November 18, 2025 • 38 mins
Honest history should not be controversial, yet every step toward equity seems to trigger a counterpunch. I dig into how White backlash has shaped K-12 education for generations—from laws that criminalized Black literacy to modern book bans and vague “indoctrination” claims that chill classrooms. Along the way, I unpack the difference between White rage and White backlash, explain why CRT became a political smoke screen, and connect today’s “parents’ rights” movement to earlier strategies that protected dominance while sidelining truth.
I walk through a historical line that includes Reconstruction sabotage, Brown v. Board’s resistance, and the fear-driven narrative of A Nation at Risk that corroded public trust in public schools. Fast-forward to the 2000s and 2010s, and you’ll find promising shifts toward culturally responsive teaching and student activism—but also the persistence of anti-Black structures, surveillance, and discipline disparities that undermine progress. The current wave of censorship policies and book bans doesn’t appear out of nowhere; it’s part of a long, predictable pattern that surfaces whenever Black students’ learning, dignity, and futures come into clearer focus.
This conversation is not just a diagnosis, it’s a plan. I share practical moves families can make now: build racial literacy at home with books by Black scholars and authors; testify at school boards and state hearings; use counter-storytelling to document harm and advocate for inclusive curricula; support teachers who teach truth; and organize broad coalitions that can stop harmful bills, as seen in Indiana. If you care about accurate history, safe and inclusive classrooms, and real opportunity for Black children, these steps matter.
If this resonates, subscribe, share with one friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your voice helps push honest history forward and protects the future that Black children deserve.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
Well, be warned.
This episode may not only beeye-opening, but it may hit you
between the eyes.
(03:20):
It's about mapping whitebacklash in the history of K-12
African American educationalprogress and its impact on
current students in theeducational system, as well as
exposing the necessary tools inthe continued fight for African
(03:42):
American educational liberty.
It's not my intent to alarm orpolarize you, but it is my
intent to inform, to educate,and to make you aware that the
white backlash on AfricanAmerican education and progress
(04:03):
is very real.
This is a necessary andprovocative discussion.
It's time to wake up.
Let's gain some insight on this.
Notable researchers define whitebacklash as negative reactions
within white communities tonumber one, the proximity of
(04:29):
black communities followingmigration, or two, the potential
acquisition of new power and orstatus by black people, or
three, the creation of policiesor legislation to bring about
greater equity between racialand ethnic groups, or four the
(04:53):
enforcing of such policies orlegislation.
White backlash often occurs dueto the perceived loss of white
privilege and power.
What is white backlash as itpertains to African American
educational progress?
(05:15):
It's the immediate, violentresponse of some white people to
the actual and perceived racialand educational progress of
oppressed groups.
In modern times, this looks likenegative responses to African
American women who are the mosthighly educated segment of this
(05:38):
society.
It looks like negative responsesand blaming of Muslim
politicians.
And it looks like constantbanter and divisiveness about
how certain demographic groupsdon't belong in this country.
Yes, white backlash is real.
(05:58):
And as a side note, I'll beusing African American and black
interchangeably throughout thisdiscussion.
As a response to the ongoingstate-sanctioned violence
against people of color, manyeducational entities across the
country expressed a deepenedcommitment to making educational
(06:20):
spaces more welcoming,inclusive, and equitable, as
well as to address theentrenched anti-African-American
racism within its verystructure.
Parents and teachersparticipated in online training
diversity seminars and bookclubs, reading bestseller books
(06:41):
like White Fragility, How to Bean Anti-Racist, and The New Jim
Crow.
Now I thoroughly enjoyed all ofthese books, and if you haven't
read these excellent books, Istrongly encourage you to do so.
But the years following theCOVID-19 crisis essentially
manifested into a retreat to thenormative, oppressive systems of
(07:06):
public schools, accompanied byexpanded digital surveillance,
persistent anti-black violence,and increased societal practices
that sideline and criminalizemarginalized communities.
Since 2020, legislationrestricting race education has
(07:29):
manifested across the countrywith the total of thirty-eight
states and counting that havesigned into law or proposed
legislation banning orrestricting the teaching of
critical race theory.
It has also led those who don'tunderstand this academic
discipline to label everythingtaught about the real history in
(07:53):
America as teaching criticalrace theory.
What critical race theory doesis that it argues that racism is
ingrained in the foundation ofthe United States and it
provides a framework in which toexamine the ways that racism
continues to pervade varioussystems across this nation,
(08:17):
including the educationalsystem.
As a point in fact, teachers donot teach critical race theory
or CRT in K-12 schools.
Only fake news reports that itis taught in K-12 public
schools.
(08:38):
Politicians and legislatures whouse this theory as an umbrella
term to refer to the teaching ofrace or white supremacy do so in
an attempt to restrict criticaldiscussions of factual history
in the classroom.
I guess if they continue to saysomething often enough that they
(09:00):
believe that it's true, they'lleventually believe that it is
true.
Although it isn't.
Let's stick a pin here and talkfor a little bit about why there
was such a pushback against CRT.
The pushback wasn't really aboutCRT, which the majority of
(09:24):
people talking about it in thenews and other platforms have no
actual idea of what it's about.
