Bad For Business: How ‘Critical Race Theory’ Bans Are Limiting American Progress – Forbes
A photo of a school hallway in black and white
Earlier this month, 400 books were pulled off the shelves across a Texas school district in response to a new law limiting how educators can teach and engage with students on the subjects of sexism and racism. At least 28 states and counting have passed or are considering passage of laws just like this one.
These drastic efforts are driven by a cynical, orchestrated campaign against “critical race theory,” a catch-all phrase that has been divorced from its original meaning. The truth is that bans on topics ranging from structural racism to social-emotional learning make it dramatically more difficult to teach an honest accounting of American history.
Business leaders should call this out for what it is: politicians grabbing power and making our public schools collateral damage in the process. Proponents of these bans are taking parents’ legitimate desire to understand how schools approach topics such as race and engendering fear by claiming white students will be shamed. But the reality of these sweeping bans is something quite different; in Texas, a teacher was offered guidance on how to present “both sides” of the Holocaust; and in Wisconsin, the proposed law would take funding away from schools who teach about the concept of “racial prejudice.” It is clear that rather than protecting students, these bans undermine the very educational environments that promote healthy development and leave young people woefully unprepared to enter the world as adults. It also leaves them unprepared for the modern workplace. And that should worry business leaders.
It may be an obvious or seemingly trite thing to say, but young people are our future. It is why parents are thoughtful about how they raise their children, and why young people are at the heart of so many philanthropic efforts, and why businesses want schools in their communities to be top-notch. We all want to give young people the support they need to thrive as adults in their families, careers, and communities. Laws like these work in direct opposition to that shared goal.
Learning about our nation’s full history enables young people to be proud Americans, who know what we’ve improved on as a country and where we’ve fallen short of our stated ideals. It encourages kids to develop into the curious thinkers and empathetic leaders we need. Talking about race and other issues of identity helps create a sense of belonging for young people. It helps them build confidence, understand current events, navigate relationships, and start practicing the skills they’ll need in their daily lives — including at work.
It’s deeply troubling that states continue to follow through on these bans, even when the majority of parents see the importance of acknowledging and celebrating racial diversity in the classroom. According to a recent survey, parents agree — across the political spectrum — on this point. Other things they agree on? That America is a work in progress, and that schools should include more books by diverse authors and lessons on a diverse array of historical figures that may have been previously overlooked.
Parents also agree that school is a place where every student should feel they belong. This means seeing people like themselves, their families, and their communities positively represented in what they are learning, as well as having the tools to develop connection and build empathy with others. Sixty percent of parents say we should focus on empathy more in the classroom, not less. By learning empathy, and other crucial life skills, children develop the ability to connect with people who are different from themselves, without their own identity being threatened.
The workplace is increasingly diverse and globally interconnected; to navigate it fluently requires cultural competence. Over the past decade, employers have also prioritized communication, self-direction, collaboration, critical thinking, and integrity — things young people will learn in classrooms designed to foster equity and belonging.
To stay competitive requires a skillful, engaged workforce. Successful companies increasingly see that this comes from developing a workplace culture of belonging, both to attract younger talent that values inclusion and to collectively drive a competitive edge. A recent survey found that 80% of CEOs recognized empathy as being key to their employees (and therefore their company’s) success. Empathy and cultures of belonging go hand-in-hand to build success by driving collaboration and more effective problem-solving.
Banning tough conversations – and leading with fear— is contrary to what has made our nation and its businesses successful. The most forward-looking businesses are examining their own histories to determine where their blind spots on race have harmed them, their employees, and their customers. Aren’t we better off when young people learn to navigate these conversations with fluency in the classroom, so they enter the workforce ready to be leaders? By tying the hands of young people and their teachers, we put ourselves at odds with what the workforce is already telling us they want.
I encourage business leaders to speak out – to the school boards in their communities, to elected officials, and to their fellow parents – to say these sweeping bans are bad for young people, for American business, and for our country. We need to give students the tools they need to be successful, not leave them unprepared for the world they will one day lead.
