@mildredboveda Dr. Mike Robinson: Can you define what is not Critical Race Theory?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT is not simply content or curriculum taught to students. It is a lens by which U.S. based legal scholars, and those informed by these scholars, examine the persistence of racism in our society.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Are there any real-world examples of students being indoctrinated in its principles according to your research on CRT?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: I wouldn’t use the term “indoctrinated” when it comes to CRT. When considering who learns about CRT, I am not aware of anyone who has explicitly taught CRT to PK-12 students. The first time I heard about CRT was as a master's level student at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
In my practice as a teacher educator, I have only explicitly taught about CRT at the doctoral level. Although I position myself as an educator concerned with the intersections of racism and ableism--that is, the discrimination against people with disabilities and those perceived to be disabled--I have never explicitly taught CRT to preservice teachers at the undergraduate or graduate level.
With that said, there are tenets and perspectives that CRT advances that I share, such as the notion of intersectionality. These tenets definitely influence my teaching and how I prepare teachers to serve all PK-12 students..
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is CRT in its simplest form?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT originated from a group of Black legal scholars who, during the 1970s and 1980s, were frustrated because, despite the many landmark cases won during the Civil Rights Movement, these outcomes did not produce the types of changes in society they were hoping for. As a result, they thought deeply about the lack of progress and created several tenets by which to make sense of racism in the United States.
I encourage your audience to learn more about the works of Black legal scholars such as Derrick Bell, Kimberle Crenshaw, Cheryl Harris, and Patricia J. Williams.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Could history be viewed in American Education just as history? Does there need to be a critical lens that requires it to be viewed through a lens of racism?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: History as a subject of study is not merely a set of facts or information. It is important that students understand exactly where the stories about our nation’s past come from. It is important for them to consider who has packaged and shaped these stories. For example, I encourage students of color to listen to their elders and to the stories shared through family gatherings. They may find insights about U.S. history that may never be taught in traditional textbooks but that are consequential to their lives.
CRT helps us to consider how to find and listen to those whose stories have been excluded for generations. Further, CRT emphasizes the importance of how history informs people’s present realities.
Dr. Mike Robinson: If the concept of CRT centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation's institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society, why should CRT be viewed as a viable teaching and learning tool?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: It is absolutely a viable lens for learning about how this country operates. As evidence of that, since Gloria Ladson-Billings and William Tate formally introduced CRT to educators, there have been several other lenses of CRT applied to make sense of persistent inequities in schools. For example, DisCrit looks at challenges such as the disproportionate negative educational outcomes for students with disabilities. TribalCrit looks at the educational experiences of Indigenous students. That is why I encourage educators to take the opportunity to learn more about CRT.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What are the tenets of CRT? And how do educators typically use them to inform their discussions on race?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: The tenets of CRT are often cited as:
Counterstorytelling – the need to create space for those who have not formally had the opportunity to share their own stories.
The permanence of racism – racism is common, typical, and normal for people of color. Racism is so embedded into all of the ways things are shaped in this country that people of color feel the effects of racism daily. CRT asserts that unless one directly confronts racism, diversity and inclusion efforts will only continue to advantage the few.
Whiteness as property – U.S. law and courts have upheld whiteness as not only an identity, but as the aspirational means by which to exclude others and to pursue happiness, reputation, and status.
Intersectionality – no individual person can be completely identified or categorized by membership in one social group.
Interest convergence – White people being the primary beneficiaries of civil rights legislation.
Critique of liberalism – a rejection that rules and laws are neutral or that one can simply pull themselves up by the bootstraps
As mentioned above, there are numerous ways CRT is used to address challenges in schools. DisCrit and TribalCrit have slightly different tenets that are tailored to the particular population that is the subject of analysis; both of these perspectives draw from CRT. Educators can use these tenets to unpack how school policies and curriculum are upholding the inequities experienced by members of marginalized communities.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What do you say to people who suggest CRT is an attempt to rewrite history and paint White people as racist?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT is not so much focused on rewriting history. Instead, CRT is applied by those concerned with improving the material realities of those who have been historically and demonstrably excluded from having a high quality of life.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Are the terms white privilege, systemic inequality, and inherent bias associated with CRT? And if not, why do people tend to make those assumptions?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: Although critical race scholars may use those terms, you do not necessarily have to apply CRT to talk about these concepts. Right now, there is a conflation in the media where all things related to race are being put under the moniker of CRT. CRT is becoming a boogie monster for those who are uncomfortable talking about how they may benefit from racism, whiteness, or system inequality.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is at risk if the concept of CRT and the banning of educational training speak to the history of America that for many Americans, racism is a part of history?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: I am deeply concerned by the way legislators are targeting educators. The laws are encouraging increased surveillance of university faculty and teachers. They are essentially empowering those uncomfortable with talking about race to punish educators who are bold enough to address it.
