What is critical race theory? Behind the concept that is impacting Texas school elections

The fight over critical race theory in public K-12 classrooms has seeped into many local and national elections, most notably school board races.

The often misunderstood concept has recently dominated school board meetings, elections and the Legislature.

What is critical race theory?

It’s an academic framework that probes the way policies and laws uphold systemic racism -- such as in education, housing or criminal justice.

The concept emerged decades ago as a method of legal analysis, and it largely was confined to the realm of academia.

The theory was born from the writings and lectures of Harvard University’s first Black law professor, civil rights attorney Derrick Bell. He explored why the gains made by the civil rights movement in the 1960s stalled or lost ground. The legacies of slavery and Jim Crow still persisted, Bell argued, and would continue to do so.

Among the tenets of critical race theory are that racism is commonplace; progress for underrepresented groups is encouraged only to the extent that changes benefit the status quo; and that concepts such as color-blindness and meritocracy are myths to be rejected.

“At a fundamental level, it exposes the racism and oppression in our contemporary society,” explains Jonathan Chism, a history professor at University of Houston-Downtown, a co-editor of Critical Race Studies Across Disciplines. “It endeavors to resist it.”

Is it taught in Texas schools?

No. Education leaders across the state repeatedly insist critical race theory is not part of K-12 curriculums.

Many Texas school officials are embracing racial equity work and pledging to tackle persistent disparities among children of color when it comes to academic outcomes, discipline and other issues.

Why do some people want to ban it?

Conservative pundits have conflated this equity work in education -- including diversity and inclusion efforts, anti-racism training and multicultural curricula -- with critical race theory.

Critics interpret the concept as divisive, often saying it teaches children that they are defined by their skin color as “oppressed or oppressors.” Republican lawmakers say they don’t want children taught to hate their country or that the United States is intrinsically racist.

That opinion was often trumpeted by former President Donald Trump.

“It’s frustrating to me to hear some of the politicians, in particular, misrepresent what it is,” said Yolanda Flores Niemann, interim chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of North Texas. “It doesn’t say white people are bad, or white people should feel guilty. It does say that if you were white, you benefited from the government having racist policies against these other people.”

Lawmakers have similarly attempted to stop schools from teaching The New York Times’ 1619 Project -- an award-winning series of essays seeking to reframe American history around slavery’s consequences and the contributions of Black people.

What’s in Texas’ ‘anti-critical race theory’ law?

The adopted language is vague, leaving teachers worried that it will have a chilling effect on their social studies classrooms and hinder efforts to honestly discuss race, racism and even current events.

The majority of public school students in Texas are children of color.

Educators are reevaluating the way kids are taught America’s often painful past and present, and some are attempting to depict more accurate and inclusive narratives.

Within social studies classrooms, educators can’t teach a variety of ideas, including that a person is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, either consciously or unconsciously. School districts also can’t require training that presents any form of race or sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex.

This legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he wants to fight CRT in higher education. His list of priority bills includes includes a ban the teaching of critical race theory in colleges and universities, as well as a bill that would eliminate tenure.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, The Meadows Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University and Todd A. Williams Family Foundation. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.