The Volokh Conspiracy
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Is Opposition to Critical Race Theory Correlated with Ignorance of Critical Race Theory?
A new study says yes, but it has some serious problems.
A new academic study by Brianna Richmond, et al., purports to show that opposition to Critical Race Theory is correlated with ignorance of CRT. The quiz the authors use, however, to determine the level of knowledge of CRT is quite problematic. CRT, being a body of academic work, does not have a singular position on various issues, making any such "quiz" difficult. But with that said, the quiz is structured so that the answers reflect how many CRT advocates would like CRT to be seen for PR purposes, rather than a reasonable interpretation of what CRT often stands for. Let's go through the questions:
1. Which of the following is suggested by Critical Race Theory?
White Americans are naturally racist [lure]
Racism is an individual problem
People should be judged by their skin color
Certain laws in America have played a role in perpetuating racial inequality [correct]
In their paper, the authors describe the lure as white people are born racist, but that's not necessarily what "naturally" means. It could mean, for example, whites grow up in a racist society, so, *naturally*, i.e., the natural/expected consequences is, that they are racist, which is in fact what CRT often teaches. As for the third choice, do some Critical Race Theorists argue that in some circumstances different standards should apply to whites than to BIPOC or People of Color? Yes. So that answer is correct as well. As for the official correct answer, belief that laws in America have played a role in perpetuating racial inequality is not at all specific to CRT, to say the least.
2. What group is credited with creating Critical Race Theory (CRT)?
Academic scholars [correct]
Political radicals [lure]
The media (i.e. newspapers)
Elementary school teachers
I can't think of any of the founders of Critical Race Theory who wouldn't qualify as political radicals. Indeed, CRT is a self-consciously radical movement, not that there is anything inherently wrong with that. So both the lure and the official correct answer are correct.
3. Where is Critical Race Theory generally implemented?
Elementary schools [lure]
Law schools [correct]
Congress
West coast schools
CRT is much more prevalent and much more overt in law schools than in elementary schools, but there are only 190 law schools and tens of thousands of elementary schools, so the lure is again as good an answer as the putatively correct one, depending on whether one interprets "generally" as meaning prevalence or total presence.
4. A survey of African American adolescents found that 50% of them reported having experienced what at their school during the last 3 months?
Receiving a lower grade than deserved
Being wrongly disciplined or given detention by a teacher
Being called racial slurs by other kids at school [correct]
Feeling proud of their racial heritage because of learning CRT [lure]
First, let me say that this correct answer suggests an appalling reality. That said, I don't see what this question has to do with CRT, as such. It asks about an empirical finding, and Critical Race Theory doesn't have any monopoly on empirical research, and indeed some strands of CRT are hostile to empirics.
5. What implications does Critical Race Theory have for American history?
CRT rewrites American history to make Whites look bad and to advantage minorities [lure]
CRT explores the lasting effects of slavery/racism in institutions and systems [correct]
CRT teaches that Americans should be ashamed about their history
CRT ignores what makes America exceptional and makes it seem like any other country
I wouldn't say the lure is correct, because I don't think CRT historical scholarship is trying to make whites look bad and advantage minorities, and some historical scholarship by people affiliated with CRT is quite good. On the other hand, there is CRT-adjacent writing that does rewrite history in rather blatant ways. See, eg, Kendi & Reynolds Stamped: A Remix--though the authors begin the book by claiming that there history book isn't a history book. The official correct answer is indeed correct. But I think the next two choices are at least not incorrect. Surely, CRT teaches that Americans should be ashamed about some or even much of their history (and in some cases, most obviously slavery, they are correct!). And CRT-affiliated scholars are highly unlikely to buy into "American exceptionalism."
6. White students in a summer camp who were exposed to history lessons about racism reported:
Being bored and uninterested
Valuing racial fairness more [correct]
Feeling more negative attitudes toward White people [lure]
Less interest in math and science
OK, but what do knowing about the reactions of students "exposed to history lessons about racism" have to do with one's knowledge of Critical Race Theory?
7. Critical Race Theory was developed in conjunction with:
Marxism
Black Lives Matter [lure]
The 1619 Project
Intersectionality [correct]
Marxism is probably the best answer here. Early work on Critical Race Theory, most prominently by Derrick Bell, predated "intersectionality," but was clearly influenced by Marxism in general, and Critical Legal Studies, itself a Marxist offshoot, in particular. The correct answer is also correct.
8. How does Critical Race Theory interpret the Constitution?
CRT rejects the Constitution as an invalid document
CRT denounces the Constitution as conservative propaganda [lure]
CRT views the Constitution as sacred, holy, and inviolable
CRT explores how the text of the original Constitution and its amendments affected racial relations in America [correct]
"Rejects the Constitution as an invalid document" is perfectly fine answer, though of course this will vary depending on who one is talking to, and what one means by "invalid." As for the correct answer, many non-CRT scholars, including me, have done the same thing, it's not at all specific to CRT.
9. What does Critical Race Theory say about White people?
Critical Race Theory teaches White people they should feel guilty and ashamed. [lure]
Critical Race Theory suggests that racism between White and Black people is inevitable.
Critical Race Theory argues that achieving racial justice and equality between racial groups requires discriminating against White people.
Critical Race Theory indicates that White people have benefited from decades of laws designed to benefit White people but not other groups. [correct]
All of these answers are correct. The three answers coded as incorrect are more closely associated with CRT than the correct answer. With regard to "guilty and ashamed," there is a whole line of CRT scholarship, especially in psychology and anthropology, arguing that whites must develop "white racial consciousness" to recognize their privilege, and then become woke based on that recognition. Seems to me one can reasonably interpret this as saying white people should first feel guilty about their privilege, and then ashamed if they aren't using that privilege in anti-racist activism. I suppose saying that CRT suggests that racism is inevitable is a bit of an exaggeration, but it certainly suggests that it is an intractable problem in the US, and some like Derrick Bell have argued that any seeming amelioration of racism since the 1950s is an illusion. Finally, CRT scholars may bristle at affirmative action preferences being described as "discriminating against white people" it's hardly a "wrong" answer if a respondent feels otherwise.
Now, it would hardly surprise me if most Americans who have an opinion on CRT don't know much about it. As co-blogger Ilya Somin has often noted, the most Americans are remarkably ignorant about most political issues, even the most well-publicized ones. But I don't think this study is helpful in showing that ignorance of CRT is correlated with hostility to it.
