A controversy over critical race theory is raging across the United States and Utah is no exception, even though the concept is not part of the state curriculum for public K-12 schools.

In May, Republican legislators in the House and Senate passed identical resolutions recommending that the State Board of Education review curriculum standards and take out any concepts that say one race is inherently superior or inferior to another, which they claim is part of critical race theory, or CRT.

The Utah GOP followed up with another resolution in June that included colleges in its assertion that the theory should not be taught in the public education system. The resolution, approved by members of the party’s central committee, also called for a ban on using CRT in state employee training.

CRT, an academic theory developed by legal scholars beginning in the 1970s, says race is a social construction and that systemic racism still permeates America’s laws and policies. It can be used as a tool to examine how institutional racism manifests itself in practices that can advantage certain racial groups and disadvantage others, according to Tamara Stevenson, interim vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion and chief diversity officer for Westminster College.

“I’m against critical race theory because it tends to be extremely divisive and destructive to individuals within our communities, children and adults and families. “Critical race theory is not a curriculum, It’s a way of viewing life and relationships and basically assigning blame.”

Rep. Steve Christiansen, R-West Jordan.

Its detractors claim critical race theory is anti-American revisionist history that indoctrinates students to be ashamed of their country, labels people as either oppressors or oppressed and discriminates against white children in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The resolutions are not binding and Rep. Steve Christiansen, R-West Jordan, who sponsored the House measure, said that while the Board of Education recently adopted measures that addressed some of his concerns, he most likely would introduce legislation next year to ban critical race theory unless further action is taken. 

“I’m against critical race theory because it tends to be extremely divisive and destructive to individuals within our communities, children and adults and families,” Christiansen said.

He acknowledged that CRT is not included in the Board of Education’s approved curriculum but said it is still being taught in classrooms throughout the state.

“Critical race theory is not a curriculum,” Christiansen said. “It’s a way of viewing life and relationships and basically assigning blame.”

“It’s not being taught in our schools and they continue to say it is. It’s just flatly not true. It’s not a curriculum. They’ve been passing these bans all over the country and there’s nothing to ban.”

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay

Federal legislation introduced

U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah joined the fray by introducing a resolution last month that would highlight the alleged dangers of teaching critical race theory in schools and a bill that would reinstate an executive order by Donald Trump barring the promotion of “race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating” in federal workplace training, including sessions by contractors and grant recipients. 

Trump’s executive order did not cite critical race theory by name but the former president had attacked CRT and diversity training. President Joe Biden reversed the measure with his own executive order on the first day of his presidency.

Owens said in a May 14 news release that his legislation “underlines the systemic racism and damaging philosophy within this prejudicial ideological tool.” 

“I grew up attending segregated schools in the Jim Crow South during a time when people were treated differently based on the color of their skin,” Owens also said. “Critical Race Theory preserves this way of thinking and undermines civil rights, constitutionally guaranteed equal protection before the law, and U.S. institutions at large. This is the United States of America, and no one should ever be subjected to the discrimination that our laws so clearly prohibit.”

His bill, which has 36 co-sponsors, all of them Republicans, says, “Critical Race Theory is, at its core, un-American, discriminatory, and based on Marxist ideology.”

Utah Rep. Chris Stewart, a co-sponsor, said in a news release that “America’s educational system does not exist to rewrite history through the lens of wokeness.”

“Our country is the greatest force for good in human history,” Stewart said. “Critical Race Theory teaches our kids otherwise and only serves to divide us. Young Americans deserve a full understanding of America’s history – falls, triumphs, and all – so that we can continue making progress.”

Other co-sponsors include Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, who called critical race theory an “evil plague,” and Rep. Lauren Boebert, of Colorado, who said, “Democrats want to teach our children to hate each other. I’m proud to join my colleagues on this legislation and say hell no to this racist propaganda.”

“It’s already here”

Utah Parents United (UPU) are among the strongest supporters of banning critical race theory. Leaders of the Davis County-based advocacy group say they have letters from parents in nearly every school district in the state that give examples of CRT teaching.

“We even have audio recordings that some of them have sent in. Some have sent in screen shots and books. It’s already here,” said Brooke Stephens, the organization’s vice president and director of education.

In addition, UPU has found signatures of Utah teachers included on a national online pledge to teach critical race theory even if any bills are passed in their state that restrict those lessons, she said.

“We oppose critical race theory because it labels people as racist and oppressors and victims,” Stephens said. “I don’t like that because to label people is to limit them, especially children. It’s very harmful when they believe they need to take on these labels.”

In a May 5 appearance on Fox News, UPU’s outreach director, Gloria Vindas, and her husband, Oscar Vindas, said they had moved from California because the schools there taught critical race theory.  

Gloria Vindas, who had been home-schooling their now-15-year-old son since seventh grade, said they were surprised that Utah also is teaching the theory. 

