| Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal leads off with an essay by Zach Goldberg and Eric Kaufmann at City Journal that dives into data from a future, comprehensive report on “whether schools are uncritically promoting” Critical Race Theory, which they call “a left-wing racial ideology.” They “commissioned a study on a nationally representative sample of 1,505 18- to 20-year-old Americans,” finding that CRT “is endemic in American schools.” As they report, a “vast majority of children are being taught radical CSJ concepts that affect their view of white people, their country, the relationship between gender and sex, and public policy.” Goldberg and Kaufmann found that “62 percent reported either being taught in class or hearing from an adult in school that 'America is a systemically racist country.'" And 69 percent of those surveyed reported being taught or hearing that “white people have white privilege.” “Overall, then, our data would appear to confirm many of the fears of anti-CRT activists about such instruction,” they conclude. “Anecdotes are borne out by our representative large-scale data.” At USA Today, John Wood, Jr. of Braver Angels argues that our nation “stands in a perilous moment,” one “in which the temptation to succumb to the worst impulses of rage and tribalism threatens to unravel the American project itself.” He argues, “It is not good that Americans become comfortable with isolating and excoriating so-called MAGA Republicans, as if doing so is a recipe for changing minds, depolarizing our politics and restoring confidence in the electoral process and the institutions of our democracy.” He urges instead to follow “the superior power of nonviolence in its capacity to transform enemies into friends.” He highlights the example of civil rights pioneers like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bayard Rustin and modern survivors of racist attacks including Dawn Collins, Vilma Kari, and Rais Bhuiyan. “It is not by dehumanizing but re-humanizing one another in each other’s eyes that we can begin to mend the wounds of our democracy.” Essential Reading Zach Goldberg & Eric Kaufmann, City Journal To what extent, if at all, are critical race theory (CRT) and gender ideology being taught or promoted in America’s schools... In the News Dan Sanchez, FEE Quin Hillyer, Washington Examiner Keith Whitcomb, Jr., Rutland Herald Trent England, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Adam J. White, Mosaic Ted Hirt, Anchoring Truths John Wood, Jr., USA Today David Brady, Doug Rivers, & Brett Parker, RealClearPolitics Paul G. Summers, Tennessean Ashley Berner & Christina Ross, The74 Andrew Eastmond, Chicago Sun-Times Richard Reinsch, Law & Liberty Vincent Phillip Muñoz, Public Discourse Bill Chappell, NPR Jeff Sikkenga, Springfield News-Leader Learning Curve This week on “The Learning Curve,” Cara and Gerard talk with Dr. Jack Rakove, Coe Professor of History and American Studies... Knox College Watch this debate about the Constitution featuring Julie Suk, a professor at Fordham University's School of Law, and Jeffrey... Bipartisan Policy Center Our democracy can only flourish when its citizens are informed and engaged, capable of thinking for themselves and participating... Belmont Abbey Celebrating Constitution Day, Belmont Abbey hosts a conversation on George Washington and the importance of patriotism.... Bill of Rights Institute What does the painting of George Washington resigning his commission in the U.S. Capitol tell us about the importance of... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories Good morning, it's Friday, Nov. 4, four days before Election Day 2022, and the day of the week when I ... Good morning, it's Friday, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation intended to be uplifting or ... Good morning, it's Friday, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation intended to be uplifting or ... |