The folks who are going to be most negatively impacted by the banning of CRT and any race related conversations are both faculty and students of color. I am concerned that many culturally responsive teachers are going to leave the classroom altogether.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is the biggest misconception about CRT? And should educators respond to national and local efforts to eliminate any aspects of CRT or even the 1619 project?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: There are several actors who are intentionally misinforming the public about CRT in order to silence any conversations about race or racism. Young people of all races have been protesting the way this society fails to confront the wrongs done to people of color on this land. Although few teachers teach about CRT, numerous teachers encourage their students to go beyond the textbook and learn about the legacy of racism in this country. The efforts to eliminate CRT are not really about CRT but about gagging racially conscious educators.
Any community member concerned about people infringing on educators’ ability to be professional and teach what they deem appropriate should be deeply concerned about these laws.
Mildred Boveda is an Associate Professor of Special Education at The Pennsylvania State University. In her scholarship, she uses the term “intersectional competence” to describe teachers understanding of diversity and how students, families, and colleagues have multiple sociocultural markers that intersect in nuanced and unique ways. She designed the Intersectional Competence Measure to assess teachers’ preparedness for an increasingly diverse student population. Her research focuses on establishing the theoretical and empirical evidence of validity of the intersectional competence construct. Drawing from Black feminist theory and collaborative teacher education research, she interrogates how differences are framed across education communities to influence education policy and practice.Dr. Boveda started her career as a special education teacher in Miami Dade County Public Schools. She engages in various professional activities that allow her to examine the research, practice, and policies involved with educating students with diverse needs. She is currently President of the Division for Diverse and Exceptional Learners of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Chair of the Diversity Caucus for the Teacher Education Division of CEC. She earned an Ed.D. in Exceptional Student Education at Florida International University and an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT is not simply content or curriculum taught to students. It is a lens by which U.S. based legal scholars, and those informed by these scholars, examine the persistence of racism in our society.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Are there any real-world examples of students being indoctrinated in its principles according to your research on CRT?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: I wouldn’t use the term “indoctrinated” when it comes to CRT. When considering who learns about CRT, I am not aware of anyone who has explicitly taught CRT to PK-12 students. The first time I heard about CRT was as a master's level student at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
In my practice as a teacher educator, I have only explicitly taught about CRT at the doctoral level. Although I position myself as an educator concerned with the intersections of racism and ableism--that is, the discrimination against people with disabilities and those perceived to be disabled--I have never explicitly taught CRT to preservice teachers at the undergraduate or graduate level.
With that said, there are tenets and perspectives that CRT advances that I share, such as the notion of intersectionality. These tenets definitely influence my teaching and how I prepare teachers to serve all PK-12 students..
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is CRT in its simplest form?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT originated from a group of Black legal scholars who, during the 1970s and 1980s, were frustrated because, despite the many landmark cases won during the Civil Rights Movement, these outcomes did not produce the types of changes in society they were hoping for. As a result, they thought deeply about the lack of progress and created several tenets by which to make sense of racism in the United States.
I encourage your audience to learn more about the works of Black legal scholars such as Derrick Bell, Kimberle Crenshaw, Cheryl Harris, and Patricia J. Williams.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Could history be viewed in American Education just as history? Does there need to be a critical lens that requires it to be viewed through a lens of racism?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: History as a subject of study is not merely a set of facts or information. It is important that students understand exactly where the stories about our nation’s past come from. It is important for them to consider who has packaged and shaped these stories. For example, I encourage students of color to listen to their elders and to the stories shared through family gatherings. They may find insights about U.S. history that may never be taught in traditional textbooks but that are consequential to their lives.
CRT helps us to consider how to find and listen to those whose stories have been excluded for generations. Further, CRT emphasizes the importance of how history informs people’s present realities.