What they were pushing backagainst was the teaching of a
more accurate and inclusiveaccounting of American history.
CRT was then co-opted to meananything curriculum related that
(09:47):
provided a criticalinterrogation of America's
history and its present, withrepeated messaging against CRT
and despite not illustratingsufficient understanding of what
CRT is, nor producing evidencethat CRT was in fact being
(10:08):
taught in public schools between2020 and 2022, nearly 25 states
enacted anti-CRT curriculum inschool legislation.
Supporters of the proposedlegislation to ban or restrict
the teaching of critical racetheory argue that the theory
(10:30):
teaches hate and that it'sdivisive, unpatriotic, and
indoctrinates students withlessons on race that make people
feel quote unquote discomfort orquote unquote shame.
Huh.
They argue that such teachingsoverstate the role of racism in
(10:51):
American society and creatediscord between people of
different races.
Sure.
It sounds like a fear-basedperspective to me, and
rightfully so.
Especially if you think aboutthe possibility of unifying all
people of color in this countryand how the power dynamics would
(11:13):
certainly shift.
So the teaching of the realAmerican history makes some
people feel uncomfortable, huh?
Well, what about those people ofcolor who live in this country
that have to experiencemicroaggressions on a daily
basis?
Gaslighting on a daily basis.
(11:35):
Do you think they feeluncomfortable?
If the truth about Americanhistory makes some white people
feel ashamed, and rightfully so,why do they continue to
perpetuate racism and racistideals?
Ignoring history or notdiscussing it doesn't make it
(11:57):
any less real.
Okay, back to the centraldiscussion.
Educators and parents arguedthat these bills censor teachers
and students as well as placelimitations on the discussions
in classrooms about the nation'shistory of oppression.
(12:18):
The circulating of bad faithinterpretations of critical race
theory, the criticism of the1619 Project, and the growing
tide of legislation aimed atpolicing and censoring any
truthful teaching of Americanhistory and social reality have
ignited conversations about thelong history of erasure,
(12:44):
silencing, and miseducation inU.S.
schools, especially as itrelates to the African American
community.
History reveals that anytimewhite supremacy and dominant
structures are challenged, itbrings up emotional, violent,
and reactionary responses.
(13:05):
Researchers have coined thisphenomenon as white rage,
stating that whenever blackpeople have made advances toward
full participation in Americansociety, it is met with anger,
frustration, hostility,resentment, and opposition by
white Americans.
During the Jim Crow era,implementing dehumanizing
(13:29):
segregationist practices,policies, and laws to circumvent
perceived black progress andenfranchisement was the
perspective of that day.
The Southern strategy was apolicy implemented by the
Republican Party to gainpolitical support among white
(13:50):
voters in the South.
In modern times, this phenomenonof white rage was shockingly
demonstrated as whitesupremacists stormed the U.S.
Capitol on January 6, 2021.
This reaction was a directresponse to the Democratic
presidential win and arguably aresult of ongoing frustration
(14:15):
with the perceived racialprogress made with the
presidential terms of thenation's first black president,
Barack Obama.
White rage is not a newphenomenon.
It is the violent whitesupremacist emotional
undercurrent that has beenutilized to halt, deflect, and
(14:38):
evade justice and liberation forBlack people for centuries.
White backlash is evident atevery instance of black
sociopolitical advancementacross time and demonstrates a
chasm between the promise ofdemocracy and racial justice and
(14:58):
the truth of racial reality ofblack life in America.
Whereas white rage is asimmering, gradual and
persistent frustration amongsome white Americans toward
advancements or policies thatchallenge the existing power
structures and encompasses asustained and ongoing resistance
(15:21):
toward racial equity, and it isalso rooted in historical
injustices and systemicinequalities that have persisted
over time.
White backlash is a moreimmediate, defensive, and
reactionary response among somewhite Americans to recent events
(15:43):
or advancements.
It is the instantaneous rollbackto societal shifts in racial,
social, political, and economicdynamics that challenge
traditional power structures,and white backlash is centered
on a false premise of whitesupremacy.
(16:06):
From the antebellum era to theCivil War and Reconstruction
era, to the Jim Crow era, to theCivil Rights era, to the
post-civil rights era, and tothe millennial education era,
you can trace white backlash inthe history of K-12 black
(16:28):
education.
Here are some notablehighlights.
Laws prohibited enslaved peoplefrom learning to read or write
and made it a crime for othersto teach them.
Literacy was eventually madeillegal for black people,
enslaved and free in manysouthern states.
(16:52):
When slaves became free, theyleveraged their freedom in the
big search for education, eventhough the very presence of
schools exclusively catering toblack students incited
resentment, aggression, andhostility.
Any progress afterReconstruction that was made
(17:13):
toward a public school systemthat would educate black
children was all but erased.
Very few African Americanchildren attended school, and
even fewer attended high school.
Black student enrollmentcontinued to grow, however,
because black teachers mobilizedthrough professional and
(17:35):
community organizations toadvocate for the education of
black children.
The Brown v.
Board of Education decision in1954 was considered the biggest
victory for black education inthe history of the United
States.
Although many white parents andcommunity members, school
district personnel, andgovernment officials resisted
(17:59):
desegregation by implementingstrategies to delay or avoid the
desegregation of schools.
