“Critical Race Theory.” Do you know what it is? Do you know why it has become an issue in local school board races? Perhaps you should.
News Tribune reporter Chase Hutchinson has been following the emergence of anti-CRT (critical race theory) and other concerns about diversity, inclusion, and sex education in our schools as he reports on what’s happening in Gig Harbor, and the Key Peninsula. Similar issues are cropping up in at least one Tacoma School Board campaign too.
Chase joins host Evelyn Lopez to talk about what CRT is (a social science/legal analysis theory on inequities), whether it’s part of any local school curriculum (it’s not), and why it has become a hot topic and trigger issue locally.
You can find out more about the anti-CRT craze sweeping the nation in the latest Nerd Farmer and IWL (interchangeable white ladies) podcasts.
Background materials:
- Campaign against “critical race theory” comes to South Kitsap district. Here’s how it went
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article252167823.html - Mastermind of ‘critical race theory’ uproar lives in Gig Harbor. Who is Christopher Rufo?
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article252294763.html - What is Critical Race Theory? A UWT professor explains
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article252307248.html - School board candidates double down on ‘critical race theory’ campaign in rare group ad https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article252605028.html
- 2021 Legislation: SB 5044 Concerning professional learning, equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism in the public school system https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5044&Year=2021&Initiative=false
Listen and let us know what you think!
Evelyn Lopez: truetacoma@gmail.com @True_Tacoma
Chase Hutchinson: chase.hutchinson@thenewstribune.com @EclecticHutch
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