During a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) asked the Democratic witness if critical race theory (CRT) is taught in K-12 schools in America. The witness promptly answered “no.” and the congresswoman declared:

“We can stop with the nonsense because K-12 was not teaching critical race theory, at least in this country. I can’t talk about what happens in other countries, but in our country K-12 is not learning critical race theory. Just for those who are unfamiliar.”

False. Completely make believe.

Scores of evidence show that many K-12 schools are teaching critical race theory and lessons inspired by CRT. A quick look at Parents Defending Education’s (PDE) Indoctrination Map reveals that Crockett’s home state of Texas has 48 reported incidents in which critical race theory and equity are taught in public schools.  

Even my home state of Iowa, a “purple” state filled with people of many political persuasions, has 12 recorded incidents of public schools peddling critical race theory and equity to students. 

A September 2022 City Journal article explains a research study conducted amongst 18- to 20-year-olds, 82.4% of whom attended public schools. The study asked if they had heard about different concepts pertaining to critical race theory, and the results are clear. The City Journal article goes on to explain, “For the CRT-related concepts, 62 percent reported either being taught in class or hearing from an adult in school that ‘America is a systemically racist country,’ 69 percent reported being taught or hearing that ‘white people have white privilege.’” In other words, yes, critical race theory is taught in American K-12 schools.

In June 2021, Education Week ran the article “Map: Where Critical Race Theory Is Under Attack,” with details like “States’ Actions on Critical Race Theory.” If critical race theory is not being taught, then outlets like Education Week and their subscribers ought not be concerned with the topic being “under attack.”Meanwhile, reading and math scores in the U.S. are at their lowest in decades, and students increasingly face mental health concerns. Crockett and her colleagues should focus on improving public education for all of America’s children instead of engaging in Capitol Hill chicanery.