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Access the CRT Forward Critical Race Theory Model Measure here.

By Taifha Natalee Alexander & Jo Zhou

The proliferation of anti-Critical Race Theory (CRT) measures by government officials has functionally restricted access to truthful information about race and systemic racism. As of July 16, 2024, CRT Forward researchers have identified a total of 807 anti-CRT measures, introduced by 247 local, state, and federal government entities across 49 states and the District of Columbia. These measures have broadly restricted–and chilled– the ability of students and teachers to speak truthfully about race, racism, and systemic racism. In the face of this unrelenting and evolving assault, it is more important now than ever for state governments to ensure students and teachers have access to truthful information about race and systemic racism to build on critical understandings of racial inequality, including its history and its enduring effects.

To counter these restrictive actions and ensure the integrity of educational content, the CRT Forward Project, an initiative of UCLA School of Law Critical Race Studies Program, has released a new model measure in support of Critical Race Theory. Inspired by former CRT Forward Research Assistant, Nicole Powell '22, and authored by CRT Forward Project Director, Taifha Natalee Alexander, and Professor of Practice, Ahilan Arulanantham, the model measure aims to support state legislatures in preserving the freedom of teachers to educate—and students to learn—about the history and ongoing effects of racism in America.

The primary goal of the model measure is to protect educators who teach CRT principles, ensuring they can provide students with a comprehensive understanding of racial inequality. By doing so, the measure seeks to counteract government efforts that suppress accurate education about race and systemic racism. This measure is especially relevant in states where policymakers are seeking to safeguard intellectual freedom in educational settings.

An Overview of the Model Measure

The model measure includes several critical provisions:

(1) Protection for Educators: The model measure defines foundational principles of CRT and prohibits school districts from disciplining teachers who educate students based on these principles. CRT emerged to address persistent racial inequalities in American society, recognizing that racism is not merely a product of individual bias but is deeply embedded within the legal and institutional frameworks, yet these embedded inequalities are not inherent and can be dismantled through concerted efforts and systemic changes. The core principles of CRT include, but are not limited to: (a) Race as a Social Construct: Race is not a biological reality but a social construct with significant consequences. And as such, invites a reevaluation of racial categories, emphasizing their fluidity and the role of power dynamics in the construction of race; (b) Systemic Nature of Racism: Racism extends beyond individual prejudices and instead manifests as a structural phenomenon, requiring systemic reforms to address and dismantle racial disparities; (c) Intersectionality and Anti-Essentialism: Understanding discrimination requires considering the intersection of an individual's multiple social identities and rejecting the reduction of people to a single aspect of their identity and offers a pathway to address particularized pathways to dismantle oppressive systems; (d) Critique of Colorblindness: Colorblindness fails to address racial inequities because colorblindness ignores the realities of race and structural racism and, as a result, CRT advocates for race-conscious strategies to address racial disparities; (e) Inclusivity Beyond the Black/White Binary: CRT extends its analysis to include the experiences of historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, promoting inclusive and equitable solutions.

(2) Promotion of Accurate Education: The model measure ensures that students have access to truthful information about race and systemic racism.

(3) Preemption of Restrictive Measures: The model measure also prevents state and local governments from adopting policies that restrict the teaching of CRT as defined in the model measure.

Implications for Education Policy

The model measure underscores the importance of integrating CRT into K-12 curricula. By protecting educators who teach CRT, the measure aims to provide students with an understanding of racial dynamics and the historical and contemporary impacts of racism. This approach not only fosters critical thinking but also helps students become more informed and civically engaged members of a multiracial democracy.

In a time when educational content about race is under attack, the proposed model measure offers a robust framework to protect, promote and enhance comprehensive education about racism and racial inequality. By embedding CRT principles in the curriculum, this measure seeks to cultivate a more informed, critical, and empathetic society, capable of remedying the enduring challenges of racial injustice. This measure is not just a legislative tool but a step towards a multiracial society that acknowledges and addresses the complex realities of race in America.

For more detailed information, refer to the CRT Forward Critical Race Theory Model Measure at the following link: https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Critical_Race_Studies/CRT-Forward-Model-Measure-Curriculum-070224.pdf