The Impact of Critical Race Theory on White Supremacist Systems of Education

Introduction

Recent developments have been marked by attempts to obtain a better understanding of the role played by racism in education. Such developments have been placing more emphasis on the framework provided by Critical Race Theory. Critical race theorists may not be in a position to view racism as a less complex or a common aspect of white supremacist systems of education in the society. Critical Race Theory poses challenges to a historicism by putting more emphasis on the need to acquire a better understanding of racism within its historical, economic and social context. The focus on racism in identifying the impact of Critical Race Theory on white supremacist systems of education does not happen to the exclusion of several other forms associated with social inequality. Indeed, a significant aspect of Critical Race Theory has more concerns with the existing intersection that assists in the analysis of the mode of operation undertaken by racism in the field of education. Previously, researchers have been able to clarify that a retrograde stage was forming part of the attempts to acquire educational equity calls for the consideration of Critical Race Theory on white supremacist systems of education since it gives primacy to diverse races (Leonardo & Manning, 2015). In that regard, it is worth establishing some of the impacts of Critical Race Theory on white supremacist systems of education.

Definition and Explanation of the Critical Race Theory

The Critical Race Theory posits that the maintenance of racial power and white supremacy is practiced over a specified duration. Particularly, this maintenance happens with the involvement of the law as a crucial component. As one of the theoretical frameworks in the area of social sciences, Critical Race Theory employs critical reasoning and analysis in the process of examining different cultures and systems within the society. In this respect, the Critical Race Theory focuses on the existing relationship between cultures of people in a society on one side and power, law, and race on the other side. Previously, the application of this particular theoretical framework was commonly practiced among the American institutions and schools teaching law (Gillborn, 2015). Many developments associated with Critical Race Theory have been noted in different fields including communication, ethnic studies, political science, education, American studies and women's studies. According to the theoretical framework developed by the Critical Race Theory, racism is an aspect whose entrenchment is commonly witnessed in the fabric system that is responsible for holding the American society together in place. An individual racist may not necessarily have to exist to confirm that the dominant culture contains the institutional racism as a pervasive trend. As a way of examining and analyzing different power structures, the theoretical framework of the Critical Race Theory proposes that different power structure is often founded based on white supremacy and privilege (Yosso, 2005). In this respect, the supremacy and privilege are involved mainly in the perpetuation of the marginalization that happens amongst people of diverse race and color.

Moreover, the Critical Race Theory supports proposals that play a fundamental role in the rejection of the traditions associated with meritocracy and liberalism. Discussion on legal matters suggests that that the show should be neutral without being sensitive to color in the course of its application on different issues. Besides, Critical Race Theory recognizes that meritocracy and liberalism are concepts commonly associated with power, wealth and privilege. The existence of intersectionality within the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory is a pointer to the multidimensionality that describes different forms of oppression. It also acknowledges the difficulties that may be encountered in using race as a way of accounting for disempowerment. Intersectionality refers to the examination of class, sex, race, sexual orientation and national origin as well as the manner in which their collaboration may affect various social settings (Green, 2017). This is a significant factor in indicating that Critical Race Theory is a way of analyzing the much oppression faced by people of color.

The view by Leonardo & Manning (2015) indicates that countries such as America have been good at creating an environment for the thriving of white supremacist systems of education. This trend can be revealed through a critical analysis of the history of the education system in the United States. White supremacist entails a racist ideology founded based on a belief and understanding that white people are more superior to those of other races in many ways thus they should always be dominant in certain areas. The concept of white supremacy is deeply rooted in the scientific form of racism and different pseudoscientific arguments usually influence it. Typically, white supremacists are often considered as being opposed to the Jews as well as people of other races. In some cases, the white supremacist systems of education involve the inclusion of a political ideology that is used in the maintenance and perpetuation of the historical, institutional, political or social domination by the white people in schools and other learning institutions. Different forms of white supremacist have been able to give rise to diverse conceptions of people who are considered as the whites. Furthermore, different groups of white supremacists have always been involved in the identification of various cultural and racial groups as part of their major enemies.

Area of High Leverage Practice

A major area of high leverage practice when it comes to the evaluation of the impacts associated with the application of Critical Race Theory is the white supremacist systems of education. It is clear that principles like equality, justice, and freedom have not been fully integrated into the system of education with the United States in the past. Such a situation has been described through the national mythology of the system of education. This is a function of the whites who are practicing nationalism in the society. Young adults and children passing through the American system of education have always been taught the manner in which they can conform to different views rather than how to participate in the formation of critical opinions. An influence on the socio-political context involves a system of leadership that comprises collaboration with parents, teachers, unions, relevant organizations and members of the community. Such a leadership plays a crucial role in addressing the causes of systemic racial discriminations and inequities through influencing, creating and advocating for the implementation of socially just and equitable policies in the education system. Most leadership roles that are formally executed often involve strategic use of authority and power within the education system (Garcia, López & Vélez, 2017).

