Due to local and national anti-CRT conversation and legislation across the United States, the ELATE Commission on Social Justice in Education invites teacher educators and preservice teachers to a Spring 2022 Dialogue on Critical Race Theory in Education. Texts and questions for this year’s dialogue are below. This dialogue provides an opportunity for preservice teachers from across the United States and international contexts to engage in shared readings, post their thoughts on/analysis of those readings in shared space, and then review and respond to one another’s posts. Also, this year we will also host a virtual discussion in March to deepen engagement.
 

Dates for the Spring 2022 dialogue:

The dates for the dialogue are: February 21 (reading/posting week); February 28 (responding week). The week of February 21, read the common texts and generate a post responding to the texts and guiding questions. Then, the following week,  read through posts and respond to at least one post. To participate in the dialogue, please sign up by February 12. The link to access the dialogue will be sent to you, and if you are a teacher educator working with preservice teachers, can share the link with your students.      

The virtual discussion will occur on Friday, March 4th, 7-8:15pm EST. The topic for this dialogue will be critical race theory in education and will feature a panel of speakers, including: Anthony Downer, an abolitionist educator, teacher leader, and community organizer in Atlanta who prioritizes a Black-centric curriculum; Ashley Hope Perez, a former high school teacher, current professor of world literatures at The Ohio State University, and YA author; and Ashley Patterson, a former  elementary level inclusive special educator, current assistant professor at PennState, and co-author of one of the shared readings for this dialogue. More details will be posted here soon regarding registration soon.
 

Questions for the Spring 2022 dialogue

When you craft your response, please consider these questions:

• What is Critical Race Theory (CRT)? What are some misconceptions?
• What is happening regarding CRT in your local context/state?
• How can ELA teachers enact critical, antiracist instruction in the face of anti-CRT policies and legislation? 

Readings for the Spring 2022 dialogue:

The first reading list has the common or “required” readings for the dialogue. This first list contains readings that offer histories of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and applications of ideas that emerge from CRT. The list also contains a letter written by one of the ELATE-SJ commission members, Janet Johnson, to offer an example of CRT issues in a local teaching context. We invite and encourage you to find and reflect upon examples of CRT discussions, legislation, and applications in your local contexts as you reflect upon our common readings.  
 

The second list contains texts to extend and deepen your inquiry into CRT. When we meet for our live discussion, we can share what we are learning from listening to each other in this space and/or additional insights we’ve gained from these additional readings. We will also invite you all to share local examples that you’ve found.    
 

Common Readings:  

• Johnson, J. (2021, November 11). Culturally responsive education has a place here. (letter to editor)
• Ladson-Billings, G. (2021, August 21). Critical race theory (Youtube video)
• López, F., Molnar, A., Johnson, R., Patterson, A., Ward, L., & Kumashiro, K. (2021). Understanding the attacks on critical race theory. National Education Policy Center. (policy report)
• Zaino, K., & Bell, J. (2021). Beyond brutality: Addressing anti-blackness in everyday scenes of teaching and learning. Northwest Journal of Teacher Education, 16(2), 1-17. (article)

Texts to Extend and Deepen Your Inquiry:  

• Dixson, A., & Rousseau, C. (2005). And we are still not saved: Critical race theory in education ten years later. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 7-27.  
• Goering, C. (2021, October 3). Teaching English language arts endorses and requires a curriculum based upon critical race theory. Ethical ELA.
• Harriot, M., & Cooper, B. (2021, September 21). Unpacking the attacks on critical race theory, Youtube. 
• Johnson, L. (2018). Where do we go from here? Toward a critical race English education. Research in the Teaching of English, 53(2), 102-124. 
• Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). Critical race theory in education: A teacher-scholar’s journey. Teachers College Press. (book)
• Southlake Podcast and related article by Mike Hixenbaugh and Antonia Hylton (2021, August 31). Inside Southlake: Texas suburb at center of a critical race theory battle looks forward
• Twitter Feed for Ashley Hope Perez 
• Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8(1), 69-91. 
• Reading list from the Center for Equity and Justice in Teacher Education at Georgia State University.