while the state is known for liberal, progressive politics, we should not be lulled into thinking that those politics are without blemish. In California in 2019, Black teenagers accounted for 60 percent of the deputy contacts on campuses—but made up only about 20 percent of the enrollment in those schools.