Republican members of a House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee said at a hearing on Dec. 4 that public school curricula based on critical race theory should be replaced with history and civics curricula that cover all aspects of American history.
Democratic members of the subcommittee countered that the federal government is prohibited by law from setting public school curricula. They said critical race theory is not taught in K–12 schools, and the federal government should be focused on public school infrastructure and safety.
Critical race theory is based on the perception that racism and white supremacy continue to be systemic in American institutions and categorizes people into oppressors or oppressed based on race. Critics said the theory distorted American history, portrayed white people as inherently racist, and encouraged a dependent mentality among minorities.
During a hearing of the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education in Washington on Dec. 4, education experts testified that curricula focusing on racial disparities in society give students a one-dimensional view of history, foster divisions, and discourage open and honest discussion and debate in the classroom.
Ian Rowe, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, said that race in 21st-century America is not as significant a factor as some claim.
He said that a majority of white students are not reading at their grade level, so raising black students to the same level as their white peers in the name of equity would not address the root issue.
“All we will achieve is creating universal mediocrity,” Rowe said.
Rowe is also the founder and CEO of Vertex Partnership Academies, a public charter high school in New York City. He said the Vertex curriculum is “virtue-based,” so students take responsibility for their lives rather than see themselves as victims.
He said Vertex teaches American history “warts and all.” For example, students learn that segments of the black community prospered during the Jim Crow era despite oppressive laws meant to subjugate them. This then leads to questions about the present day.
“Why can’t that same level of success be achieved today?” Rowe said.
Rowe agreed that no subject labeled “critical race theory” is being taught in schools. However, he said, there are teachers devising lessons and curricula influenced by the theory.
“Unfortunately, examples abound, such as the discredited New York Times ‘1619 Project,’ and the Pulitzer Center’s curriculum like ‘Reparations Math,’ which promotes black dependency,” he said.
Michael Weiser is the chairman of the Jack Miller Center’s board of directors. According to its website, the Philadelphia-based nonprofit is a “national coalition of scholars, K–12 teachers, philanthropists, and civic leaders who are passionate about advancing civic education in America.”
Weiser told the subcommittee that America’s founding principles were “prepartisan.”
He said the current political climate disregards those principles, making it difficult for teachers to broach political subjects in the classroom.
“Civics teachers were steering clear of the [presidential] election or really any current political issue in their classrooms,” Weiser said.
He said that in 1976, there was a surge in interest in civics education. The Jack Miller Center hopes to use America’s upcoming 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, to spur similar interest in civics, Weiser said.
The subcommittee’s ranking member, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), agreed that civics should be taught. She said it is important that students know their history and can engage in civil debate and discussion.
However, she said the claim that critical race theory is being taught in K–12 schools only politicizes education. She said selecting a curriculum is a job for local leaders.
“We are not a school board,” she said. “Instead of spending time talking about interfering with state and local decision-making, we should talk about issues that Congress does have the power to influence.”
Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) agreed with Bonamici. Hayes said she taught history in public schools for 15 years, and critical race theory was never part of the curriculum. She said the federal government is prohibited by law from being involved in curriculum selection.
Schools Need Fixing
Bonamici said the average public school building in America is about 50 years old, and many districts report that their buildings need to be fixed. Failing to address those needs tells those communities how their leaders in Washington feel about them, she said.“It sends a message to low-income students that we don’t care about their community,” she said.
In response to a claim that several Baltimore public schools were low-performing, she said that several of those closed because their heating and air conditioning systems failed.
“We can’t expect teachers to provide quality education in buildings that are falling apart,” she said.
