Chicago City Wire

University of Illinois at Chicago professor David Stovall and Georgia Teacher of the Year Tracy Pendley took to Windy City Live on July 6, where they dissected some arguments surrounding Critical Race Theory (CRT) teachings.

The discussion also tried to educate viewers on the origins and workings of the controversial theory being taught in Illinois schools.

“Critical race theory was a response to something called critical legal studies which said the criminal legal system in the U.S. was a class based system,” Stovall said in a video posted to YouTube. Eric Bell, who is often referred to as the grandfather of critical race theory, wrote a book in 1973 called 'Race, Racism and American Law.'" He went on to explain that the book claims the criminal legal system is not just class-based system but also a race-, gender- and ability-based system. "That critique birthed critical race theory."

University of Illinois at Chicago professor David Stovall | Facebook

Stovall said the debate over CRT teachings is now in the news the way it is because of the actions of former President Donald Trump.

“Christopher Rufo, a fellow at Manhattan Institute, was on a Fox News program in March or April of last year talking CRT and Donald Trump was actually watching the taping ... and put out an executive order banning the use of critical race theory in any type of federal training around diversity,” he added.

Pendley added so many of the opinions about CRT she now hears strike her as uninformed.

“Someone at the Department of Education in Georgia recently described CRT as a paper tiger,” she said. “Something that doesn’t exist, that’s just been made up that we’re all fascinating on right now. 

"And I think at the crux of it is there is lack on informed decision making here in my state right now. They’re looking at CRT as something that’s going to divide students and families and teach everyone that whites are oppressors. And that really just isn't true in the least bit. What CRT does is look past the individual and looks at outcomes. It says that racism is not solely within the individual, but in education and law.”

There are certainly opponents to Stovall and Pendley's observations, with the issue of Critical Race Theory sparking a national debate over teaching about race and racism in school districts, with critics often accusing it of actually spawning racism.

Illinois Family Institute recently singled out Wheaton College Professor Nathan Cartagena over his attacks on those opposed to the system of CRT.

“Cartagena writes about CRT—a lot and favorably,” the group posted on its website. “Much of his writing is academic in nature, picking apart arguments from scholars critical of CRT—you know, dancing on the heads of pins kind of stuff. He takes particular aim at Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Christopher F. Rufo who has been influential in exposing the tenets and influence of CRT in academia, the corporate world, and the government.”

In one instance, Cartagena charges “'culture-war agitators such as Rufo aren’t interested in offering a just, charitable understanding of CRT,”’ the institutes site says.