Fox News led with Critical Race Theory in its morning news shows Tuesday, quoting a New York Post front-pager that the country’s largest teachers union, the 2.3-million member National Educational Association, wants to push critical race theory in our schools. The tabloid’s actual story [https://nypost.com/2021/07/04/teachers-union-vows-to-fight-back-against-critical-race-theory-critics/] waters that down a bit with a headline that reads, “Largest U.S. Teachers Union vows to ‘fight back’ against CRT critics.”
That much plays out in the piece, which reports that “a team of staffers” will help teachers “fight back against anti-CRT rhetoric” according to Fox News — an apparent spitballing of the story among Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. top U.S. outlets.
An admittedly quick scan of the NEA’s website, including entering a search for CRT and “critical race theory,” turns up no clear reference to such a plan. The union isn’t looking to permeate the four-decade old theory into public high schools and grade schools, but rather to use public relations to push back against what the organization sees as a manufactured culture war.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the nation’s second-largest teachers union, the American Federation of Teachers, is planning legal action to protect the teaching of CRT [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/teachers-union-critical-race-theory-weingarten/2021/07/06/ef327c20-de61-11eb-9f54-7eee10b5fcd2_story.html]. AFT President Randi Weingarten notes that CRT is not taught in U.S. elementary, middle or high schools — only in law schools and colleges.
“But culture warriors are labeling any discussion of race, racism or discrimination as (CRT) to try to make it more toxic.”
Deputy Editor Nic Woods explained the part about how CRT is only taught at the college level, in her excellent framing and analysis of the issues in her center column on The Hustings home page [https://thehustings.news/critical-race-theory-facts-dont-matter/]. In the column, Woods breaks down the American Bar Association’s definition of critical race theory into a concise, readable paragraph.
Liberal pundit Chase Wheaton and conservative pundit David Iwinski offer cogent opinions on the subject, based on Woods’ analysis, in the left and right columns, respectively.
On Thursday, July 17, Braver Angels’ next national coliseum debate is on “Race in America,” and we’re sure CRT will come up. [Go to braverangels.org to sign up for the free Zoom debate, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time on the 17th]. We think this is a good time to reread the home page debate on CRT, or read it for the first time if you missed it. Go to https://thehustings.news. As always, your comments are much encouraged.
—Todd Lassa