Dr. Mike Robinson: If the concept of CRT centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation's institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society, why should CRT be viewed as a viable teaching and learning tool?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: It is absolutely a viable lens for learning about how this country operates. As evidence of that, since Gloria Ladson-Billings and William Tate formally introduced CRT to educators, there have been several other lenses of CRT applied to make sense of persistent inequities in schools. For example, DisCrit looks at challenges such as the disproportionate negative educational outcomes for students with disabilities. TribalCrit looks at the educational experiences of Indigenous students. That is why I encourage educators to take the opportunity to learn more about CRT.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What are the tenets of CRT? And how do educators typically use them to inform their discussions on race?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: The tenets of CRT are often cited as:
Counterstorytelling – the need to create space for those who have not formally had the opportunity to share their own stories.
The permanence of racism – racism is common, typical, and normal for people of color. Racism is so embedded into all of the ways things are shaped in this country that people of color feel the effects of racism daily. CRT asserts that unless one directly confronts racism, diversity and inclusion efforts will only continue to advantage the few.
Whiteness as property – U.S. law and courts have upheld whiteness as not only an identity, but as the aspirational means by which to exclude others and to pursue happiness, reputation, and status.
Intersectionality – no individual person can be completely identified or categorized by membership in one social group.
Interest convergence – White people being the primary beneficiaries of civil rights legislation.
Critique of liberalism – a rejection that rules and laws are neutral or that one can simply pull themselves up by the bootstraps
As mentioned above, there are numerous ways CRT is used to address challenges in schools. DisCrit and TribalCrit have slightly different tenets that are tailored to the particular population that is the subject of analysis; both of these perspectives draw from CRT. Educators can use these tenets to unpack how school policies and curriculum are upholding the inequities experienced by members of marginalized communities.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What do you say to people who suggest CRT is an attempt to rewrite history and paint White people as racist?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: CRT is not so much focused on rewriting history. Instead, CRT is applied by those concerned with improving the material realities of those who have been historically and demonstrably excluded from having a high quality of life.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Are the terms white privilege, systemic inequality, and inherent bias associated with CRT? And if not, why do people tend to make those assumptions?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: Although critical race scholars may use those terms, you do not necessarily have to apply CRT to talk about these concepts. Right now, there is a conflation in the media where all things related to race are being put under the moniker of CRT. CRT is becoming a boogie monster for those who are uncomfortable talking about how they may benefit from racism, whiteness, or system inequality.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is at risk if the concept of CRT and the banning of educational training speak to the history of America that for many Americans, racism is a part of history?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: I am deeply concerned by the way legislators are targeting educators. The laws are encouraging increased surveillance of university faculty and teachers. They are essentially empowering those uncomfortable with talking about race to punish educators who are bold enough to address it.
The folks who are going to be most negatively impacted by the banning of CRT and any race related conversations are both faculty and students of color. I am concerned that many culturally responsive teachers are going to leave the classroom altogether.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is the biggest misconception about CRT? And should educators respond to national and local efforts to eliminate any aspects of CRT or even the 1619 project?
Dr. Mildred Boveda: There are several actors who are intentionally misinforming the public about CRT in order to silence any conversations about race or racism. Young people of all races have been protesting the way this society fails to confront the wrongs done to people of color on this land. Although few teachers teach about CRT, numerous teachers encourage their students to go beyond the textbook and learn about the legacy of racism in this country. The efforts to eliminate CRT are not really about CRT but about gagging racially conscious educators.
Any community member concerned about people infringing on educators’ ability to be professional and teach what they deem appropriate should be deeply concerned about these laws.
Mildred Boveda is an Associate Professor of Special Education at The Pennsylvania State University. In her scholarship, she uses the term “intersectional competence” to describe teachers understanding of diversity and how students, families, and colleagues have multiple sociocultural markers that intersect in nuanced and unique ways. She designed the Intersectional Competence Measure to assess teachers’ preparedness for an increasingly diverse student population. Her research focuses on establishing the theoretical and empirical evidence of validity of the intersectional competence construct. Drawing from Black feminist theory and collaborative teacher education research, she interrogates how differences are framed across education communities to influence education policy and practice.Dr. Boveda started her career as a special education teacher in Miami Dade County Public Schools. She engages in various professional activities that allow her to examine the research, practice, and policies involved with educating students with diverse needs. She is currently President of the Division for Diverse and Exceptional Learners of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Chair of the Diversity Caucus for the Teacher Education Division of CEC. She earned an Ed.D. in Exceptional Student Education at Florida International University and an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education.