The American Myth of Justice for All & Critical Race Theory

2021 seems to be the year of parent engagement. Parents all over the states are advocating for or against teachers utilizing Critical Race Theory in class. Some parents view Critical Race Theory as a method to offer a more transparent and equitable education. Other parents view Critical Race Theory as problematic, as it may make non-people of color uncomfortable while learning about atrocities committed by their ancestors during times when racism was culturally accepted. 

When tension grew concerning the content of the ELA curriculum taught in Williamson County Schools located in Tennessee, no seat remained at the May school board meeting. Some believe that a book titled “Ruby Bridges Goes to School,” written by the first African American to integrate into New Orleans ' all-white school system, is inappropriate for an elementary school class. 

Instead of viewing this book as a testament to how far we have come as a nation, the Williamson County Chapter of Moms for Liberty rather have it pulled from the curriculum. Protestors cite imagery from the text that depicts an angry white mob antagonizing a six-year-old as she went to school. Some believe that the text does not offer any redemption for the protestors who tried to physically abuse her and were wildly successful at verbally abusing her. 

There isn’t a nice way to describe the conception, progression, or current racial state of America. It began with slavery, an oppressive system that progressed into systemic racism. To those tired of discussing equity, justice, and progress for people of color, I am too! I so wish that racism, bigotry, and systemic oppression ended in 1863 with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

However, people of color are still disproportionately represented in prison. We are also more likely to receive a harsher sentence than a non-person of color, implying that the justice system believes that some people deserve redemption while others don’t. 

There is a myriad of ways people of color are stifled here in America; I am not here to argue that point. The very fact that people urge the public to believe that racism does not exist in America while data suggests it does, seems paradoxical in a shady sort of way. 

Critical Race Theory may be our only hope for a more inclusive America. Critical Race Theory serves as a catalyst for change in the decades to come. We cannot find solutions to difficult, but necessary questions like, “how do we equitably restructure the American Justice System in an antiracist fashion and sustain that progress,” if we cannot admit there is a problem with the justice system. 

So much of the tension between progressives and conservatives is linked to whether or not there is a race problem here in America. Although America made tremendous progress in terms of lessening racial oppression, the answer is yes, we have a problem. When confederate statues are celebrated as historic relics instead of dark spots in history when people fought to maintain an economy built on the back of slaves, we have a problem. 

When confederate statues are celebrated as historic relics instead of dark spots in history when people fought to maintain an economy built on the back of slaves, we have a problem. 

Dean, The Educator's Room

What hope is there for students to solve these social problems if students are never exposed to these issues? We all know too well that America’s conception was bloody and one fraught with much suffering, largely by people of color. Why can’t we use this history as a means of inspiring students, both of color and not of color, to strive to make America more inclusive? 

This little act pales in comparison to creating systemic change for people of color. If the best we can do teach Critical Race Theory to the next generation of politicians, lawyers, judges, and doctors, then we must at the bare minimum do this.