Inside the American schools being torn apart by controversial race teaching Critical race theory is becoming the political football of the year ahead of US midterm elections Angry parents and community members protest after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted On a leafy street in America's richest county Jessica Mendez, a mother-of -two, was on her doorstep telling a TV crew why she opposes critical race theory. As she did so, her female neighbour walked by, and raised both middle fingers in the air. "I’m really hurt right now," Ms Mendez said tearfully. "I thought that we had a rapport, that I could be conservative and she could be liberal, and we could still be friends. I guess I was wrong."