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Explore the most popular articles published this year on MsMagazine.com—measured by page views, average time spent on each page, times shared and a few other technical measures.
Tag: Critical Race Theory
Black legal scholars developed critical race theory in the 1970s and ’80s as a framework for examining how racism has shaped the U.S.
Critical race theory is taught in some law schools and advanced undergraduate programs, but not in K-12 schools. Even still, Fox News mentioned the phrase “critical race theory” nearly 1,300 times between February and May of 2021, claiming it was being taught in grade schools across the country. Policymakers in over half of U.S. states have introduced bills or took other steps to restrict teaching critical race theory or limit how teachers can discuss racism and sexism in the classroom.
bell hooks: The Black Feminist Guide That Literally Saved Our Lives
bell hooks’s death is a reminder that the work continues, and that it is even more imperative to continue resisting systemic oppressions, to carve a path to liberation.
Her signed message to me—”Janell! To loving blackness –bell hooks”—still resonates with me because I have approached my critiques through this radical positioning of “loving blackness” and doing so as resistance to “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.”
Asian American Studies Is Crucial for Achieving Climate Solutions
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, there have been numerous reports about discrimination and violence against Asian Americans. In response, now is a chance to prioritize Asian American studies as a way to work towards both racial and environmental justice.
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.
Critical Race Theory Debates Are Drowning Out Learning Experiences for Students
My experience in school is supposed to be globally and culturally enriching. It is supposed to give me the tools I need to fight for a more just, fair and equitable world—a society I can make better. But anti-critical race theory legislation and rhetoric are creating conflict that hinders the learning experiences that I am having now.
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 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: 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
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?
Three K-12 Teachers Weigh In on the Consequences of Critical Race Theory Bans
In recent months, “critical race theory” has become yet another unnecessarily politicized battleground, with conservative politicians trying to ban teachers from addressing the history of systemic racism. Now, teachers are being harassed, punished and even fired for speaking out.