This led to white flight andeven the closing of entire
school systems.
The Reagan administration in1981 threatened to abolish the
(18:21):
Department of Education andadvocated for school vouchers so
that public dollars could bespent at private schools.
The Reagan administration alsoreleased a 36-page report called
A Nation at Risk, which was fullof misleading data and
half-truths used to mergeeducation with the attack on
(19:29):
Black lives.
The fear-mongering and narrativeof failing schools that was
promoted in the report can onlybe attributed to the increased
academic achievement of AfricanAmerican students, which
threatened the anti-blackideology of black intellectual
inferiority.
(19:51):
The consequences of the Nationat Risk report are that it
corroded public support forpublic education, drained
resources from Black communitiesand schools, and also neglected
the historical and culturalrelevance of education for
African-American communities,effectively marginalizing and
(20:14):
demonizing Black ways of beingand knowing in schools.
The educational landscape duringthe millennial era, from 2000 to
2020, continues to evolve,shift, and respond to global and
(20:34):
societal changes andtechnological advancements.
It was during this time thateducation researchers,
policymakers, and leaders beganimplementing culturally
relevant, responsive, andsustaining teaching methods,
policies, and programs inrecognition of the importance of
students' cultural backgroundsand experiences.
(20:58):
Educators worked to foster amore inclusive, welcoming, and
engaging learning environmentfor all students.
It was also during themillennial era that student
activism and advocacy became asocial and political movement to
highlight the continueddiscrimination, racism,
(21:20):
inhumanity, and inequityexperienced by black people in
America and across the globe.
However, while it would seemthat schools were making
progressive efforts towardeducational justice, schools
instead reverted back to orpropagated anti-black
(21:42):
educational structures throughtheir continued marginalization
and punishment of blackstudents.
Instead of being the open,accepting, and accessible
learning spaces in modernsociety, many K-12 public
schools and school leadersregularly respond to race and
(22:02):
racism discussions byprioritizing the reputation of
the school or the district,positioning racialized
incidences as isolated andunrepresentative of the larger
community.
And these leaders also refusedto acknowledge the structural
(22:23):
roots of anti-blackness withintheir schools and communities.
The progressive sociopoliticalmovements in schools exude an
aura of liberation, seemedforward-thinking, emancipatory,
and morally advanced, but theyremain a socially harmful
(22:45):
environment for black students.
Understanding that whitebacklash has and continues to
persist helps frame the currentcontemporary moment in K-12
public education.
For example, groups like Momsfor Liberty that seek to cease
racially inclusive curricula areno different than the mother's
(23:09):
lead that Governor OrvilleFalbus worked with as he sought
to prevent school desegregationin Arkansas back in 1957.
Likewise, contemporary banningof books by black authors like
Tony Morrison, Maya Angelou, andJames Baldwin resembled the
(23:30):
literacy bans that black peoplefaced during the 18th and 19th
centuries.
Despite the past and presentagendas to provide challenges
and obstacles for AfricanAmerican educational progress,
African Americans havecontinuously struggled to
ascertain physical,psychological, legal, and
(23:54):
educational freedom.
The struggle for equal access toeducation continues, just as
efforts are made to addresshistorical injustices and
promote educational equity forall students.
As African Americans continue tofight for schools that are
equitable and just, it's alsoimportant to not only recognize
(24:18):
but anticipate white backlash.
Let us face our racial realitieswhile at the same time leaving
room to radically imagine viablealternatives for educational
liberation for all.
White backlash is a response toperceived racial progress made
(24:40):
by African Americans, which theyequate to a threat to their
status at the top of America'sracial hierarchy.
The presence of white backlashis driven by the conception that
more equity in political rightsor economic opportunity for
other ethnic groups constitutesa loss in rights to white
(25:04):
people.
This has been noted throughoutracial history in the United
States.
While white backlash and whiterage are often attributed to
primarily poor working classwhites without college
education, it's often supportedby middle and upper class whites
as well.
(25:24):
Now let's be honest, white rageplayed a prominent role in
propelling Trump to the WhiteHouse.
And look how that turned out.
Anti-blackness is a persistentfeature of American society with
implications for theexperiences, outcomes, and
(25:46):
well-being of black communities.
White backlash efforts havetaken the form of educational
censorship policies that havebeen successfully enacted in at
least 18 states.
Policymakers at the state,local, and federal levels have
engaged in targeted efforts toensure that a race-evasive
(26:12):
history of American patriotismand freedom would be taught in
schools.
These intentional policy choicesattempt to promote the racist
and dominant narrative not onlyof who belongs in the United
States, but also of whosestories are allowed or deserve
(26:34):
to be told in American schools.
Not only was the banning ofbooks by authors of color an
effort of censorship, so was theeducational censorship involved
with the introduction of ethnicstudies curriculum in K-12
education.
Similar to proponents of CRTbans, constituents of largely
(26:58):
white politically conservativegroups often argued that ethnic
studies curricula would beinherently harmful to white
Christian students, and theyclaimed that such horses
violated federalanti-discrimination legislation.
These are just some of thereactionary movements aimed at
(27:22):
limiting racial literacy andlearning opportunities for
students of color.
And with surgical-likeprecision, policymakers
throughout this nation's historyhave systematically developed
and enacted targeted policies todeny African Americans the civil
(27:42):
rights and liberties promised toall U.S.
citizens.
These policies are raciallyreactionary by design and can be
characterized as manifestationsof white backlash and resentment
in reaction to the racialprogress of other groups,
(28:04):
especially African Americans.
Triggered by even the threat ofprogress for black people, these
policy assaults and legalcontortions have consistently
punished black resilience andblack resolve.
White backlash is not aboutvisible violence, but more about
(28:26):
how it works its way through thecourts, legislatures, and a
range of governmentbureaucracies.
Two bills, one in Texas and onein North Dakota, illustrate
predictable manifestations ofwhite backlash in opposition to
the potential for black progressthat was expressed throughout
(28:46):
various Black Lives Matterprotests five years ago.
What's interesting about thesebills is that they position
conservative white parents andcommunity members as educational
experts by virtue of their roleas parents, at the same time
ignoring the policy preferencesof parents, teachers, and
(29:09):
community members whofundamentally believe in
anti-racist equity-orientedteaching.
The Contemporary Movement forParents' Rights has argued for
the protection of all innocentchildren against indoctrination,
regardless of color, whilesupporting color neutral
(29:29):
policies that are only consciousof whiteness and concerned with
the liberties of white parentsand their children.
The concept of parents' rightshas been racially weaponized to
protect and uphold whiteness,something that apparently needs
to be protected at all costs.
(29:51):
Such is the current state ofAmerica.
Sounds like MAGA to me, or codeword MAWA MAWA.
Since the passage of the TexasBill, HB 3979, and the North
Dakota Bill, HB 1508, the samepolitical agenda has continued
(30:16):
to thrive in both states, whichhas only resulted in the
expansion of efforts to limitdiscussions on race and racism
in schools.
These types of efforts have ledto curriculum changes as well as
instructional practice andfunding shifts at both the K-12
(30:36):
and post-secondary levels,causing anxiety for many
teachers.
For many states, theseeducational censorship policies
have been used as a tool tointimidate, penalize, and push
out teachers in an effort tocontinue upholding race evasive
(30:57):
narratives regarding race andracism in America.
The fact of the matter is thatthe endemic nature of racism and
anti blackness in this society.
And in turn, in education policysuggests that the struggle for
racial justice is one that willcontinue to be fought in
(31:21):
perpetuity.
However, while racial equity andjustice for all African
Americans remains elusive, thoseof us who care deeply about the
lives, experiences, and outcomesof African Americans must remain
equally as steadfast in ourcommitment and continue to dream
(31:44):
of and work toward the futureblack children deserve.
So, what can you do with theinformation that I just shared?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding white
backlash on African Americaneducational progress.
There are things you can do atthe local level to disrupt an
(32:07):
inequitable policy makingeffort.
Counter storytelling and civildisobedience can be used to push
back against racially oppressivepractices during policy making
processes.
These can be employed in statelegislative hearings, school
board meetings, and other policyspaces where future policy
(32:32):
actions are under consideration.
Now, while these actions may notalways be successful in stopping
discriminatory policy actionfrom being enacted, there are
specific cases where this hasbeen successful.
Notably in Indiana, where twobills were proposed on the same
(32:53):
topic as the Texas Bill and theNorth Dakota Bill, that is,
against indoctrination inschools, white parents' rights,
and race and racism being taughtin the classroom.
In this case, both of which ofthe bills in Indiana were
defeated through collectiveaction by a broad coalition of
(33:16):
community members, includingcivic groups, teachers, parents,
and businesses.
You can also make a small,personal stand by supporting
black businesses.
If policymakers continue to pushthe curricula that is allowed to
be taught in schools, set a goalto know the facts.
(33:39):
African American scholars havewritten extensively about the
truths of American society fordecades, and those books about
their observations andintellectual perspectives are
widely available.
I suggest that you start alibrary of their books so that
you and your children will haveaccess to them, including the
(34:02):
authors I mentioned toward thebeginning of this episode,
should their books suddenlybecome unavailable.
Make it a point to know the realhistory of America and make it
an intention to not be silenced.
(34:28):
Here are this episode'stakeaways.
Notable researchers define whitebacklash as negative reactions
within white communities to onethe proximity of black
communities following migration,two the potential acquisition of
(34:48):
new power and or status by blackpeople, three the creation of
policies or legislation to bringabout greater equity between
racial and ethnic groups, orfour the enforcing of such
policies and regulations.
White backlash often occurs dueto the perceived loss of white
(35:12):
privilege and power.
White backlash is evident atevery instance of black
sociopolitical advancementacross time and demonstrates a
chasm between the promise ofdemocracy and racial justice and
the truth of racial reality ofblack life in America.
(35:36):
White rage is a simmering,gradual and persistent
frustration among some whiteAmericans toward advancements or
policies that challenge theexisting power structures,
whereas white backlash is a moreimmediate, defensive, and
(35:56):
reactionary response among somewhite Americans to recent events
or advancements by AfricanAmericans.
The American history of whitebacklash in response to
perceived educational gains ofAfrican Americans, whether
(36:17):
economically or politically, isrobust.
This does not bode well forAmerica's future.
What are your thoughts aboutwhite backlash on African
American educational progress?
Let me know your experiences oryour perspectives by leaving me
(36:40):
a text comment on my podcastwebsite, K-12Education
Insights.bussprout.com.
And here's how you leave thattext comment.
Go to the episode descriptionpage and click on the Send Me a
Text Message link.
Again, it's K12EducationInsights.bussprout.com and leave
(37:02):
me a text comment today.
If you enjoyed this episode, whynot listen to another episode
from my catalog?
It can take as little as 15minutes of your day.
And remember, new episodes comeout every Tuesday.
And before I forget, would youdo me a favor?
Go online right now and sharethis episode with one friend who
(37:26):
you think would love it.
Thanks for listening today.
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
Well, be warned.
This episode may not only beeye-opening, but it may hit you
between the eyes.
(03:20):
It's about mapping whitebacklash in the history of K-12
African American educationalprogress and its impact on
current students in theeducational system, as well as
exposing the necessary tools inthe continued fight for African
(03:42):
American educational liberty.
It's not my intent to alarm orpolarize you, but it is my
intent to inform, to educate,and to make you aware that the
white backlash on AfricanAmerican education and progress
(04:03):
is very real.
This is a necessary andprovocative discussion.
It's time to wake up.
Let's gain some insight on this.
Notable researchers define whitebacklash as negative reactions
within white communities tonumber one, the proximity of
(04:29):
black communities followingmigration, or two, the potential
acquisition of new power and orstatus by black people, or
three, the creation of policiesor legislation to bring about
greater equity between racialand ethnic groups, or four the
(04:53):
enforcing of such policies orlegislation.
White backlash often occurs dueto the perceived loss of white
privilege and power.
What is white backlash as itpertains to African American
educational progress?
(05:15):
It's the immediate, violentresponse of some white people to
the actual and perceived racialand educational progress of
oppressed groups.
In modern times, this looks likenegative responses to African
American women who are the mosthighly educated segment of this
(05:38):
society.
It looks like negative responsesand blaming of Muslim
politicians.
And it looks like constantbanter and divisiveness about
how certain demographic groupsdon't belong in this country.
Yes, white backlash is real.
(05:58):
And as a side note, I'll beusing African American and black
interchangeably throughout thisdiscussion.
As a response to the ongoingstate-sanctioned violence
against people of color, manyeducational entities across the
country expressed a deepenedcommitment to making educational
(06:20):
spaces more welcoming,inclusive, and equitable, as
well as to address theentrenched anti-African-American
racism within its verystructure.
Parents and teachersparticipated in online training
diversity seminars and bookclubs, reading bestseller books
(06:41):
like White Fragility, How to Bean Anti-Racist, and The New Jim
Crow.
Now I thoroughly enjoyed all ofthese books, and if you haven't
read these excellent books, Istrongly encourage you to do so.
But the years following theCOVID-19 crisis essentially
manifested into a retreat to thenormative, oppressive systems of
(07:06):
public schools, accompanied byexpanded digital surveillance,
persistent anti-black violence,and increased societal practices
that sideline and criminalizemarginalized communities.
Since 2020, legislationrestricting race education has
(07:29):
manifested across the countrywith the total of thirty-eight
states and counting that havesigned into law or proposed
legislation banning orrestricting the teaching of
critical race theory.
It has also led those who don'tunderstand this academic
discipline to label everythingtaught about the real history in
(07:53):
America as teaching criticalrace theory.
What critical race theory doesis that it argues that racism is
ingrained in the foundation ofthe United States and it
provides a framework in which toexamine the ways that racism
continues to pervade varioussystems across this nation,
(08:17):
including the educationalsystem.
As a point in fact, teachers donot teach critical race theory
or CRT in K-12 schools.
Only fake news reports that itis taught in K-12 public
schools.
(08:38):
Politicians and legislatures whouse this theory as an umbrella
term to refer to the teaching ofrace or white supremacy do so in
an attempt to restrict criticaldiscussions of factual history
in the classroom.
I guess if they continue to saysomething often enough that they
(09:00):
believe that it's true, they'lleventually believe that it is
true.
Although it isn't.
Let's stick a pin here and talkfor a little bit about why there
was such a pushback against CRT.
The pushback wasn't really aboutCRT, which the majority of
(09:24):
people talking about it in thenews and other platforms have no
actual idea of what it's about.
What they were pushing backagainst was the teaching of a
more accurate and inclusiveaccounting of American history.
CRT was then co-opted to meananything curriculum related that
(09:47):
provided a criticalinterrogation of America's
history and its present, withrepeated messaging against CRT
and despite not illustratingsufficient understanding of what
CRT is, nor producing evidencethat CRT was in fact being
(10:08):
taught in public schools between2020 and 2022, nearly 25 states
enacted anti-CRT curriculum inschool legislation.
Supporters of the proposedlegislation to ban or restrict
the teaching of critical racetheory argue that the theory
(10:30):
teaches hate and that it'sdivisive, unpatriotic, and
indoctrinates students withlessons on race that make people
feel quote unquote discomfort orquote unquote shame.
Huh.
