Silenced and Pushed Out: The Harms of CRT Bans on K–12 Teachers

• In Event: Engaging With Critical Race Theory, Bans, and Positive Racial Identities

Abstract

There are currently over 600 local and state-wide policies framed as bans against “CRT” being propagated to restrict how race and racism can be taught in K-12 schools across the nation; putting teachers at personal and professional risk for addressing topics related to race, inequality, and injustice. This paper employs CRT to analyze how “CRT-bans” exploit white defensiveness and white comfort; limiting discourse on systemic racism, thereby perpetuating it. Additionally, it presents findings from a study involving 117 teachers nationwide, highlighting the adverse effects of CRT-bans on the racial climate of schools and the attrition of teachers dedicated to equity and inclusion. The study concludes by offering evidence-based recommendations to help schools mitigate the detrimental impact of CRT-bans on teachers.

Authors

• Uma Mazyck Jayakumar, University of California - Riverside

• Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside