HARLINGEN, Texas (KVEO) — Texas recently passed a bill banning Critical Race Theory in schools. Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law, which regulates the way U.S. history is taught in the classroom.
“Anytime that you put limits like this on what teachers can teach you know it’s problematic,” said Mark Kaswan, Political Science Professor at UTRGV.
Kaswan explains Critical Race Theory is meant to teach the way race has impacted our history, and with this bill being passed he said teachers will have limits on what they can teach.
“How does race impact society? How does the nature of race and the way race is reflected in our social institution?” he said.
Kaswan said the Critical Race Theory bill which was signed into law takes resources away from educators which he said is not what critical race theory is meant to do.
“A teacher may not be compelled to discuss a particular current event or widely debated or widely controversial issue of public policy or social affairs,” he said.
Kaswan gave the teaching of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as an example.
“If I’m teaching about the January 6 insurrection, then do I have to teach that, the Proud Boys? Hey, maybe that’s a good legitimate orientation,” he added.
While Kaswan said teachers should teach perspectives they disagree on, they should give their students the tools to think critically. He said this bill does the opposite.
“It takes away some of the essential tools that teachers can use to teach about the reality of race for many people in our society,” said Kaswan.
The bill would also ban teachers from giving students credit on internships or any civic engagement. The Critical Race Theory bill will go into effect as law on September 1.
