CRT IN SCHOOLS: Critics don’t know what it is

When I read or hear people lament about CRT being taught in the schools, it tells me three things about them: 1) They have never been in the schools, because if they had they would know CRT is not taught at the elementary and secondary level. CRT is taught at the college level in classes pertaining to law, ethics and history. Frankly, I wish I had been taught CRT when I was younger. Learning about our true history as an adult made me feel lied to.

2) These people only listen to news outlets that pass on misinformation perpetuating things that are simply not true. I’ve learned about CRT from reading authors who know what it is, from professors who teach it at the college level, and from listening to NPR and News Hour, and 3) These people don’t know what CRT is. CRT is basically the history of how our ancestors treated other races and created laws negatively impacting the lives of people of color and/or different races such as the Irish and Jewish people. Those laws supported racism.

Not teaching an ugly part of our history does not change the fact those things occurred, it only keeps people from learning and progressing. By learning our own history, (the good, the bad, the ugly) we may be able to move forward, becoming better people because we know better. Maybe we can learn to give everyone the same dignity and consideration we expect for ourselves.

GERI HAGLER

Coeur d’Alene