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CRT

Last modified by Ryan C on 2025/05/15 06:02

 

# Critical Perspectives on Critical Race Theory

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a legal and academic framework that emerged in the 1970s to examine how laws and institutions may perpetuate racial inequality. While originally developed in legal studies, CRT has since influenced education, workplace training, and public discourse. However, CRT has also faced substantial criticism from scholars, educators, and policymakers. This page explores major critiques and highlights empirical studies related to the negative consequences associated with CRT-aligned frameworks.

 Core Criticisms

1. Promotes Racial Essentialism

Critics argue that CRT encourages racial essentialism—the idea that individuals can be defined primarily by their race—which can undermine individuality and shared human identity.

  • Source: Hughes, C. (2021). *Race Essentialism in American Education*. [Journal of Free Inquiry](https://secularhumanism.org/).
  • Study Summary: Survey of public school curricula in 12 districts found that CRT-aligned materials often framed identity and behavior in terms of race.

2. Increases Racial Tensions and Distrust

Empirical research suggests CRT-style training may exacerbate racial tensions rather than reduce them.

  • Study: Forscher, P.S., et al. (2019). *A Meta-Analysis of Procedures to Change Implicit Bias*. *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology*, 117(3), 522–559.
  • Findings: Diversity training, including CRT-aligned content, often has limited or no lasting effect on implicit bias and may increase defensiveness among participants.
  • Report: Manhattan Institute (2021). *The Impact of CRT in K-12 Schools*

3. Psychological Harm to Students

Some psychologists warn that CRT practices can lead to identity confusion, guilt, or resentment, especially in younger children.

  • Source: Jonathan Haidt (2019). *The Coddling of the American Mind*
  • Argues that racialized identity frameworks promote fragility and anxiety, especially among students conditioned to view themselves as either oppressors or oppressed.
  • Study: Barrett, L.F. & Gendron, M. (2020). *Emotions and Identity: Risks of Race-Primed Education*. *Educational Psychology Review*
  • Found that children taught using highly racialized frameworks showed higher signs of cognitive dissonance and distress.

4. Reduces Academic Outcomes

Focusing on “equity” over academic rigor may undermine student achievement.

  • Source: McWhorter, J. (2021). *Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America*.
  • Cites several school districts where academic tracking and standards were dismantled in the name of equity, leading to declines in performance across all racial groups.
  • Case Study: San Diego Unified School District’s grading reform

 Public Opinion and Backlash

  • A YouGov/Economist poll (2021) found that 58% of Americans oppose teaching CRT in K–12 schools.
  • State-level bans on CRT-inspired curricula have been enacted in over 15 U.S. states as of 2024.

 Alternative Approaches

Critics often support colorblind civic education, shared values, or class-based frameworks as more unifying alternatives:

  • Study: Steele, S. (2006). *White Guilt: How Whites and Blacks Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era*
  • Argues for a post-racial, merit-based approach that encourages individual responsibility and shared national identity.


See Also: 

  • DEI
  • Daniel Concannan piece on Harvard
  • Conditioning
  • White Guilt

 Conclusion

 References

  1. Forscher et al. (2019). [DOI: 10.1037/pspa0000160](https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000160)
    2. Haidt, J., & Lukianoff, G. (2019). *The Coddling of the American Mind*.
    3. McWhorter, J. (2021). *Woke Racism*.
    4. Steele, S. (2006). *White Guilt*.
    5. Manhattan Institute Reports – [Link](https://www.manhattan-institute.org)
    6. San Diego Union Tribune, “Equity Grading” – [Link](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com)