Opinion: Is harmful CRT being taught in public schools?

Liv Finne argues that Critical Race Theory is being implemented in Washington public schools under 2021’s SB 5044.

Liv Finne of the Washington Policy Center says it is clear that the CRT legislation Governor Inslee signed in 2021 is being implemented in the public schools

Liv Finne
Washington Policy Center

A point of contention popped up recently in the 34th District legislative race (representing West Seattle, High Point, and Vashon Island) involving Republican candidate Jolie Lansdowne, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Joe Fitzgibbon.

In an editorial board meeting with The Seattle Times Lansdowne said hurtful Critical Race Theory (CRT) is being taught in public schools. When pressed, however, The Seattle Times says she could not name a single school in King County that taught CRT.

So which is it? Is Critical Race Theory being taught in Washington public schools or not?

Washington Policy Center is non-partisan and fiercely independent. We do not endorse or oppose candidates for office under any circumstances. We are, however, interested in ideas and how public education can rebuild trust with parents and improve learning outcomes for children.

Lansdowne says schools have lost public confidence because of “overly sexualized material” and state-mandated Critical Race Theory in the classroom.

On this point she is correct. Harmful CRT ideology has been woven into the academic content taught by the public schools at the direction of the state legislature.

In 2021 the legislature passed, and on May 5th that year Governor Inslee signed, SB 5044 to require the teaching of “…equity, cultural competency, and dismantling institutional racism in the public school system.” This is the academic description for Critical Race Theory.

The bill was implemented through the Washington state learning standards using the “Ethnic Studies Framework.” Academic material is used in classrooms based on four CRT criteria: “Identity,” “Power and Oppression,” “History of Resistance and Liberation,” and “Reflection and Action.” See page 7 of The Ethnic Studies Framework for detailed lesson plans.

In the years since then Seattle school officials have used CRT to deny students access to advanced study and gifted programs based on race. Seattle schools recently eliminated the HCC program for gifted students.

Last week Heather Snookal, principal at Bellevue’s Phantom Lake Elementary school told parents that a swastika which appeared on the playground is “a symbol of hate.” Hours later, she sent a message calling for “inclusivity” and that, “The swastika is a symbol of peace, prosperity and good fortune. We recognize that for many of our families, this symbol has a positive and spiritual meaning.”

She has rightly been put on administrative leave. Such moral confusion from a public educator is a direct outcome of racist CRT ideology.

In another example, the University of Washington is being sued by Jewish students for antisemitism. This again is the result of CRT, which says that Jewish people are “white-adjacent” and engaged in “white supremacy” to oppress others.

It is clear that the CRT legislation Governor Inslee signed in 2021 is being implemented in the public schools, as demonstrated by the state Learning Standard’s “Ethnic Studies Framework” and by real-world examples happening in schools.

Educators may have honest disagreements about when and how it is appropriate to expose students to hateful racist ideas, but there is no doubt that CRT concepts, often without full disclosure, are being taught in Washington public schools.

Liv Finne is the director of the Center for Education at the Washington Policy Center.