Book display of works on critical race theory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison/Facebook
Opinion: Arizona has a serious problem with recruiting and retaining teachers. A few bills would make working conditions for them worse. Is that what we want?
By Robert Robb | Arizona Republic
Republican legislators are rushing to respond politically to concerns on the cultural right about schools.
However, before the finish line is reached, at least some of them should pause and ponder the following question: How much more unpleasant, confrontational and burdensome do we want to make the profession of teaching in Arizona?
The concerns of the cultural right are not without foundation. There’s little question that woke ideology is seeping into particularly district schools.
A red herring on critical race theory
The argument by the left that the pure academic version of critical race theory isn’t being taught in Arizona schools is a red herring. Students are viewed, in part, through an identity lens. And they are being led to view others and American history and society through an identity lens.
The problem is that this is not an issue that lends itself to correction or control through statutory law. Moreover, attempts to do so will inevitably make the profession of teaching less inviting.
Take, for example, the bill attempting to outlaw the teaching of critical race theory in Arizona schools (House Bill 2112).
The bill says that a teacher “may not allow instruction in or make part of a course any of the following concepts.” Among the proscribed concepts is “an individual should be invidiously discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s race, ethnicity or sex.”
