<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421888455.png" alt="Chris, flickr Creative Commons" />
 <figcaption>Chris, flickr Creative Commons</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/controversy-over-critical-race-theory-creeping-kansas-schools">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas schools find themselves entangled in a 
debate about the past and whether critical race theory — the left's 
notion that America has yet to atone for its white supremacist origins 
and the right’s allergy to that world view — ought to guide the teaching
 of history and politics.The theory marks the latest academic concept to become intensely politicized.<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/523563345/a-theory-to-better-understand-diversity-and-who-really-benefits" target="_blank">Critical race theory</a>
 emerged out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Its 
core idea holds that racism isn’t an individual trait, but rather one 
embedded in American culture and policies.It became more widely 
known and talked about after the killing of George Floyd, when many 
Americans argued that the police officer convicted of his murder was not
 just “one bad cop,” but part of a racist system in need of fundamental 
reform.Academics and politicians also pointed to — and clashed over — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html" target="_blank">The 1619 Project</a>, a New York Times Magazine piece by Nikole Hannah-Jones that explored the legacy and history of Black Americans and slavery.According
 to The Times, the project “aims to reframe the country’s history by 
placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black 
Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Since its 
publication in 2019, it has been debated in Congress and state 
legislatures and held up as an example of critical race theory.Some
 conservatives argue that the concept is unnecessarily divisive, 
portraying white Americans as oppressors and the United States as 
inherently wicked.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421939632.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor in 2022, has been a vocal opponent of critical race theory in schools. Credit Kansas News Service/File photo" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for governor in 2022, has been a vocal opponent of critical race theory in schools. Credit Kansas News Service/File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In a recent email to supporters, Kansas Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt, a Republican candidate for governor, called critical race 
theory “a radical new curriculum” and called on the U.S. Department of 
Education to “withdraw its priorities” to teach it in classrooms.“It’s
 the Far Left’s new strategy to teach our students that they should be 
ashamed of America,” Schmidt said in the email, “and that our skin color
 should define who we are.”Earlier this month, state Sen. Brenda
 Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, asked the Board of Regents to produce a 
list of courses at Kansas universities that teach critical race theory. 
That sparked a backlash. Some professors and others called it a threat 
to academic freedom.Journalist David M. Perry posted a screenshot of an email sent to faculty at Pittsburg State University.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623421968759.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Imagine receiving an email from your chair about whether you teach 
any other set of ideas, a theory, a concept,” Perry wrote. “Even these 
days, an email saying ‘do you teach marxism’ is unlikely (note: We have 
lots of classes on Marxism pretty much everywhere).”He added that Pittsburg State University leaders “should refuse to comply with this attempt at censorship.”Dietrich,
 the state lawmaker who made the request, is considered by most to be a 
moderate in the Kansas Statehouse. She said the request wasn’t an 
attempt to quash university courses or discussion, but only to seek 
general information so she could answer constituent emails.“That’s
 really one of the most important things we do as legislators: we find 
out information and we pass it on to our constituents. I think we have 
an obligation to make sure it’s accurate,” Dietrich <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article251898553.html" target="_blank">told The Kansas City Star</a>.Kansas university leaders said <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article252001133.html" target="_blank">few if any courses focus on critical race theory</a>, but some professors address it during discussions on race and equity.Shirley
 Lefever, interim provost at Wichita State University, described 
critical race theory as “an area of study that explores racial 
disparities and their origins, as well as the impact of those 
disparities over time.”Lefever said the topic could be included 
in various courses or programs at Wichita State. Debates about it should
 be expected, she said.“History is always in the eyes of the 
beholder,” Lefever said in an email. “When a person’s perspective or 
experience is different from someone else’s, it can create discord or 
discomfort. However, those are also opportunities for learning.“To see something from another person’s perspective can be enlightening and powerful.”Lawmakers
 in at least 16 states have introduced or passed legislation seeking to 
limit the teaching of critical race theory. The bills, including <a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills211/hlrbillspdf/2087H.02C.pdf" target="_blank">one introduced in Missouri</a>, resemble a now-defunct executive order by then-President Donald Trump that prohibited federally funded institutions from <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/10/07/colleges-cancel-diversity-programs-response-trump-order" target="_blank">teaching “divisive concepts” about race and gender</a>.Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said opposition to critical race theory is becoming an issue for local districts.“All
 of you are getting on probably a daily, weekly basis: What are you 
gonna do about critical race theory?” Watson told state Board of 
Education members at their June meeting. “That is a curriculum that may 
or may not be taught, but it’s not in our standards at all. But they 
want you to do something about it.”Watson’s comments came during a discussion about legislative action — and potential overreach — in the education realm.Over the past year, Kansas lawmakers have pushed for curriculum changes or new graduation requirements focused on <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2301/" target="_blank">financial literacy</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-immigration-topeka-bills-a9aa34d63eca9d061a3487f6ccfb07f5" target="_blank">civics</a> and <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/board-votes-to-allow-computer-science-to-count-as-core-math-science-credit-1" target="_blank">computer science</a>. Prior to that, the Kansas Legislature weighed in on <a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article1134825.html" target="_blank">Common Core standards</a> for math and reading.Now the hot topic is critical race theory, Watson said.“But
 that’s just the topic of the week. I mean, next week it’ll be something
 else,” Watson said. “Because whoever’s emailing you doesn’t like that 
topic. That’s what makes this difficult. Because then if you don’t 
react, where do they go? The Legislature.”On June 12, educators in more than a dozen states plan to demonstrate as part of <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/pledge-to-teach-truth#sign" target="_blank">a “Teach the Truth” rally</a> organized by the <a href="https://www.zinnedproject.org/" target="_blank">Zinn Education Project</a> and <a href="https://www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com/" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter at School</a>.
 The groups are urging teachers to sign a pledge saying they “refuse to 
lie to young people about U.S. history and current events— regardless of
 the law.”“When young people see the inequalities that persist 
today — in income, or education, or justice — they ask, ‘Why?’” said 
Deborah Menkart, co-director of the Zinn Education Project, in a news 
release about the event.“Under these current laws or proposals, 
teachers would be banned from answering these important questions. 
That’s not teaching history. That’s hiding it.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT&nbsp;or email her at perez@kmuw.org.

Controversy over critical race theory creeping into Kan. schools