Purpose of the Story

In a prior piece, I drew parallels between recent legislative efforts by conservative bodies to outlaw the teaching of American history that highlights systemic oppression of Black individuals by white individuals and the historical attempts by anti-abolitionists to limit abolitionist narratives that focused on the oppression of enslaved Black people in America.

A commenter, Blanc2, noted the irony that many who vehemently oppose the so-called "CRT" (Critical Race Theory) are also staunch defenders of Confederate monuments in public spaces.

As an African-American professor, I found this observation compelling. I decided to investigate whether states that ban "CRT" also support the preservation of Confederate monuments, and my findings were enlightening.

CRT Bans and the Defense of Confederate Monuments

As outlined in my earlier work, CRT is an academic and legal framework created four decades ago to scrutinize how racism is ingrained in American laws and institutions. The principles of CRT necessitate a "critical" examination that exceeds what is typically taught in K-12 public education. Thus, CRT is not currently part of the public school curriculum in the U.S.

The "CRT bans" being enacted by conservative lawmakers are not genuinely about eliminating CRT. Rather, they aim to suppress teachings that reveal America's racist history or imply that racism is a systemic issue in the country.

These legislative measures often prohibit the instruction of "divisive" concepts, particularly those that might lead to feelings of "discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of their race or sex."

Currently, 43 states in the U.S. have enacted, are in the process of enacting, or have attempted to enact anti-CRT legislation.

While 43 states are pursuing laws against "divisive" concepts, 21 states have introduced legislation to protect Confederate monuments.

All 21 of these states have also passed, are in the process of passing, or have attempted to pass "anti-CRT" legislation. Although lawmakers in these regions claim they wish to prevent students from feeling "discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of their race," they ignore the psychological harm that Confederate monuments inflict on Black residents.

A review by USA TODAY revealed that over the past decade, legislators in these states have proposed more than 100 bills aimed at limiting changes to numerous Confederate monuments. Some of these laws impose severe financial penalties or criminal charges against local governments that attempt to remove these monuments.

If the intent is to ban divisive teachings to alleviate discomfort, why do these states continue to protect Confederate monuments that cause Black individuals distress?

It's All About Promoting White Supremacy

Public school curricula in America have consistently caused Black individuals to "feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, and various other forms of psychological distress on account of their race." Most white individuals have overlooked this because the education system has historically made them feel comfortable and superior due to their race.

Many of the "anti-CRT" bills introduced by state legislatures specifically aim to ban the teaching of the 1619 Project. Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New York Times Magazine, created this pivotal project, which reframes American history by placing slavery and its ongoing effects at its core.

I reside in Iowa, where legislation has been enacted to ban the 1619 Project. Ironically, this is where Hannah-Jones grew up and found inspiration for her work, noting that her public education did not reflect her lived experiences or those of her family.

The Iowa law against the 1619 Project also prohibits teaching ten "specific defined concepts," including the idea that Iowa or the U.S. is "fundamentally or systemically racist or sexist." It also prevents suggesting that individuals of any race or sex "bear responsibility for actions committed in the past" by members of their race or sex.

Teaching an accurate history of slavery and systemic racism does not imply that anyone today "bears responsibility for the past." Rather, it is about recognizing and acknowledging the past truthfully and understanding its detrimental legacies.

The Iowa law contains language banning any teachings that might lead to "discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of their race or sex."

Historically, states and school boards have shown little concern that school curricula make Black individuals, women, or members of the LGBTQIA+ community feel discomfort or distress due to their race, sex, or sexual orientation.

Black students have been continually taught that white individuals are responsible for every remarkable achievement throughout history. They learn that Black individuals have contributed almost nothing to civilization.

Public school curricula rarely highlight the achievements of Black individuals. I learned very little about their contributions during my K-12 education. It wasn't until I sought out additional reading materials that I discovered the significant societal contributions of Black individuals, which had been systematically excluded from my education.

How can Black students avoid feelings of discomfort, guilt, or psychological distress when they and their white peers are taught that Black individuals are inferior?

Carter G. Woodson, a prominent American historian, argued in his influential book, The Mis-education of the Negro, that the American educational system was designed to perpetuate Black inferiority to uphold white supremacy.

> If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do. If you make a man feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself.

