Is This High School Bypassing State Law To Teach CRT In Schools?
While critical race theory is banned in the state, as Texas High School class is accused of bypassing laws and teaching it anyway.
Southwest High School in Forth Worth Independent School District (FWISD) may have found a loophole in Texas Senate Bill 3 which allows them to teach Critical Race Theory (CRT) to high school students. Students have been asked to write about controversial identity politics topics, and advised to read liberal progressive books, like ‘How to Be an Anti-Racist.” The Texas high school allowed this material for high school students in an advanced class which offers college credits, and so, although the students are still minors, the material is for young adults at the University of Texas at Austin.
Within SB 3 are specific limitations for what can be taught to students at the K-12 level. It discourages discussing highly controversial topics in the classroom and clearly states that these discussions will only be allowed from a neutral unbiased teaching perspective so that students will be taught all sides of whatever issue has been brought to the forefront of the lesson. Students are not allowed to receive extra credit, for lobbying, engaging in political activism, or other activities aimed at persuading lawmakers in their decisions. In addition, teachers are not allowed to use materials that instill concepts that concluded that any race is superior to another, and sex is superior to another, or that students should discriminate or be discriminated against based on who they are or what they look like. Based on the assignments for the Texas high school class alone, many may wonder if the college facilitating the class specifically assigned these materials to challenge the law.
The bill itself was created in response to record enrollment drops and complaints from concerned parents and students who do not wish to be judged by highly divisive identity politics. Given the nature of the Texas high school assignments for advanced students taking college-level courses, lawmakers may have to re-examine their wording. Otherwise, the court system may end up having to determine if SB 3 pertains to the material in question or the age of the students receiving it.
The assignment that has drawn focus required these high school students to write a research paper and gave only 3 topics in Which to explore: ethnicity, gender, or race. What the students have been studying prior to this assignment is unclear, but the students were also encouraged to read “Gender” titles as well as “How to Be an Antiracist.” One, in particular, is a pro-choice book that lays out the history of abortion from the perspective that the invasive fetal termination procedure is literally “health care.” The Texas high school has yet to comment on the situation, but the University of Texas, Austin states that their dual credit courses for the Texas high school students had already been updated to adhere to SB 3 and that the research paper is within that criteria because students are free to use the sources of their choosing.
As colleges like this continue to preach their own view of identity politics and actively look for ways to even instill them in high school students, one may wonder what enrollment rates will look like next fall. Colleges are increasing tuition — due to inflation — yet are not producing the results most graduates hope for. If the University of Texas, Austin truly wishes to serve the Texas high school they have partnered with, they may need to re-assess their approach to instituting divisive lessons in the classroom and redirect their focus to teaching students how to work in a stable, well-paying trade.
