“Critical Race Theory,” or CRT, is everywhere these days—ever since Donald Trump put it on the map by launching an effort to eradicate it from diversity training at federal institutions and contractors. Trump’s executive order on the subject was promptly repealed by Joe Biden once he took office; but now, several states are considering bills that restrict or ban critical race theory “indoctrination” in schools and other organizations. (Mostly recently, such a bill was signed into law in Idaho.) Critical Race Theory also figured in recent school board elections in South Lake, Texas where supporters of a “Cultural Competence Action Plan” suffered a crushing defeat.
Leaving aside for now the specific details of these developments, the anti-CRT backlash has raised the obvious question of what “Critical Race Theory” is and invited claims that its foes don’t know anything about it. Several publications have run explainers; more explanations and defenses have been offered on Twitter and on blogs. (On Arc, Matthew McManus offered a brief explainer on Critical Theory, which is not specific to racial analysis.)
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