Parents’ Guide to Fight Critical Race Theory
Is Critical Race Theory Being Taught in Your Local School?
Look for classes like Global Learners Initiative, Global Social Theory and Diversity Clubs. Then look for words like equity (not equality), racial justice, anti-racism, and social or political activism or action. These are words from the racist, divisive, unproven theory that asserts all Blacks are oppressed and all Whites are oppressors and goes by the name of “Critical Race Theory,” a.k.a. “Cultural Response Teaching.”
Gather Your Facts
Facts about what is being taught in the schools may simply be found in what your children bring home, but also look at the school district’s website for trainings, departments or programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Be aware that the vast majority of teachers are developing lesson plans using unapproved websites from all over the internet. These unapproved websites will not be listed on the school district website. Make public records request through the Freedom of Information Act on all trainings, programs, curricula or other documentation promoting the tenants of Critical Race Theory (CRT). Be sure to include words like “Diversity or Equity Training.” Share what you find with other parents and post on social media. Local citizen groups may also have social media sites (Facebook, other) where evidence of CRT can be viewed and documented.
Local Coalition Building
Once you have gathered your facts, you need to find as many likeminded parents and other community members who oppose the teaching of this faulty theory, and work together. Form a coalition to specifically address the teaching of critical race theory or other nefarious teaching in your local school district. Try to discern if there are teachers, administrators and school board members who are not comfortable with what is being taught. They are likely to be wary of saying anything, as the pressure to conform is intense.
Create a presence for your coalition on multiple social media platforms and consider building a website. The website should have a prominent feature on the home page enabling you to collect contact information of people who want to get involved. This way you can keep them informed and send out action alerts when you need them to attend a school board meeting or call their elected officials.
Approach the School Board
Once you have completed your data gathering and coalition building, you can approach the School Board at a School Board meeting. There is strength in numbers so be sure to have a crowd show up with several leaders prepared to speak representing the coalition. Be sure to be specific about what you would like to see happen. Request your school board adopt a policy or resolution prohibiting tenants of CRT. USPIE developed templates adapted from policies and legislation across the country for you to use. Feel free to edit these templates and adapt to your communities’ needs.
You should always video tape school board meetings where people speak or meetings that you attend while the board makes policy decisions about these issues. Post the videos on social media and enlist your coalition to widely share them. The posts should always direct people to join your coalition and provide a link to the page or website to join your efforts.
Run Candidates for School Board
If the administration and school board is unwilling to cooperate, you may need to accelerate further by recruiting, campaigning and electing likeminded individuals to the school board. Here is a model from a school district in Texas where families united and took control of their local school board. A well-orchestrated plan like this could be replicated in your community.
An excellent new resource for parents who want to elect good people to their local school board is the 1776 Project PAC. This is the first national political action committee to target local, historically nonpartisan school board elections and was just launched May 24, 2021. The 1776 Project PAC is pushing back against this growing crisis in government schools by campaigning on behalf of school board candidates that vow to overturn any teaching of the 1619 Project or Critical Race Theory in their school districts. They will also support any type of education reform that promotes a patriotic vision of America and its history.
Ensure Proper Training for the New School Board Members
Winning elections is a lot of work, so once you have successfully elected a majority of board members from your recruits, you want to be sure your newly elected school board members have proper training. Unions control training new school board members in most states. In some states new school board members are required to attend an orientation by unions and many remain affiliated and are offered continual indoctrination toward the national, liberal education agenda. They even offer training about how to win a bond referendum to raise local taxes.
While some states do not maintain unions, there are associations that play the role of the unions. Education associations, school boards associations, and school administrators associations.
For alternatives to union/association training, look to states like Ohio that formed an alternative training for new school board members and formed a coalition to combat the union’s control over new board member training. USPIE will be working with leaders in Ohio to develop a model to replicate their efforts in every state. Be sure to sign-up at uspie.org to stay informed as this evolves, so we can continue to be a resource.
Do some research and learn if training for new school board members is state-mandated, and if so, is there a specific training they are required to take? It will likely be your local union/association’s task to fulfill the mandate. If this is the case, your coalition should work with your state legislature to change the law to provide an alternative training as was offered in Ohio. This is critical in keeping your board free from the grips of the left’s education agenda and particularly Critical Race Theory.
Legislative Remedies
You can also look to legislative remedies by having your coalition contact their state representatives with concerns. The National Association of Scholars recently formed a Civics Alliance dedicated to defending and restoring true civics education across the United States and has this great tool that tracks civics legislation by state on their website. Use it to follow what is being proposed in your state and to influence your state representatives by showing them what other states are doing and offering model legislation.
When talking with elected officials, it is also helpful to prove to them that the majority of Americans overwhelmingly reject race and gender politics in K-12 education. Parents Defending Education recently published the results of a national poll that asked American voters about efforts to impose Critical Race Theory and “social justice” curriculum on K-12 schools. The findings proved overwhelming opposition to it and strong support for a de-politicized curriculum.
Keep in mind when considering legislative language that a strong bill will include compliance measures and penalties for noncompliance; preferably financial penalties.
State Coalition Building
Contact USPIE to see if there is a chapter in your state and if not, consider starting one. USPIE can provide you with a list of contacts in your state of people who have joined the movement to restore local and parental control of education. USPIE will also provide guidance on how to establish a chapter. This would connect your state’s parents with likeminded parents all over the country. We have more influence when we work together.
United in Friendship and Respect
USPIE Advisory Board member Dr. Gary Thompson, who is raising a bi-racial family, has been very outspoken against Critical Race Theory and says, “Racism and other forms of hate develop from fear of the unknown.” Parents and citizens within a community can meet people on a personal level and get to know people who are different. Seek to understand others on a personal level. Programs like Critical Race Theory divide us. We must unite as strong communities in friendship and respect to ensure this divisive doctrine is defeated.