Critical Race Theory
What is it?
CRT is the study of race at an institutional level. It’s a focus on the big picture, and how social, cultural, and legal systems have been shaped by racism over time.
We’ve been taught to think of racism on an individual level. You are racist (and therefore evil and bad) or you are not a racist. Racists raise the confederate flag, and tell racist jokes, and use the “N” word. If we don’t do those things, we are not racist. If someone calls us those things, it’s the same thing as someone calling us a bad person.
This thinking is problematic, because it leaves no room for nuance (you’re bad or good, you’re racist or not), and doesn’t leave any room for someone to be a great person who is perhaps even married to a person of a different race, but occasionally has a racist thought, or acts instinctively in a racist way because that was the way they grew up. Even if they are a good person, or didn’t mean to, it’s still hurtful. CRT focuses more on outcome than intent.
CRT looks at systems that may not seem inherently racist at first glance (It doesn’t say anything about color of skin!) but that were set up in a way that was designed to allow those in power (white people) to stay in power.
Who studies it?
Professionals, mainly. Some college students. It’s a very nuanced, very complicated concept. I’m an adult who has read many books about this subject over the last few years, and still find it difficult to wrap up in a tidy paragraph explaining how it works. That’s actually why it’s been so effective for so many years.
It is not a theory that is being “taught” to children in schools. The way that CRT might affect learning in schools is for a teacher to ask “What can I do to make this curriculum more inclusive for my Native American students?” or “Have I chosen any authors this semester that talk about what it was like for a Black person to grow up during this time period?” It’s thinking critically to make sure that the system (the curriculum or lesson plan) is inclusive for all people of color, and not just following the white narrative. I think at an older (perhaps high school) level, it means diving into the hard truths (why do we feel the need to clean up slavery, or act like all of this happened a very long time ago?), but it doesn’t need to include finger pointing or shame.
Does it encourage white people to feel bad about themselves?
No, but it does it cause me to be a bit more introspective. If racism isn’t so cut and dry, then I do feel a responsibility to make sure that I’m not unintentionally upholding systems that are racist. I get it, it can seem tiring to have to “watch what you say so you don’t offend anyone” but I think it’s less about just watching what you say, and more about being intentional and aware of your surroundings. Mostly, I’ve found it’s not about what I say at all; it’s about listening to people of color. It’s about sharing and amplifying their voices. Also, it’s freeing to know that just because I might have a racist thought, or slip up and say something that hurts someone else, I don’t have to carry a “racist” mantle around, I can apologize, learn from it, and move on.
So why is all of this important?
Here’s the example I use to explain this to my 11 year old (I saw it online somewhere and if I can ever find it again and give credit, I will definitely do so):
There was once a couple to decided to build a hotel. Now, this couple really hated disabled people and didn’t want them to ever stay in their hotel. They refused to add ramps to any of the entrances. They made the doorways too narrow for a wheelchair to get through, the sinks too high to reach. They didn’t make space for disabled parking. When they retired, they decided to sell their hotel to a really nice couple, the Smiths. Now the Smiths didn’t have any of the same prejudices that the first couple had; they wanted to welcome everyone to their hotel. However…it didn’t change the fact that the hotel was built by people who hated the disabled. In order for the Smiths to truly welcome disabled people into their hotel, they would need to do some major renovations to the hotel so that everyone would have access.
This is not a perfect example, but I think it can give you an idea of how generations later, we may be upholding systems that were created to keep people of color out without even realizing it. The reason why I think CRT is so important is because I don’t want to keep holding up those systems. I want to welcome everyone.
It’s not about making certain races feel bad (shame and guilt never produce change), it’s about dismantling or reconstructing systems that are racist, and making the world a better place for everyone.
If you’d like to dig deeper: