BRYAN, Texas — The law on critical race theory has created changes and stirred confusion among educators.
Now, it's been 3 months into the school year and the critical race theory law has history teachers questioning everything.
With over 20 years of research on racial and ethnic relations, Professor Joe Feagin is well versed in critical race theory.
"Critical race theory is a perspective developed in our leading law schools in the 1980s to look at systemic racism in the legal system,” said Joe Feagin, a distinguished professor at Texas A&M.
Feagin explains how House Bill 3979, which is now a law, confuses educators.
“The bills try to argue that K through 12 teachers have to teach both sides of issues, there are not two sides to slavery,” explained Feagin.
And this is where the gaps on dos and don’ts come into play.
“So much uncertainty of what we can and cannot do in our classrooms,” shared Ovidia Molina, Texas State Teachers Association President. ”Our educators create lesson plans, they study themselves, to ensure that their giving our students all of the information,”
Teachers are beginning to feel uncertain about what topics they should encourage. Meanwhile, others are now wanting clarification on how to explain these topics lawfully.
For some teachers, critical race theory has paralyzed lesson plans.
”Now we’re not sure if that’s allowed, we’re not sure if we’re supposed to answer our student's questions if we’re going to be reprimanded,” added Molina.
Although educators are fearful of getting punished for saying the wrong things; there’s something even scarier happening before their very eyes.
”The biggest fear we’re hearing from our educators is just how we’re stopping, stifling our student's growth,” said Molina.
According to state legislature reports, a handful of states have passed similar bills while others have introduced theirs.
KRHD News wants to tell your stories from the Brazos Valley.
If you have news, a feature, sports, or other ideas, please send them to yourstories@krhdnews.com
“LIKE” 25 NEWS KRHD ON FACEBOOK FOR ALL THE LATEST BRAZOS VALLEY STORIES!