CRT: DENIAL, MISINFORMATION, CONFUSION

THIS DETAILS WHY NAYSAYERS TELL US CRT IS NOT IN K-12 SCHOOLS. 

ON ANOTHER PAGE (CRT: QUICK GLANCE), THERE ARE VERIFIED EXAMPLES SHOWING IT IN ROCKWOOD SCHOOLS.

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There is a lot of confusion and misinformation related to Critical Race Theory and school districts across the country. 

(For more on what CRT is, click here: WAIT, WHAT IS CRT, ANYWAY?

When naysayers tell us Critical Race Theory (CRT) is not "taught" in any K-12 schools, they are, sort of, correct. 

NOT THE WORDS "CRITICAL RACE THEORY"

K-12 teachers don't use the words "Critical Race Theory, or teach what Critical Race Theory is. 
Students don't have "CRT" class like they have math or PE.

IT'S THE TENETS

Instead, it's the beliefs, or tenets, of CRT that parents, teachers, and, students have found in class lesson materials, books, teacher training, and teacher resources. Beliefs, such as: our country and its laws are racist, and that your race determines whether you are oppressed or privileged.

GOVERNOR MISSED THE MARK

Missouri's governor tried to assure parents by saying CRT is not taught in Missouri schools. But, it was based on a survey that asked districts if their curriculum "includes lessons about CRT." Nearly every district answered, "no."

Only 3 school districts in Missouri answered yes, and, did so because their schools use the 1619 project. (There are more than 500 school districts in Missouri.)

The survey did not ask if lesson plans included beliefs associated with CRT.

See the actual school survey answers here.

ROCKWOOD SAYS

Rockwood denies teaching CRT, too. Which is also, sort of, correct, since students don't take CRT classes.

But, the district doesn't deny using lesson content where parents found the tenets/beliefs associated with CRT. 

In fact, in some cases, the district administrators responded to parent complaints by saying they would make changes or remove the controversial content. 

MIXED MESSAGES

Given that school administrators in Rockwood, around the state, and even the country insist they don't teach CRT, one might think they agree that CRT in schools is bad.

It's hard to say, because the union representing their teachers has said it's GOOD to have CRT in schools.

The National Education Association (NEA) approved a measure last summer that says it is "reasonable and appropriate" for curriculum to be informed by academic frameworks that include Critical Race Theory. 

The approved item also says the NEA commits to having its president make statements all across the media that "...support...critical race theory."

Approved by the NEA, summer 2021.

Full image; approved by the NEA.

WHAT??

The NEA later appeared to distance itself from that stance: Information disappeared from the NEA website.  Note: NEA is national. In Missouri, we have the MNEA (Missouri NEA), and Rockwood has its own version: (RNEA). 

If the above link doesn't work, copy and paste this: 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/national-education-association-takes-down-pages-crt-anti-racism-mandatory-vaccine-assembly-proposals))

LEARNING STANDARDS

School districts that answered yes in the survey above, claimed what they're doing aligns with Missouri's learning standards, but, you can teach any topic and have it align with the standards. The standards establish what knowledge or skills students are supposed to master. 

It's worth noting, nothing about Critical Race Theory is actually in Missouri's Learning Standards. Likewise, terms such as racism, oppression and privilege are not listed in them, either, even though they were used in Rockwood lesson materials. Those topics are not required learning. They are chosen by administrators and/or teachers.

HISTORY'S NOT REALLY THE ISSUE, THOUGH

Another thing that adds to the confusion: We always hear that the issue is the way history is taught in schools. Actually, the vast majority of what we found is in English language arts classes (ELA).

BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN MY KID'S ASSIGNMENTS

A timeline may explain why. Many of the lessons including tenets of CRT weren't written until the summer of 2020, to be used when we started virtually that fall. Described as a pilot program, the lesson content was primarily in 8th and 9th grade language arts classes, but, not all of them, and, mostly during the spring semester.

Note: There are still issues this school year (2021-2022) but, there's less information posted on Canvas, the district's online learning platform, according to parents who are looking. Books, teacher resources and teacher training are what we're hearing about most.

MANY PARENTS WHO DID SEE IT, DIDN'T LIKE IT.

THAT'S WHAT LED TO THE INFAMOUS EMAIL

The lessons written in 2020 are the same lessons that included tenets of CRT, they are the same lessons parents later questioned, and, they are the same lessons that led to the infamous email that told teachers to hide controversial lesson content. 

Doing something about CRT ideology in schools is made more difficult with all this confusion and misinformation. To get Missouri lawmakers to take this on, they had to first be convinced that it's an issue in schools. Now, the issue is how they word legislation to regulate it. 

For more on what Missouri lawmakers are doing, go here.