LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The words 'Critical Race Theory" (CRT) are being spoken more and more often across the nation and in Kentucky, as some lawmakers fight to ban it from being taught in public schools.
It’s unleashed concern from parents, teachers, and other educators, on how to address the topic of racism in history in classroom discussions.
Teachers are quick to claim, CRT is more of a legal term and is not taught in grades K-12 in Kentucky; however, several are concerned about the control over curriculum a bill like BR 60 attempts.
It was filed by State Rep. Joe Fischer (R- Fort Thomas). The basic tenets of CRT are that racism is commonly experienced by people of color in the U.S., and that it’s systemic and benefits white people.
Supporters say CRT and topics like racism are divisive, which is why they want to limit discussions.
Not all agree. One is anti-bias trainer, and Jefferson County Technical College (JCTC) teacher Michele Hemenway Pullen. She feels discussions on race have brought students from all walks of life together.
“It would be much more beneficial if [students] got this comprehensive, inclusive story that allowed them to make better decisions, to understand better the facts of the true history,” Pullen argues.
She suggests a couple of things, to change curriculum: to tell about Africans’ lives before they were enslaved, and to put more focus on their contributions to American society.
Parent and JCPS teacher Tyra Walker wants to see this, too. She wants racism spoken of, openly.
"The more dirt you sweep up under that rug, the bigger that rug is [going to] get, and eventually it's going to spew out. So, let's not keep sweeping it under the rug. Let's pull out all the dirt. Talk about it all,” Walker says.
"I'm just so sick of this!” another teacher, Christina Trosper, expressed her exasperation over the anti-CRT legislation.
Trosper is a teacher in Knox County, and member of KY 120 United-AFT group.
“I don't understand where we are as a country you know. It's like, I say the Pledge of Allegiance every day with my students and you know, we're never going to get to the 'justice for all' and the 'indivisible' part if we don't get through this. It's ... sad,” she vents.
Trosper is outraged over the Kentucky bill, and over other some states with legislative bodies to recently pass similar measures. Kentucky’s neighbor to the south, Tennessee, is one of them.
The Foster Woods Folk School, a virtual school in Russell Springs, held a virtual ‘Teach-In’ through Zoom and on Facebook over the weekend, in protest. Teachers from Tennessee joined in.
"What it feels like to me, is that this legislation is aimed at keeping teachers from teaching the truth,” school co-founder Beth Foster said.
“Feels to me as if we have a lot of politicians who want us to teach a false propaganda narrative of the history of the United States instead of teaching the truth, and propaganda is not going to serve this next generation of Americans,” she continues.
Back in Kentucky, JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio is weighing-in, also against the legislation. JCPS has been emphasizing its racial equity strategies to reduce the achievement gap between groups of students. Pollio feels curriculum which embraces “truth” is part of that overall plan.
“It’s very clear in the racial equity policy that our goal is to expand the curriculum to better reflect our student population, and I think we have been working on that, but in no way have we talked about Critical Race Theory,” Pollio assures CRT is not mentioned in JCPS curriculum, expressly.
“Anything that’s going to limit our discussions of history is problematic, in my mind,” he adds. “If we are going to change the achievement gap and ensure that more than a third of our Black students are proficient in reading and math -and we focus on those outcomes- then we have to look at everything we do."
Happening Thursday afternoon in Louisville, Metro Council members will discuss CRT in a special committee meeting. That’s set for 3:30 p.m.