They argue that such teachingsoverstate the role of racism in
(10:51):
American society and creatediscord between people of
different races.
Sure.
It sounds like a fear-basedperspective to me, and
rightfully so.
Especially if you think aboutthe possibility of unifying all
people of color in this countryand how the power dynamics would
(11:13):
certainly shift.
So the teaching of the realAmerican history makes some
people feel uncomfortable, huh?
Well, what about those people ofcolor who live in this country
that have to experiencemicroaggressions on a daily
basis?
Gaslighting on a daily basis.
(11:35):
Do you think they feeluncomfortable?
If the truth about Americanhistory makes some white people
feel ashamed, and rightfully so,why do they continue to
perpetuate racism and racistideals?
Ignoring history or notdiscussing it doesn't make it
(11:57):
any less real.
Okay, back to the centraldiscussion.
Educators and parents arguedthat these bills censor teachers
and students as well as placelimitations on the discussions
in classrooms about the nation'shistory of oppression.
(12:18):
The circulating of bad faithinterpretations of critical race
theory, the criticism of the1619 Project, and the growing
tide of legislation aimed atpolicing and censoring any
truthful teaching of Americanhistory and social reality have
ignited conversations about thelong history of erasure,
(12:44):
silencing, and miseducation inU.S.
schools, especially as itrelates to the African American
community.
History reveals that anytimewhite supremacy and dominant
structures are challenged, itbrings up emotional, violent,
and reactionary responses.
(13:05):
Researchers have coined thisphenomenon as white rage,
stating that whenever blackpeople have made advances toward
full participation in Americansociety, it is met with anger,
frustration, hostility,resentment, and opposition by
white Americans.
During the Jim Crow era,implementing dehumanizing
(13:29):
segregationist practices,policies, and laws to circumvent
perceived black progress andenfranchisement was the
perspective of that day.
The Southern strategy was apolicy implemented by the
Republican Party to gainpolitical support among white
(13:50):
voters in the South.
In modern times, this phenomenonof white rage was shockingly
demonstrated as whitesupremacists stormed the U.S.
Capitol on January 6, 2021.
This reaction was a directresponse to the Democratic
presidential win and arguably aresult of ongoing frustration
(14:15):
with the perceived racialprogress made with the
presidential terms of thenation's first black president,
Barack Obama.
White rage is not a newphenomenon.
It is the violent whitesupremacist emotional
undercurrent that has beenutilized to halt, deflect, and
(14:38):
evade justice and liberation forBlack people for centuries.
White backlash is evident atevery instance of black
sociopolitical advancementacross time and demonstrates a
chasm between the promise ofdemocracy and racial justice and
(14:58):
the truth of racial reality ofblack life in America.
Whereas white rage is asimmering, gradual and
persistent frustration amongsome white Americans toward
advancements or policies thatchallenge the existing power
structures and encompasses asustained and ongoing resistance
(15:21):
toward racial equity, and it isalso rooted in historical
injustices and systemicinequalities that have persisted
over time.
White backlash is a moreimmediate, defensive, and
reactionary response among somewhite Americans to recent events
(15:43):
or advancements.
It is the instantaneous rollbackto societal shifts in racial,
social, political, and economicdynamics that challenge
traditional power structures,and white backlash is centered
on a false premise of whitesupremacy.
(16:06):
From the antebellum era to theCivil War and Reconstruction
era, to the Jim Crow era, to theCivil Rights era, to the
post-civil rights era, and tothe millennial education era,
you can trace white backlash inthe history of K-12 black
(16:28):
education.
Here are some notablehighlights.
Laws prohibited enslaved peoplefrom learning to read or write
and made it a crime for othersto teach them.
Literacy was eventually madeillegal for black people,
enslaved and free in manysouthern states.
(16:52):
When slaves became free, theyleveraged their freedom in the
big search for education, eventhough the very presence of
schools exclusively catering toblack students incited
resentment, aggression, andhostility.
Any progress afterReconstruction that was made
(17:13):
toward a public school systemthat would educate black
children was all but erased.
Very few African Americanchildren attended school, and
even fewer attended high school.
Black student enrollmentcontinued to grow, however,
because black teachers mobilizedthrough professional and
(17:35):
community organizations toadvocate for the education of
black children.
The Brown v.
Board of Education decision in1954 was considered the biggest
victory for black education inthe history of the United
States.
Although many white parents andcommunity members, school
district personnel, andgovernment officials resisted
(17:59):
desegregation by implementingstrategies to delay or avoid the
desegregation of schools.
This led to white flight andeven the closing of entire
school systems.
The Reagan administration in1981 threatened to abolish the
(18:21):
Department of Education andadvocated for school vouchers so
that public dollars could bespent at private schools.
The Reagan administration alsoreleased a 36-page report called
A Nation at Risk, which was fullof misleading data and
half-truths used to mergeeducation with the attack on
(19:29):
Black lives.
The fear-mongering and narrativeof failing schools that was
promoted in the report can onlybe attributed to the increased
academic achievement of AfricanAmerican students, which
threatened the anti-blackideology of black intellectual
inferiority.
(19:51):
The consequences of the Nationat Risk report are that it
corroded public support forpublic education, drained
resources from Black communitiesand schools, and also neglected
the historical and culturalrelevance of education for
African-American communities,effectively marginalizing and
(20:14):
demonizing Black ways of beingand knowing in schools.
