I read Marty Ansley's letter to the editor about Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in schools and his criticisms of those who are against it.
I agreed with all of his points about teaching the fullness of our country's history, and none of the rest.
Beginning by singling groups out and speaking in generalizations is something that only serves to widen divides and cause more of the problems he seems to be against.
The problem I mainly have with his general idea is that he seems to think CRT is an honest and factual curriculum.
I've never seen it taught that way and my husband and I both work in jobs that force CRT trainings on us yearly or more often.
CRT, in practice, isn't about telling the truth about our past. History can never truly be only facts, as it is always a story told either by someone who lived it, or someone who researched it, and every story has three sides, yours, mine, and the one only Jesus knows.
We piece together portions to try and see the big picture, but in doing that we shouldn't let ourselves come to the conclusion that any one group in our current culture is to be treated or looked at differently than any other. That is what is un-American and unpatriotic.
Further, we should never teach that conclusion to children, even if we come to it ourselves.
CRT is not for reporting truth, it is for creating more division while labeling some victims and some villains in our current culture.
I grew up in Ashford during the 1980s and 1990s and I was made familiar with all the historical happenings mentioned in said letter.
We had dedicated teachers who were some of the most liberal people I've ever met. They gave us the full picture of America's past.
He's right. It made me more patriotic and it made me proud that all these marginalized groups helped our country and stood up for what was right despite the difficulties.
But that's not what CRT teaches and it isn't what CRT achieves. Leave the teachers to teach as they see fit and quit trying to push any federalized propaganda in our classrooms.
Thank you.
Josie Johnston
Chehalis
