Across the country, new laws focusing on critical race theory and debated books are influencing the small but critical decisions educators make every day: how to answer a student’s question, what texts to read as a class and how to prepare for a lesson. .
Eight states, including Tennessee, now have widely varying laws restricting how schools teach about racism and sexism. and recently, several state legislatures passed or proposed curriculum opt-out laws and measures that would make it easier to ban books.
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This occurs during schools’ efforts to provide social and emotional support to all students. A renewed urgency to help students manage their mental health has been amplified by absenteeism, behavioral problems and quieter signs of distress as many students grapple with the ongoing pandemic and social unrest.
chalkbeat tennessee wants to hear directly from students and educators about how these contentious conversations have affected school culture and classroom dialogue. how do students and teachers of color present themselves at school? what are the real implications of the bill in tennessee classrooms? How can schools talk about race and other tough topics in a safe, empathetic, and empowering way?
During a March 31 discussion hosted by Chalkbeat Tennessee and Education Trust, students, experts, and educators will discuss their thoughts on how the CRT debates and proposed book bans are affecting them and their peers.
Read on for chalkbeat’s reading list for event attendees and anyone who wants to better understand how these issues are playing out in Tennessee schools and beyond.
We hope you find these collected stories useful. Do you have any pending questions? or story ideas for us? contact tn.tips@chalkbeat.org.
Bill to strengthen ban on school library books advances in Tennessee legislature
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days after the government. bill lee signed a law requiring school libraries to evaluate their materials for “age-appropriate,” tennessee lawmakers introduced a harsher bill that could punish school librarians with criminal penalties for books that some could be labeled as obscene.
The bill under consideration would also require districts or charter schools to remove books from library shelves if a parent or guardian complains that the content is obscene or harmful to minors. a local school board or charter school governing body would have 30 days to decide whether to permanently remove the material based on local community standards. and the state could withhold funds from schools that don’t comply.
With book challenges and bans on the rise in Tennessee and across the country, supporters say legislation is needed to create processes to address parent complaints. But critics worry that school leaders feel pressured to pull titles off shelves to avoid controversy. they are also concerned about how local officials would define obscenity.
crt map: Efforts to restrict the teaching of racism and prejudice have multiplied in the us. uu.
Officials across the country have scrambled to enact new laws and introduce new policies designed to shape the way students discuss the nation’s past and present. many of these efforts have sought to outlaw critical race theory, an academic framework that examines how policy and law perpetuate systemic racism.
In some states, lawmakers have tried to restrict anti-racist training or the teaching of what they call “divisive concepts.” but at the opposite extreme, other states are adding ethnic studies courses or incorporating more about people of color into their learning standards.
The chalkbeat map shows the depth and breadth of these ongoing efforts to narrow and broaden the way a central aspect of American life is taught in our classrooms. So far, at least 36 states have adopted or introduced laws or policies that restrict teaching about race and racism. with the 2022 state legislative sessions underway, new legislation is in the works.
Stay Out of It: How Critical Laws of Racial Theory Are Disrupting Classroom Conversations
Across the country, new laws focusing on critical race theory are influencing the small but critical decisions educators make every day: how to answer a student’s question, what articles to read in class , how to prepare for a lesson.
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many teachers say they have not changed their approach and there is little evidence that these laws have led to major curriculum revisions. But in several states with new legislation, teachers say the ambiguity of the laws, plus new scrutiny from parents and administrators, together are undermining discussions about racism and inequality.
As states impose new limits on class discussions about race, research suggests such conversations benefit students
Several recent studies have found that students become more engaged in school after taking classes that speak frankly about racism and bigotry, just as some educators fear such discussions could be threatened by a wave of sweeping state laws that govern conversations in the classroom.
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The laws are intended to limit discussion of critical race theory, a concept taught at the university level, but target any curriculum that covers racism, diversity and inclusion.
Each of these studies of race debates focuses on a relatively small program. Still, the findings are increasingly relevant because there appears to have been a significant increase in efforts to recognize race and racism in schools.
tennessee sets rules to discipline teachers, withholding money from schools that teach prohibited concepts about racism
Tennessee has tightened financial penalties against large school districts that violate a new state law regulating discussions of race and gender in the classroom.
The state also extended the time allowed to file a complaint against a teacher who allegedly stepped out of line, while maintaining plans to accept complaints only from affected students, parents, or district or charter school staff.
The commissioner of education, penny schwinn, approved in November 2021 the emergency rules that regulate the teaching of prohibited subjects. the state enacted the law this spring amid national fury from conservatives over critical race theory.