VOA慢速英语--什么是临界种族理论？

What Is Critical Race Theory?

Over the past few months in the United States, the expression "critical race theory," or CRT, has appeared in statehouses and political gatherings¹ from almost nowhere.

CRT has become an important cause for conservatives. Many Republican-controlled states have passed legislation restricting how history and race can be taught in public schools.

For some, critical race theory is a way of understanding how race has shaped American society and public policy. For others, CRT creates division and conflict between white people and minorities.

But even those who criticize critical race theory have a hard time defining what it is. So, what exactly is it?

What is critical race theory?

Critical race theory is a way of thinking about America's history through race. It argues that racism² is more than just individual prejudices and discrimination.

CRT centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the country's institutions. The theory also argues that the country's institutions work to keep white people as the most powerful group. University professors, and others in academia, developed CRT during the 1970s and 1980s in response to what they viewed as a lack of racial progress.

The creators of the theory argue that the U.S. was founded on stolen land and labor³, through the colonization⁴ of native land and slavery. Supporters of the theory also believe race is not biological, but culturally invented.

Kimberlé Crenshaw is the head of the African American Policy Forum⁵ and one of the earliest supporters of CRT. At first the theory was "simply about telling a more complete story of who we are."

Is critical race theory being taught In schools?

There is little evidence that critical race theory is being taught to public school students. But some ideas relating to the theory are being taught.

Tassie Zahner is an Advanced Placement, or AP, American history teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland. AP is a nationwide program that provides high school students with college-level classes. She said it would be very hard to teach her class without using some CRT concepts, like America's history of racism.

"In order to teach an AP U.S. history class correctly you have to talk about those things," she said. "You can't prepare students ... if you're not teaching the truth about U.S. history."

But some parents and conservative lawmakers see some uses of the theory as problematic.

In Greenwich, Connecticut, some middle school students were given a "white bias⁶" survey, which angered some parents. The Wake County Public School System in North Carolina organized a meeting for teachers on critical race theory, angering state Republican lawmakers.

Lisa Luten is a spokeswoman for the Wake County school system. North Carolina is one of the 26 states that have proposed laws that restrict critical race theory or limit how teachers can discuss racism or sexism, says the publication Education Week.

"Critical race theory is not something we teach to students," Luten said. "It's more of a theory in academia about race that adults use to discuss ... their environment."

Why are Republicans upset?

Many conservatives and Republicans say CRT is an effort to rewrite American history. They argue CRT tells white people that they are naturally racist⁷ and should feel guilty because of their privileges.

But the term "critical race theory" has recently been used as a general description for racial ideas that conservatives dislike. These include white privilege, systemic inequality and inherent bias.

How are states addressing it?

Out of the 26 states that have considered legislation, eight have banned or limited the teaching of CRT and similar ideas. The bans, all from Republican-led states, largely describe what can be taught inside the classroom. While legislation in some states mentions critical race theory by name, others do not. Many are unclear about what should or should not be taught.

Other states have banned teaching The New York Times' The 1619 Project. Released in 2019, The 1619 Project aimed to tell a story of American history with slavery at the center of the country's founding.

The banning of CRT ideas has extended to other countries as well. In late June, Australia's senate voted to remove CRT from the national school system. The Conversation reported that some politicians and media groups were concerned that Australia's schools were teaching too much about the "oppression, discrimination and struggles of Indigenous⁸ Australians."

What is the response to the Republican actions?

Teachers' groups, educators and social studies organizations worry the laws will make students get an untrue picture of American history. They say it is very damaging for students to think that racism, discrimination and past injustices⁹ do not affect the country today.

Education Week argues it will be difficult to enforce laws that place limits on what happens inside individual classrooms. But some educators fear that the laws could scare teachers into changing what and how they teach about race.

Zahner said lawmakers and adults pass these kinds of laws because they "underestimate the ability of young people to think critically." She said students do not need to depend on the analysis of historians and social scientists to get an understanding. Often, they can read documents or other information from the past and learn for themselves.

Zahner added that refusing to permit children to study CRT means "you're taking away both the knowledge and their ability to analyze¹⁰ things."

Words in This Story

prejudice — n. an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc.

academia — n. the life, community, or world of teachers, schools, and education

institution –n. an established organization

bias – n. a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly

survey — n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something

privilege — n. a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others

inherent — adj. belonging to the basic nature of someone or something

indigenous –adj. produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region or environment

underestimate – v. to think of (someone or something) as being lower in ability, influence, or value than that person or thing actually is

1 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

2 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

7 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

8 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

9 injustices   

不公平( injustice的名词复数 )； 非正义； 待…不公正； 冤枉

参考例句：

• One who committed many injustices is doomed to failure. 多行不义必自毙。
• He felt confident that his injustices would be righted. 他相信他的冤屈会受到昭雪的。

10 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。