Explore

critical race theory

Ongoing coverage of the debate over critical race theory in America’s classrooms

Untangle Your Mind!

Sign up for our free newsletter and start your day with clear-headed reporting on the latest topics in education.
Opinion

5 Strategies to Help Teachers Continue to Educate for Diversity and Democracy

Christopher Clark & Judith L. Pace
EDlection

Trump, DeSantis, Haley to Speak at Moms for Liberty Summit

Jo Napolitano
undoing democracy

The Conservative Scholar Who Convinced GOP Lawmakers Civics Conceals CRT

Asher Lehrer-Small
undoing democracy

How Texas Lawmakers Gutted Civics

Asher Lehrer-Small
Missouri

Missouri Senate Advances ‘Parents Bill of Rights’ With Less Focus on CRT

Annelise Hanshaw
The Big Picture

New National Study: 1 in 4 Teachers Changing Lesson Plans Due to Anti-CRT Laws

Asher Lehrer-Small
A Nation Divided

How Educational Inequities Are Further Tearing Apart the Country

Conor P. Williams & Shantel Meek
EDlection 2022

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Who Leveraged Parent Outrage Over Schools, Wins Big in FL

Mark Keierleber
Texas

Why All Eyes are Now on the Often Ignored Texas Board of Education Races

Brian Lopez
EDlection 2022

Poll: Half of Americans Know Little About CRT, What’s Actually Taught in Schools

Beth Hawkins
The 74 Interview

The Unintended Consequence of Brown v. Board: A ‘Brain Drain’ of Black Educators

Greg Toppo
ACLU

The ACLU’S Fight Against Classroom Censorship, State By State

Asher Lehrer-Small
The Big Picture

New Poll: Majority of Adults Don’t Trust Educators to Handle Sensitive Topics

Kevin Mahnken
ACLU

ACLU-Backed Lawsuit Charges Florida’s ‘Stop W.O.K.E.’ Law Is Unconstitutional

Asher Lehrer-Small
critical race theory

Author of ‘Critical Race Theory’ Ban Says Texas Schools Can Still Teach About Racism

Brian Lopez
"When the Emperor Was Divine"

Wisconsin School District Rejects Book About Japanese Internment

Bill Lueders
critical race theory

Florida, Critical Race Theory and the Future of Textbooks

Morgan Polikoff
anti-racism

CRT Law Undermines Texas Charter School for Black and Latino Students

Aasimah Navlakhi
book ban

National Poll Shows Little Appetite for Book Bans

Mark Keierleber
book bans

Analysis: Battles Over Book Bans Reflect Conflicts From the 1980s

Fred L. Pincus
critical race theory

Parental Rights Bills Have Been Introduced in Most States. Teachers Are Pushing Back

Nadra Nittle
Arizona

A Constitutional Amendment to Ban Critical Race Theory in Schools?

Gloria Gomez
Best of the Month

Removing Masks From School? One By One, States Unveil Plans to Return to Normal

The 74
charter schools

In Texas, All New Charter Schools Must Promise Not to Teach Critical Race Theory

Brian Lopez
1619 Project

Bringing 1619 Project, Black History to Life for Young Readers

Marianna McMurdock
Black American History

Black History Month: 'Unforeseen Consequences' of Brown v. Board

Asher Lehrer-Small
critical race theory

Virginia House Passes Legislation to Ban ‘Divisive’ Concepts in School

Kate Masters
Pandemic

Million-Dollar Records Request: MN Districts Flooded With Document Demands

Beth Hawkins
critical race theory

State Proposes New Law Cracking Down on 'Obscene' Books & School Lessons on Race

Stanley Dunlap & Ross Williams
critical race theory

Louisiana's New Social Studies Standards Will Not Include Critical Race Theory

JC Canicosa
critical race theory

Florida Law Would Whitewash Conversations About Race & Gender, Advocates Warn

Danielle J. Brown
censorship

Lawmakers May Censor Talk of Race, Gender in FL Schools, Workplaces

Danielle J. Brown
EDlection 2022

Gov. Greg Abbott Taps Into Parent Anger to Fuel Reelection Campaign

Brian Lopez
Pandemic

As COVID and culture wars roil schools, choice backers see an opening

Greg Toppo
critical race theory

State Leaders Look to Restrict How Teachers and Employers Can Talk About Race

Danielle J. Brown
critical race theory

A Parents' 'Bill of Rights'? Missouri May Give Families More Say in Classrooms

Tessa Weinberg
American history

A Year Later, Wary Teachers Careful How They Address Deadly Riot

Jo Napolitano
critical race theory

Black Parents Push Back Against Right-wing Attacks on ‘Critical Race Theory’

Ken Coleman
Best of 2021

How Did Students Fare This Year? 21 Big Things We Learned About Schools in 2021

Steve Snyder
Pandemic

Death Threats and Doxxing: The Outcomes of Mask Mandate and Critical Race Theory Fights at a Texas School Board

Brian Lopez
Union Report

Exclusive: NEA Cancels July Convention in Texas Boycott

Mike Antonucci
critical race theory

Texas Passes Critical Race Theory Law, Regulating Teaching of Slavery, Race

Brian Lopez
Best of the Month

From School Board Recalls to Ballot Upsets, a New Era for Education Politics?

