In a recent Lexington County school incident a teacher was accused of teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT). CRT has been described as a “radical school of academic thought that centers on an individual’s ethnic background.”
Critical Race Theorist, Richard Delgado, makes defines CRT in his book, ‘Critical Race Theory: An Introduction’ in such simple terms a high schooler could understand the effects of CRT, as follows:
“The critical race theory (CRT) movement is a collection of activists and scholars interested in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power… Although CRT began as a movement in the law, it has rapidly spread beyond that discipline. Today, many in the field of education consider themselves critical race theorists who use CRT’s ideas to understand issues of… controversies over curriculum and history… Unlike some academic disciplines, critical race theory contains an activist dimension. It not only tries to understand our social situation, but to change it…” (Delgado, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, pages 2-3)
Additionally, the main tenets of critical race theory are:
Endemic Racism – “First, that racism is ordinary, not aberrational—“normal science,” the usual way society does business, the common, everyday experience of most people of color in this country.” (Delgado, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, page 7)
Lived Experience – “A final element concerns the notion of a unique voice of color. Minority status, in other words, brings with it a presumed competence to speak about race and racism.” (Delgado, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, page 9)
Counternarratives – Counterstories have an allure of human experience and are most effective means in overcoming ‘otherness’ of Blacks. (Delgado, Richard. (1989) Storytelling for Oppositionists and Others: A Plea for Narrative, Michigan Law Review, Volume 87, No. 8, Legal Storytelling (August, 1989))
The Lexington-Richland School District 5 class where the two videos were allegedly shown was Chapin High School. The videos, “The Unequal Opportunity Race” and “Systemic Racism Explained”, portray white people as inherently “racist” and intentionally holding Black, and those of other races back from fully competing in America, either intentionally or by being ‘unaware of their racist views‘.
The first video was The Unequal Opportunity Race. The video is designed to place guilt on white students for past or historical events that may or may not have been perpetuated on non-White people. The two videos are attached below:
And the second video is:
The second video is entitled Systemic Racism Explained. The Unequal Opportunity Race” and “Systemic Racism Explained” were the two videos students reported were taught in their class. Video images courtesy YouTube.
Both these videos say that systemic racism is historic and is the reason why Whites excel, get loans, and are not arrested as much. CRT claims there are inequities and biases in society because of a ‘secret pact’ of some sort that White people have among themselves—even if they are unaware of it—that holds other people groups down and under the thumb of Whites giving them an unfair advantage.
Both videos are categorized as falling under the label Critical Race Theory and in violation of the State law due to their promotion of discriminatory race based content. Lexington-Richland School District 5 received complaints from district parents, and students in the class who said they saw the videos which made them “feel uncomfortable”. It was also stated by a student that the video made them feel “ashamed to be Caucasian”.
Last fall House Rep. RJ May, R-District 88, accused the pushers of CRT as promoters of, “the same pernicious, racist nonsense.” May said that CRT has oftentimes been renamed as “diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI], as anti-racism, as culturally relevant pedagogy.”
There is a battle on for the hearts and minds of our children and grands. If you’re not aware or paying attention you and your children may be swept away by the current.
Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online. You may find our videos available on Rumble. The bulk of TheStandardSC video media channel has been censored by dominant social media groups like YouTube. YouTube, owed by Alphabet (Google), removed and destroyed all of our video work without permission or remuneration. That has stopped all potential donations from our many supporters on that venue. If you want to continue to see independent thought and reports please “like”, comment, share with a friend, and donate to support The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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