Few U.S. Educators Teaching Critical Race Theory: Survey

ACROSS AMERICA — The clashes over critical race theory and whether it should be taught in U.S. schools have infiltrated places ranging from the halls of Congress to local school board meetings. The uproar, however, may be unfounded, according to a new survey of U.S. educators.

The Association of American Educators on Friday released the results of a poll meant to gauge whether teachers are incorporating critical race theory culturally responsive teaching into their classrooms.

The short answer: they're not.

In fact, just over 4 percent of respondents said they've been mandated or required to teach critical race theory at this time.

To conduct its poll, the Association of American Educators — a national, non-union professional group — surveyed its members in all 50 states from June 24-30. In all, 1,136 educators completed the survey by the deadline.

Less than half of teachers — just under 45 percent — said they are in favor of critical race theory being an option for educators. Only 11 percent believe it should be required or mandated.

However, a high percentage of teachers — about 81 percent — think school curriculums should include the stories, experiences and narratives of a diverse group of cultures.

"It is tremendously important that this national dialogue over critical race theory and related topics is discussed in real terms about what is actually being permitted or required by our districts, expected by our parents, taught by our educators, and experienced by our students," the association's executive director Colin Sharkey said in a news release. "That means transparency, educator and parent engagement, and responsible reporting about a topic as important as addressing racism."

Here are some other findings from the survey:

• Slightly more than half of educators felt apprehension about saying the wrong thing regarding race. Meanwhile, another 39.4 percent said they've experienced discrimination based on their race or perceived race.
• Sixty percent feel the media is paying too much attention to critical race theory.
• An overwhelming number of educators — about 85 percent — feel that society should be just and inclusive, but only 44 percent believe it currently is.
• On average, educators report that nearly 43 percent of the students with whom they interact daily are students of color.

Through its survey, the organization concluded that educators who believe racism is embedded in systems and institutions were far more likely to support educators having the option to teach critical race theory in classrooms, though almost none support it being required learning.