SURVEY: Despite push from academia, teaching of CRT in schools is deeply unpopular
A recent poll indicated that voters are highly skeptical of critical race theory in primary and secondary education.
Nevertheless, American academics routinely push the sociological framework on nearby K-12 schools.
A recent poll shows that voters do not endorse the teaching of critical race theory in primary and secondary education.
Josh Kraushaar of the National Journal revealed that there exists bipartisan skepticism toward the tenets of Critical Race Theory making their way into American classrooms. as proven by a survey of 808 American voters who were roughly evenly divided by affinity for Republicans and Democrats.
My weekend column: New polling shows deep, bipartisan opposition to race-centered curricular changes in K-12 classrooms — an issue that’s already percolating in local school board elections across the country and also in the #VAGOV race. https://t.co/fBkOLAhPGk
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2021
For instance, one question asked: “Should schools teach that white people are inherently privileged, while Black and other people of color are inherently oppressed and victimized?” A mere 9 percent of respondents strongly supported teaching such a perspective, while 64 percent — over seven times the number of respondents — strongly opposed it.
One Q:
“Should schools teach that white people are inherently privileged, while Black and other people of color are inherently oppressed and victimized?”
22% support teaching that (9% strongly)
73% oppose teaching that (64% strongly)https://t.co/fBkOLAhPGk— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2021
Likewise, 70 percent of respondents “said it is not important or not at all important for schools to ‘teach students that their race is the most important thing about them.’” Only 25 percent believe that this emphasis is “somewhat or very important.”
70% of respondents said it is not important or not at all important for schools to “teach students that their race is the most important thing about them”
25% said this is somewhat or very important.https://t.co/fBkOLAhPGk— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2021
Meanwhile, 69 percent disagreed with the idea that schools should teach students that “America was founded on racism and remains structurally racist today, and that racism is the cause of all differences in outcomes and achievement.” Only 26 percent of respondents supported it.
Q: “Should schools teach students that America was founded on racism and remains structurally racist today, and that racism is the cause of all differences in outcomes and achievement?”
Support: 26% (15% strongly)
Oppose: 69% (58% strongly)https://t.co/fBkOLAhPGk— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2021
Respondents opposed the notion that schools should “change US history classes so that they focus on race and power and promote social justice political issues” at a rate of 59 percent. In contrast, 30 percent expressed support.
Q: Should schools “change US history classes so that they focus on race and power and promote social justice political issues?”
Support: 30% (14% strongly)
Oppose: 59% (51% strongly)https://t.co/fBkOLAhPGk— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 10, 2021
Despite strong opposition to Critical Race Theory in the classroom, many American academics are actively seeking ways to promote the framework in K-12 institutions.
For instance, Campus Reform recently reported that a San Diego Community College District instructor runs an anti-racist day care facility, which opposes the idea of “colorblind” education.
[RELATED: San Diego State researcher runs ‘anti-racist’ day care]
A Yale University professor co-founded an entity called the “Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning Collective,” which advances “anti-racist pedagogy, curriculum and practice within K-12 public schools in Connecticut.”
[RELATED: Yale prof decries ‘colorblindness’ in K-12 education]
“Teachers really understand colorblindness because in their teacher education, they are often reminded that every student is an individual,” the professor told Yale News last year. “That in itself is not a problem, but it is not attending to history, to context, to racist structures and inequalities of power. Treating everyone as equal does not by itself produce justice. We have to acknowledge histories of inequality.”
Campus Reform reached out to Kraushaar for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.
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