This process of mis-education discourages many Black individuals from striving for excellence. Black children rarely see positive representations of themselves in public school curricula. Instead, they are often depicted as "slaves" or people in need of assistance from benevolent white benefactors. School curricula seldom portray Black individuals as active contributors to society. Representation matters.

Governor Kim Reynolds’ Republican colleague, former Iowa Senator Steve King, once claimed at a Republican National Convention that only white "Euro-American Christians" have made substantial contributions to world civilization. Such statements reflect how public education in America has historically marginalized Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

I once had a white 18-year-old college student approach me after a lecture, asserting that if Black people wanted respect, they needed to do more than sing, dance, or play sports. I was the first Black "teacher" he had encountered, and his K-12 education had failed to expose him to the extensive history of Black inventors, scientists, politicians, activists, thinkers, and intellectuals in America. By neglecting to acknowledge Black achievement, public school curricula promote Black inferiority and white superiority.

This endorsement of white superiority drives many book bans in the U.S. According to the American Library Association, books authored by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ individuals are frequently targeted for banning. Works by Black authors, which often celebrate Black achievement and resistance to white superiority, are disproportionately banned.

While proponents of book bans argue they are protecting children from "indoctrination," the reality is that banning books primarily by or about Black and LGBTQIA+ people promotes indoctrination. Ibram X. Kendi states it succinctly:

> It’s so striking that when a book challenges notions of Black inferiority, it’s considered indoctrination. But then, when a book says nothing about Black people or reinforces notions of Black inferiority, it’s considered education.

Historically, promoting Black inferiority has been accepted as education, while challenging white superiority is often labeled as "indoctrination." A training video designed to assist Florida educators in identifying books to ban indicates that such actions are about promoting white supremacy and safeguarding white innocence.

Using the terminology found in many "anti-CRT" bills, the training video instructs media specialists to eliminate any materials suggesting that people are inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, that anyone bears responsibility for past actions of their race or sex, or that individuals should experience "discomfort, guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress" related to race or gender.

It is clear that book bans and curricular restrictions are aimed at shielding cisgender, heteronormative white individuals from feelings of "discomfort, guilt, or other forms of psychological distress." Advocates of these bans argue that America has never been systemically racist, asserting that white America is "innocent" and that white success is fundamentally rooted in white superiority.

Similarly, defenders of Confederate monuments argue that maintaining these monuments should not elicit guilt or distress among Black individuals because they symbolize Southern pride and history, rather than slavery and racism.

Conclusions

All of these laws that restrict discussions about racism, ban certain readings in public schools, and protect Confederate monuments share a common goal: they aim to perpetuate myths of white innocence and white supremacy.

States genuinely interested in eliminating divisive materials that cause feelings of "discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress" should remove Confederate monuments from public spaces of honor.

They must also cease banning books in public libraries and prohibiting the teaching of curricula that challenge the notions of white innocence, white supremacy, and Black inferiority.

Despite claims from lawmakers banning the teaching of the 1619 Project and "CRT," there are no suggestions that white individuals "bear responsibility for actions committed in the past" by their ancestors.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, "bearing responsibility" and "taking responsibility" have distinct meanings. No living white person "bears responsibility" for the development of racist ideology in America. However, white individuals must "take responsibility" for dismantling the ongoing perpetuation of racist ideology and white supremacy.

The acknowledgment of America's racist foundations should not provoke guilt in white individuals. Instead, it should inspire a sense of responsibility for rectifying these injustices.

Guilt often implies blame and can result in feelings of helplessness, whereas taking responsibility empowers individuals. Taking responsibility indicates a commitment to making changes, while guilt typically leads to a paralyzing sense of "bearing responsibility" without the ability or resolve to effect change.

White "guilt" does not serve Black individuals. Guilt is self-focused, while "taking responsibility" is about addressing the needs of others. If white individuals feel guilt or believe others are attempting to induce guilt, it is often because they are concentrating more on their feelings than on the feelings of others.

Black individuals are not seeking white guilt. They do not expect white individuals to "bear responsibility" for the actions of their ancestors. Instead, they desire that white individuals "take responsibility" for actively working to eradicate racism and white supremacy.

White individuals can take responsibility in various ways, including advocating for the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces and opposing legislative bans on teaching American history that confronts the systemic racism of the nation.

The only path from a racist past to an anti-racist future is through the honest acknowledgment of that past—not by bearing responsibility for it, but by taking responsibility for it.

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