“These kids are going to school to learn,” Oscar Vindas said. “They should be learning basic math, reading, learning skills, not being taught just because of the color of your skin, you’re a racist.”

“There’s nothing to ban”

Republicans had asked Gov. Spencer Cox to put proposals banning critical race theory in public in K-12 schools and declaring Utah a Second Amendment sanctuary on the agenda of May’s special legislative session but he declined. The lawmakers then held an “extraordinary session” and approved both as resolutions.

As the debate was about to begin on critical race theory, House Democrats walked out in protest of what Minority Leader Brian King referred to as a sham process.

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, a retired teacher, said the push to ban critical race theory is a manufactured crisis that is “just a tactic to use for the next election.” 

“It’s not being taught in our schools and they continue to say it is,” Moss said of the CRT opponents, who she alleges are politicizing public education. “It’s just flatly not true. It’s not a curriculum. They’ve been passing these bans all over the country and there’s nothing to ban.”

Republican Erin Preston, an education attorney who attended the GOP party meeting, opposed the resolution. She worries about how it would affect the kind of history taught in Utah schools.

“It is also increasingly common to have parents ask that a school, or particular teacher, not teach about (insert latest issue/concern here),” Preston said on Facebook. “It used to be more common to have parents to just ask that their students be allowed to opt out of a subject or lesson – but I am seeing a greater trend of seeking to change a whole school curriculum.”

Addressing racism

The Zinn Education Project, which promotes teaching of people’s history and provides free classroom lessons, said in a series of June 13 tweets that Republicans have used CRT to distract from the issue when teachers and parents rally to defend the right to teach the truth about racism and sexism.

“To be clear, most of our lessons engage students in a critical analysis of how racism is embedded in laws & other institutions,” one tweet said.

But the GOP talks about CRT, a term that is not used much in K-12 classes, to take the debate out of everyday language and accessibility, the project alleges.  

Deborah Menkart, project co-director, said critical race theory is a complex legal theory that most people won’t encounter until college.

“Whether or not we teach CRT, all of us can and should teach students to be critical of racism in history and today,” Menkart said in an email. “Schools have to address racism when teaching about the history of the United States and current events.”

She said lessons on the struggles for voting rights and educational justice are examples of teaching about racism.

“Students learn that laws can be racially discriminatory even if they appear racially neutral,” Menkart said. “For example, voting restrictions that require a state-issued ID or limit the number of polling places or days of early voting may seem on their face neutral, but they primarily disenfranchise poor, Black, Brown, disabled, and rural voters.” 

Students can study the limitations of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, a unanimous ruling that says segregating children in public school on the basis of race is unconstitutional, to learn why schools are more segregated than they were 50 years ago, she said.

Analyzing data

At a June 17 virtual panel discussion, four Utah scholars agreed there is a lot of misinformation about critical race theory and that CRT is being conflated with equity, diversity and inclusion.

“We use it (CRT) as a framework for analyzing data. It is not a curriculum. It is not a lesson plan.,” said Kathleen Christy, an equity consultant, coach and professional developer. 

She added that equity is a way to get equality and help eliminate disparities.

Eric Bybee, an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University, said critical race theory has been a successful wedge issue for conservatives. Everyone should be concerned about efforts to ban an idea and undermine equity in schools, he said. 

Stevenson, Westminster College’s chief diversity officer, said there is a “fervor” to squash realities and create a utopia that doesn’t exist. And Jackie Thompson, former director of educational equity for Davis School District, said it’s important to teach a truthful approach to history.

“We are not rewriting history but filling in the missing pages in the history books,” Thompson said. “We must address the injustices.” 

The online discussion was sponsored by the NAACP Salt Lake Branch and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The Better Utah Institute, ACLU of Utah and NAACP Ogden Branch provided support.

Issues involving race

As the controversy over critical race theory was growing in the nation and in Utah, the State Board of Education released a statement in January denouncing racism and embracing principles of equity and justice for all. Members also resolved “to identify and examine issues of race, ethnicity, and color and the effect they have on the education system and community and to understand and correct any inequities.”

In another statement, this one in May, the board said no member had asked to include as an agenda item critical race theory in K-12 schools and no advocates had asked for specific theories to be taught. 

On June 3, the board unanimously approved a rule that includes standards on professional training for teachers about course materials and discussions involving race.

The rule says teachers cannot teach that any race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or membership in any other protected class is inherently superior or inferior; that any student or educator bears responsibility for the past actions of individuals from the same sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected class as the student or educator; or that a student or educator’s sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or membership in any other protected class determines the content of the student or educator’s character. 

“The new rule takes a unified approach to improve conditions for learning, access, and opportunities,” the board said in a news release. “We remain committed to seeking equitable practices as part of our conversations with educators and parents to engage families and educate all students well, including those from underrepresented groups.”