Law Should Critical Race Theory be Cancelled?

[luckyshot]

This may present a conundrum for right wingers, many of whom, who have set themselves up as champions of "absolute free speech" and anti- "cancel culture."

In September 2020, the Trump administration told federal agencies to “begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘critical race theory,’” which it described as “un-American propaganda.”

A month later, the conservative government in Britain declared some applications of critical race theory in education illegal. “We do not want teachers to teach their white pupils about white privilege and inherited racial guilt," said Tory Kemi Badenoch.

Republicans in West Virginia and Oklahoma have introduced bills banning schools and, in West Virginia’s case, state contractors from promoting “divisive concepts,” including claims that “the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.” A New Hampshire Republican also proposed a “divisive concepts” ban, saying in a hearing, “This bill addresses something called critical race theory.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

Edit: I will include this quote in the OP since it illustrates the issue at question, I think:

Now, it might be your opinion that CRT is racist (I may happen to agree, but it is still an opinion).

Just like it is my opinion that creationism is bull crap and "abstinence only" sex ed is ineffective.

The question is, do states have the right to prohibit democratically elected local school boards from making decisions about their own curriculums?

This is close to actually being a First Amendment violation, imo, since the censoring body is the government. It is far different from a private company like Disney deciding to fire Gina Carono.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

it just enables a huge system of grift.
throw it in the trash

 

[Rob Battisti]

This may present a conundrum for right wingers, any of whom, who have set themselves up as absolute champions of "free speech" and anti- "cancel culture".... since many of them seem to want to silence Critical Race Theory.

In September 2020, the Trump administration told federal agencies to “begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘critical race theory,’” which it described as “un-American propaganda.”

A month later, the conservative government in Britain declared some applications of critical race theory in education illegal. “We do not want teachers to teach their white pupils about white privilege and inherited racial guilt," said Tory Kemi Badenoch.

Republicans in West Virginia and Oklahoma have introduced bills banning schools and, in West Virginia’s case, state contractors from promoting “divisive concepts,” including claims that “the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.” A New Hampshire Republican also proposed a “divisive concepts” ban, saying in a hearing, “This bill addresses something called critical race theory.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

I'm not a big fan of critical race theory, but I think it should be defended by those who claim to support the right to any and all free speech.

I have been told in other threads that "free speech" means consequence free speech, as any negative consequences that flow from an expression of thought necessarily curtail the freedom of that thought.

Personally, I think the above position is ridiculous, but it has been defended by many posters in other threads, so I'd expect those same posters to come to the defense of Critical Race Theory, as it is being labelled "un-American" and "wrong think!"

1984, ya'll?

It’s not that people want it to be banned for individuals to spout its nonsense, I.e. free speech. It’s that it’s woefully unfounded and shouldn’t be TAUGHT in schools as fact. There is a difference.

 

[DoctorNick]

I think its an absolutely ridiculous theory, and that it definitely shouldn't be taught to children. As far as being able to be taught amongst adults though it absolutely should be allowed. That would be up to the workplace/university/whatever to teach it.

Insert misplaced 1984 quote here

 

[Teppodama]

As most ideologies, it should be available to study or espouse should one choose. It should not however be mandatory as a condition of ones education, employment or social life as it regards access to most forms of e-communication tied inextricably to modern societal interaction.

 

[Tycho- Taylor's Version]

It’s not that people want it to be banned for individuals to spout its nonsense, I.e. free speech. It’s that it’s woefully unfounded and shouldn’t be TAUGHT in schools as fact. There is a difference.

So, deplatformed then.

 

[HereticBD]

It should be allowed for public consumption. It should not be used as an indoctrination tool in schools.

 

[The_Renaissance]

Yes, and all the deliberate shit-stirrers that peddle it can go and get a real fucking job, maybe working within fund-raising or similar to actually help black communities rather than earning a fortune peddling racism.

 

[Mr Holmes]

This whole thread doesn't even make sense. Why are we conflating how tax payer revenue is being spent in with free speech and cancel culture?

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Lol, I like when lucky does his "gotcha" threads. However, not supporting teaching that crap to primary or secondary school level students isn't being anti free speech, anymore than not having creationism taught isn't an attack on free speech. I support it being an elective in post secondary and if a private company wants to implement it into whatever training / development courses they see fit, not my business to say no...I can just mock it.

 

[Otto!]

I think that it’s garbage, but free speech is not about what I like.

 

[White Whale]

It should not be a requirement for jobs and should not be taught in schools. If people went to learn about it than they can without forcing everyone else to do so.

 

[luckyshot]

It’s not that people want it to be banned for individuals to spout its nonsense, I.e. free speech. It’s that it’s woefully unfounded and shouldn’t be TAUGHT in schools as fact. There is a difference.

I think its an absolutely ridiculous theory, and that it definitely shouldn't be taught to children. As far as being able to be taught amongst adults though it absolutely should be allowed. That would be up to the workplace/university/whatever to teach it.

Insert misplaced 1984 quote here

To play devil's advocate...

In the US, most states have a long tradition of local control over curriculum. For example, in some conservative states, religious people regularly win election to local boards of education and advocate for creationism-- which is a theory that is far more dubious, from a scientific point of view, than Critical Race Theory-- to be taught alongside evolution in biology class.

Why should CRT be handled any differently, if democratically elected school boards decide they want to teach it?

 

[RidenWitBiden]

Doesn't critical race theory just mean that white supremacy is real and black people have been oppressed? It's reality. It should absolutely be mandatory in schools and for job training if so.

 

[Rob Battisti]

So, deplatformed then.

I would vote for “not funded by tax payer dollars or promoted by the government”

idgaf if it’s on social media platforms or if companies want to promote it. So, no? Not deplatformed I guess.

 

[JSN]

There’s a big difference between free speech and putting pseudointellectual trash into the curriculum.

This cuts both ways too. It’s the republicans generally pushing to use The Flintstones in science class and shit like this. Neither belongs in the classroom.

 

[Rob Battisti]

To play devil's advocate...

In the US, most states have a long tradition of local control over curriculum. For example, in some conservative states, religious people regularly win election to local boards of education and advocate for creationism-- which is a theory that is far more dubious, from a scientific point of view, than Critical Race Theory-- to be taught alongside evolution in biology class.

Why should CRT be handled any differently, if democratically elected school boards decide they want to teach it?

Totally agree with you. It’s tricky. If they want it, I guess let them have it. But that’s why democracy is the worst of all options, aside from the rest.

 

[PhitePhan]

CRT should be discussed and debated openly, however, currently open debate is being stifled (to a degree in greater MSM) along with any counter narrative (eg Morgan Freeman and Michael Whitlock).

As an outsider, CRT is loose with regards to objective or moral consistency, and falls short when confronted by any serious thinker. The only thing proping CRT up is sophisticated “marketing.”

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

To play devil's advocate...

In the US, most states have a long tradition of local control over curriculum. For example, in some conservative states, religious people regularly win election to local boards of education and advocate for creationism-- which is a theory that is far more dubious, from a scientific point of view, than Critical Race Theory-- to be taught alongside evolution in biology class.

Why should CRT be handled any differently, if democratically elected school boards decide they want to teach it?

Then wouldn't federally mandated curriculum initiatives like common core mathematics be a violation of local democracy? Which, ironically goes directly against CRT due the rigid objectiveness of said math curriculum (2+2 does not equal 5)

 

[Fluffernutter]

I wish we spent more time focusing on our similarities and trying to unite ourselves.