Critical Race Theory is the New Technocracy

At a recent Manhattan Institute event on building new education institutions, Stephanie Saroki de Garcia, the co-founder and managing director of Seton Education Partners, which serves 5000 students in underserved communities including the South Bronx, was asked what students and parents were looking for in their schools. Her answer was forthright and bold. She said the parents her schools serve want safety, respect, character, and civic education. What they don’t want — or at least aren’t asking for — she added, is “antiracist” education. “We have not had a single one of the parents of our 5,000 students that we're serving, saying, ‘We want you to do more of this antiracist work.’” 

In the past few days, I’ve run Saroki’s observation past a number of charter school leaders, including some whose schools and charter management organizations are, at least in their official stances and public pronouncements, visibly woke and all-in on antiracism. None took any issue with it. If anything, they amplified her comments. “I don’t think I’ve had one email or call saying ‘I wish my child was taught critical race theory’ or anything like that,” says the leader of one major charter management organization. Parents want a “really clear accounting of our history” and “books that are affirming [with] lots of positive portrayals of Black and Latinx folks,” he adds. “But in terms of ‘Please teach them about systemic racism or white supremacy culture’ I hear nothing around that.”