The educational landscape duringthe millennial era, from 2000 to
2020, continues to evolve,shift, and respond to global and
(20:34):
societal changes andtechnological advancements.
It was during this time thateducation researchers,
policymakers, and leaders beganimplementing culturally
relevant, responsive, andsustaining teaching methods,
policies, and programs inrecognition of the importance of
students' cultural backgroundsand experiences.
(20:58):
Educators worked to foster amore inclusive, welcoming, and
engaging learning environmentfor all students.
It was also during themillennial era that student
activism and advocacy became asocial and political movement to
highlight the continueddiscrimination, racism,
(21:20):
inhumanity, and inequityexperienced by black people in
America and across the globe.
However, while it would seemthat schools were making
progressive efforts towardeducational justice, schools
instead reverted back to orpropagated anti-black
(21:42):
educational structures throughtheir continued marginalization
and punishment of blackstudents.
Instead of being the open,accepting, and accessible
learning spaces in modernsociety, many K-12 public
schools and school leadersregularly respond to race and
(22:02):
racism discussions byprioritizing the reputation of
the school or the district,positioning racialized
incidences as isolated andunrepresentative of the larger
community.
And these leaders also refusedto acknowledge the structural
(22:23):
roots of anti-blackness withintheir schools and communities.
The progressive sociopoliticalmovements in schools exude an
aura of liberation, seemedforward-thinking, emancipatory,
and morally advanced, but theyremain a socially harmful
(22:45):
environment for black students.
Understanding that whitebacklash has and continues to
persist helps frame the currentcontemporary moment in K-12
public education.
For example, groups like Momsfor Liberty that seek to cease
racially inclusive curricula areno different than the mother's
(23:09):
lead that Governor OrvilleFalbus worked with as he sought
to prevent school desegregationin Arkansas back in 1957.
Likewise, contemporary banningof books by black authors like
Tony Morrison, Maya Angelou, andJames Baldwin resembled the
(23:30):
literacy bans that black peoplefaced during the 18th and 19th
centuries.
Despite the past and presentagendas to provide challenges
and obstacles for AfricanAmerican educational progress,
African Americans havecontinuously struggled to
ascertain physical,psychological, legal, and
(23:54):
educational freedom.
The struggle for equal access toeducation continues, just as
efforts are made to addresshistorical injustices and
promote educational equity forall students.
As African Americans continue tofight for schools that are
equitable and just, it's alsoimportant to not only recognize
(24:18):
but anticipate white backlash.
Let us face our racial realitieswhile at the same time leaving
room to radically imagine viablealternatives for educational
liberation for all.
White backlash is a response toperceived racial progress made
(24:40):
by African Americans, which theyequate to a threat to their
status at the top of America'sracial hierarchy.
The presence of white backlashis driven by the conception that
more equity in political rightsor economic opportunity for
other ethnic groups constitutesa loss in rights to white
(25:04):
people.
This has been noted throughoutracial history in the United
States.
While white backlash and whiterage are often attributed to
primarily poor working classwhites without college
education, it's often supportedby middle and upper class whites
as well.
(25:24):
Now let's be honest, white rageplayed a prominent role in
propelling Trump to the WhiteHouse.
And look how that turned out.
Anti-blackness is a persistentfeature of American society with
implications for theexperiences, outcomes, and
(25:46):
well-being of black communities.
White backlash efforts havetaken the form of educational
censorship policies that havebeen successfully enacted in at
least 18 states.
Policymakers at the state,local, and federal levels have
engaged in targeted efforts toensure that a race-evasive
(26:12):
history of American patriotismand freedom would be taught in
schools.
These intentional policy choicesattempt to promote the racist
and dominant narrative not onlyof who belongs in the United
States, but also of whosestories are allowed or deserve
(26:34):
to be told in American schools.
Not only was the banning ofbooks by authors of color an
effort of censorship, so was theeducational censorship involved
with the introduction of ethnicstudies curriculum in K-12
education.
Similar to proponents of CRTbans, constituents of largely
(26:58):
white politically conservativegroups often argued that ethnic
studies curricula would beinherently harmful to white
Christian students, and theyclaimed that such horses
violated federalanti-discrimination legislation.
These are just some of thereactionary movements aimed at
(27:22):
limiting racial literacy andlearning opportunities for
students of color.
And with surgical-likeprecision, policymakers
throughout this nation's historyhave systematically developed
and enacted targeted policies todeny African Americans the civil
(27:42):
rights and liberties promised toall U.S.
citizens.
These policies are raciallyreactionary by design and can be
characterized as manifestationsof white backlash and resentment
in reaction to the racialprogress of other groups,
(28:04):
especially African Americans.
Triggered by even the threat ofprogress for black people, these
policy assaults and legalcontortions have consistently
punished black resilience andblack resolve.
White backlash is not aboutvisible violence, but more about
(28:26):
how it works its way through thecourts, legislatures, and a
range of governmentbureaucracies.
Two bills, one in Texas and onein North Dakota, illustrate
predictable manifestations ofwhite backlash in opposition to
the potential for black progressthat was expressed throughout
(28:46):
various Black Lives Matterprotests five years ago.