Additionally, the strategic implementation of leadership changes in an education environment usually goes to the extent of incorporating input from relevant stakeholders such as parents, students, educators and members of the community. Contributions from these stakeholders ensure the prioritization of systems and policies with the objective of providing students enhanced quality of education. Critical Race Theory and its adoption in the analysis and understanding of white supremacist systems of education has managed to gain a considerable amount of attention from various stakeholders in the education sector (Yosso, 2005). This is because its actionable steps are primarily described as changing and living perspectives as opposed to a monolithic system. There are several crucial debates and discussions within Critical Race Theory and the most appropriate means through which its work can be conceived and, mainly, the most effective ways of involving critical praxis in enhancing the education system. Many of the views and arguments in these debates have been able to raise relevant issues concerning the various perspectives advanced the role played by Critical Race Theory.

Theoretically-based Actionable Next Steps Towards Realizing the Implementation

Step One

In this step, the implementation process considers Critical Race Theory regards racism as something that has more significance than the crude acts of discrimination and hatred that are often more obvious. Further, the actionable steps involved in this theoretical framework are likely to focus on the hidden and subtle processes whose effects may be discriminatory despite their original intentions. In an education system, racism tended being linked to certain acts of deliberate and conscious hatred of people from another race. Discrimination may be viewed as a relatively unusual and abnormal facet of the system of education. On the contrary, the proponents of the application of the Critical Race Theory in the analysis of white supremacist systems of education are of the view that racism has a higher likelihood of operating in the broader environment through mundane and routine activities (Leonardo & Manning, 2015). Some researchers in the field of education have been able to identify the emergence of assumptions that are rarely questioned by policymakers and educators. Such assumptions may touch on curriculum design, facilitation of various forms of assessments as well as the training and selection of teachers whose roles may be seen as ways of replicating certain cultural norms that are dominant in the education sector. In this respect, the usefulness and application of Critical Race Theory on white supremacist systems of education do not only focus on the weaknesses attributable to its construct. It also focuses on the extent to which the majority of the whites may not be willing to agree with the assumptions therein.

Step Two

In this theoretically-based actionable step towards realizing the implementation, there is the rapid evaluation of the various forms of assessments identified in step one. This is facilitated by putting more significance on the link between social activism and social theory. In considering Critical Race Theory as a practice or resistance and a framework for analyzing the amount of the progress made in the academic sector, the theoretical approach advances some basic assumptions associated with the foundational worth of critical theory in education. Yosso (2005) argues that racial discrimination and inequality could be placed at the center of social critique. However, Critical Race Theory comes out as a way of challenging some of the assumptions of the rights of white people in ensuring that their interests and perspectives are placed at the center stage. This is an implication that the Critical Race Theory has not been involved used through a universal adoption as a complementary to the critical theory in education. Despite the existence of several detractors, the Critical Race Theory has managed to undergo a rapid establishment that has assisted it in forming the basis of a crucial strand concerning the contemporary educational theories.

Step Three

This step involves a situation where the theoretical framework emphasizes more on real issues that are likely to inform the diagnosis of the social class inequality by the Marxist argument and reasoning. As such, the social theory may be regarded as work that is always in progress (Gillborn, 2015). The observation made by Garcia, López & Vélez (2017) indicates that a real-world emphasis of the critical race theoretical framework ought not to be considered as a way of reducing its role towards the innovation and introduction of social theory. In most situations, Critical Race Theory has been found to have the ability to counter the effects of patronizing attitudes coming from academics who may find the focus on racism threatening and distasteful. Concerning a critique of liberalism, the adoption and application of the critical race theory on white supremacist systems of education have been instrumental in portraying legal claims of meritocracy, objectivity, and neutrality. The analysis by Green (2017) reveals that another distinctive feature in the role played by Critical Race Theory in the critique of liberalism is a notion of the ability of teachers in motivating their students towards embracing people from other races. In this respect, the adoption approaches of racial diversity and emphasis on meritocracy may be seen as equitable and open in many aspects due to socio-economic inequalities. Under education environments characterized by inequalities and racial discrimination, an insistence on color-blind as a single standard of meritocracy may not be sufficient in stopping the continuation of racial inequalities as well as presenting it as unjust and unfair.

Conclusion

In summing up, it is noteworthy that Critical Race Theory has significantly influenced the various perspectives on white supremacist systems of education. Notably, the Critical Race Theory acknowledges that meritocracy and liberalism are crucial concepts incorporated in the education system especially where power, wealth and privilege are involved. In spite of the existence of different detractors, the Critical Race Theory has been able to undergo a rapid establishment that has assisted it in forming the basis of a critical perspective when it comes to an understanding the contemporary educational theories. Critical Race Theory and its adoption in the analysis and understanding of white supremacist systems of education have been crucial towards the gaining of a considerable amount of attention from various stakeholders in the education sector. In different systems of education, racism has tended being associated with certain acts of deliberate and conscious hatred of people from another race.

References

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Gillborn, D. (2015). Education policy as an act of white supremacy: whiteness, critical race theory, and education reform. Journal Of Education Policy , 20 (4), 485-505. doi: 10.1080/02680930500132346

Green, T. (2017). Community-based equity audits: A practical approach for school and community leaders in supporting equitable school-community improvements. Educational Administration Quarterly, 53, 3-39.

Leonardo, Z., & Manning, L. (2015). White historical activity theory: toward a critical understanding of white zones of proximal development. Race Ethnicity And Education , 20 (1), 15-29. doi: 10.1080/13613324.2015.1100988

Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital: A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8, 69-91.