Unions Double Down on Inserting Critical Race Theory Into Education
The largest teachers union in the country has made a massive commitment to expand teaching critical race theory in public schools across America. Pictured: President Joe Biden addresses the National Education Association s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly on July 2. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Commentary By
Lindsey M. Burke is director of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy and Mark A. Kolokotrones fellow in education. Read her research.
Periodically, it’s worth checking teachers union priorities. Such reviews find just how much these special-interest groups are disconnected from mainstream opinions on the role of schools in society. We also find how singularly focused they are on political fads, such as the toxic ideology of critical race theory, instead of improving the state of American education.
AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
The AFT’s Randi Weingarten says Critical Race Theory isn’t being taught in schools but she’s prepared to fight the state laws banning it anyway. From the Washington Post:
In her remarks, Weingarten said that critical race theory is not taught in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools. The theory is taught only in law school and in college, she said…
According to Weingarten, her organization is already “preparing for litigation [to counter these laws] as we speak” although her spokesman, Andrew Crook, said the union has yet to identify specific targets. Weingarten said that the American Federation of Teachers, which has about 1.7 million members, has “a legal-defense fund ready to go.” Crook said this fund specifically meant for lawsuits related to critical race theory bills totals $2.5 million and comes in addition to the $10 million that the American Federation of Teachers makes available to fund lawsuits annually.
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I’m not 100% sure whether this is unbridled arrogance or just jaw-dropping tone-deafness, but this is absurd. These are toxic sociopaths operating on a level of totalitarian outlook that is alarming as heck.
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a national union led by hard-line leftist Randi Weingarten, has announced adding $2.5 million to a legal fund specifically intended to fight parents for control over education curriculum.
Apparently the AFT feels they should be permitted to determine the curriculum of what they teach. Parents do not get a say in what is taught to their children; this is a remarkable admission of indoctrination. The arrogance of this is really quite remarkable and highlights just how out-of-touch with teaching the education system has become.
AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
It appears that the left might be striking back against attempts to prohibit the teaching of certain elements of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the classroom. After at least three states have passed legislation outlawing the theory’s teaching and more poised to impose similar measures, the hard left is planning to push back using the legal system.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, recently declared that the organization would take legal action to shield any educator who “gets in trouble for teaching honest history.”
During a virtual professional development conference for members of the union, Weingarten argued that “culture warriors are labeling any discussion of race, racism or discrimination as [critical race theory] to try to make it toxic.” She also claimed these individuals were “bullying teachers and trying to stop [them] from teaching students accurate history.”