What's interesting about thesebills is that they position
conservative white parents andcommunity members as educational
experts by virtue of their roleas parents, at the same time
ignoring the policy preferencesof parents, teachers, and
(29:09):
community members whofundamentally believe in
anti-racist equity-orientedteaching.
The Contemporary Movement forParents' Rights has argued for
the protection of all innocentchildren against indoctrination,
regardless of color, whilesupporting color neutral
(29:29):
policies that are only consciousof whiteness and concerned with
the liberties of white parentsand their children.
The concept of parents' rightshas been racially weaponized to
protect and uphold whiteness,something that apparently needs
to be protected at all costs.
(29:51):
Such is the current state ofAmerica.
Sounds like MAGA to me, or codeword MAWA MAWA.
Since the passage of the TexasBill, HB 3979, and the North
Dakota Bill, HB 1508, the samepolitical agenda has continued
(30:16):
to thrive in both states, whichhas only resulted in the
expansion of efforts to limitdiscussions on race and racism
in schools.
These types of efforts have ledto curriculum changes as well as
instructional practice andfunding shifts at both the K-12
(30:36):
and post-secondary levels,causing anxiety for many
teachers.
For many states, theseeducational censorship policies
have been used as a tool tointimidate, penalize, and push
out teachers in an effort tocontinue upholding race evasive
(30:57):
narratives regarding race andracism in America.
The fact of the matter is thatthe endemic nature of racism and
anti blackness in this society.
And in turn, in education policysuggests that the struggle for
racial justice is one that willcontinue to be fought in
(31:21):
perpetuity.
However, while racial equity andjustice for all African
Americans remains elusive, thoseof us who care deeply about the
lives, experiences, and outcomesof African Americans must remain
equally as steadfast in ourcommitment and continue to dream
(31:44):
of and work toward the futureblack children deserve.
So, what can you do with theinformation that I just shared?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding white
backlash on African Americaneducational progress.
There are things you can do atthe local level to disrupt an
(32:07):
inequitable policy makingeffort.
Counter storytelling and civildisobedience can be used to push
back against racially oppressivepractices during policy making
processes.
These can be employed in statelegislative hearings, school
board meetings, and other policyspaces where future policy
(32:32):
actions are under consideration.
Now, while these actions may notalways be successful in stopping
discriminatory policy actionfrom being enacted, there are
specific cases where this hasbeen successful.
Notably in Indiana, where twobills were proposed on the same
(32:53):
topic as the Texas Bill and theNorth Dakota Bill, that is,
against indoctrination inschools, white parents' rights,
and race and racism being taughtin the classroom.
In this case, both of which ofthe bills in Indiana were
defeated through collectiveaction by a broad coalition of
(33:16):
community members, includingcivic groups, teachers, parents,
and businesses.
You can also make a small,personal stand by supporting
black businesses.
If policymakers continue to pushthe curricula that is allowed to
be taught in schools, set a goalto know the facts.
(33:39):
African American scholars havewritten extensively about the
truths of American society fordecades, and those books about
their observations andintellectual perspectives are
widely available.
I suggest that you start alibrary of their books so that
you and your children will haveaccess to them, including the
(34:02):
authors I mentioned toward thebeginning of this episode,
should their books suddenlybecome unavailable.
Make it a point to know the realhistory of America and make it
an intention to not be silenced.
(34:28):
Here are this episode'stakeaways.
Notable researchers define whitebacklash as negative reactions
within white communities to onethe proximity of black
communities following migration,two the potential acquisition of
(34:48):
new power and or status by blackpeople, three the creation of
policies or legislation to bringabout greater equity between
racial and ethnic groups, orfour the enforcing of such
policies and regulations.
White backlash often occurs dueto the perceived loss of white
(35:12):
privilege and power.
White backlash is evident atevery instance of black
sociopolitical advancementacross time and demonstrates a
chasm between the promise ofdemocracy and racial justice and
the truth of racial reality ofblack life in America.
(35:36):
White rage is a simmering,gradual and persistent
frustration among some whiteAmericans toward advancements or
policies that challenge theexisting power structures,
whereas white backlash is a moreimmediate, defensive, and
(35:56):
reactionary response among somewhite Americans to recent events
or advancements by AfricanAmericans.
The American history of whitebacklash in response to
perceived educational gains ofAfrican Americans, whether
(36:17):
economically or politically, isrobust.
This does not bode well forAmerica's future.
What are your thoughts aboutwhite backlash on African
American educational progress?
Let me know your experiences oryour perspectives by leaving me
(36:40):
a text comment on my podcastwebsite, K-12Education
Insights.bussprout.com.
And here's how you leave thattext comment.
Go to the episode descriptionpage and click on the Send Me a
Text Message link.
Again, it's K12EducationInsights.bussprout.com and leave
(37:02):
me a text comment today.
If you enjoyed this episode, whynot listen to another episode
from my catalog?
It can take as little as 15minutes of your day.
And remember, new episodes comeout every Tuesday.
And before I forget, would youdo me a favor?
Go online right now and sharethis episode with one friend who
(37:26):
you think would love it.
Thanks for listening today.
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
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