The 74
critical race theory

Indigenous Parents Say Debates Over Teaching History Exclude Native People

Asher Lehrer-Small
charter schools

Meet the Parent Choice Advocates Who Embrace Teaching About Systemic Racism

RaShaun Kemp
Boston

Swapping Mayoral Control for Elected School Boards Not the Smart Choice

Conor P. Williams
critical race theory

North Texas Principal Resigns to End Fight Over Whether He Was Teaching ‘Critical Race Theory’

Brian Lopez
COVID-19

Will the Tea Party of 2022 Emerge from the Debate over Schools?

Kevin Mahnken
Pandemic

Parents Use Anti-Critical Race Theory Laws To Push Book Bans, School Firings

Andrea Zelinski
The 74 Interview

Interview: Andrew Rotherham on the Virginia Governor’s Race

Kevin Mahnken
COVID-19

In Virginia, Democrats Suffer First Major Loss of Biden Era

Kevin Mahnken
COVID-19

School Board Recalls Continue Losing Streak

Kevin Mahnken
The 74 Interview

Moms for Liberty Co-Founder on Parent ‘Warriors’ Who Challenge School Boards

Jo Napolitano
Pandemic

Attempted Recalls Against School Board Members Skyrocket

Kevin Mahnken
Best of the Month

‘Chronically’ Absent: Why Are So Many Students Missing Class Amid the Pandemic?

The 74
critical race theory

Texas Legislature Demands Schools Confirm Use of Books on Race and Sexuality

Brian Lopez
Pandemic

Partisan Feud Pits Members’ Safety Against Parents’ Free Speech Rights

Mark Keierleber
Pandemic

Three Lawsuits to Weigh the Most Explosive Issues in Schools this Year

Asher Lehrer-Small
1921 Race Massacre

ACLU Lawsuit Looks to Take Down Oklahoma’s CRT Teaching Ban

Asher Lehrer-Small
critical race theory

‘Opposing’ Holocaust Views? Inside the Texas Law Sparking Confusion at Schools

Brian Lopez
Pandemic

Justice Department to Combat Violent Threats Against Educators

Mark Keierleber
afterschool

Reconstruction Offers Students Black History, but Stays ‘Out of the Fray’

Linda Jacobson
The Big Picture

Study: AI Uncovers Skin-Tone Gap in Most-Beloved Children’s Books

Asher Lehrer-Small
Best of the Month

Spy Tech Followed Students Home During Remote Learning — and Now Won’t Leave

The 74
Pandemic

Civics Ed Leader on Why She’s Hopeful, Why Teaching Civics is Patriotic

Laura Fay
The 74 Interview

Interview: Author Bonnie Kerrigan Snyder on Classroom Indoctrination

Kevin Mahnken
Anti-racist teaching

San Francisco’s Ethnic Studies Course a Boon for Student Outcomes

Mark Keierleber
Pandemic

These Are the States That Passed Laws Restricting the Teaching of Racial History

Brooke LePage
critical race theory

97% of NC Survey Respondents Never Taught About State’s Eugenics Past

Asher Lehrer-Small
Best of the Month

The Science Behind Keeping Schools Safe During the Delta Variant Surge

The 74
critical race theory

Schools, Teachers, Parents & Bans on Critical Race Theory

Julia Kaufman & Alice Huguet
Pandemic

Texas School Cancels Classes After State Passes Controversial Social Studies Law

Jason Kao
Brown v. Board of Education

Critical Race Theory and the New ‘Massive Resistance’

Mark Keierleber
1619 Project

Genocide ‘In My Own Backyard’: NC Classrooms Ignored State Eugenics History

Asher Lehrer-Small
critical race theory

Texas Teachers Denounce GOP’s New Social Studies Law

Isabella Zou & Jason Kao
Best of the Month

Missing Kids: 1 in 5 Preschool Students Have Disappeared From Public Schools

The 74
Pandemic

Cardona: Schools Will Need to ‘Work Twice as Hard’ To Lure Some Families Back

Linda Jacobson
Pandemic

‘No way to win’: School Leaders Face Unsettling Year of Public Outrage

Linda Jacobson
Pandemic

With Some Parents Mad Over Issues from School Closures to Critical Race Theory, Leaders Fear Impact on Fall Enrollment

Linda Jacobson
critical race theory

Texas Lawmakers Aim to Limit Critical Race Theory in Schools at Special Session

Molly Smith & Jewél Jackson
Pandemic

Critical Race Theory, Plummeting Delegate Head Count at NEA Assembly

Mike Antonucci
Pandemic

Build Black Classrooms That Heal Rather than Traumatize Students

Alicia Montgomery
AFT

Unions Promise Money and Support to Members Advancing Critical Race Theory

Linda Jacobson
Civics

How George Floyd's Murder Inspired a New Curriculum in My School

Riah Williams
1619 Project

Chaos Theory: Amid Pandemic Recovery Efforts, School Leaders Fear Critical Race Furor Will ‘Paralyze’ Teachers

Linda Jacobson & The 74 Staff
Pandemic

What Is (and Isn’t) Critical Race Theory, Anyway?

Isabella Zou
Pandemic

Texas Passes Critical Race Theory Law; Will Limit Teaching of Current Events

Kate McGee
antiracism

Teaching Tulsa’s ‘Hard History’ After State Restricts Antiracist Instruction

Asher Lehrer-Small
Pandemic

New Texas Bill Limits How Kids Learn About Historic Racism and Current Events

Kate McGee
Civics

Texas Legislation Would Require Schools to Teach ‘Informed American Patriotism’

Megan Menchaca
Pandemic

GOP Looks to Ban ‘Woke Philosophies’ Like Critical Race Theory in Texas Schools

Duncan Agnew
Social-Emotional Learning

A Racial Reckoning at Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence

Linda Jacobson