Education Minnesota publishes resource on how to defend critical race theory

The union's resource provides specific scripts for how to respond to CRT opponents.

Minnesota Department of Education/Facebook

Following intense and frequent backlash from communities across the state, Education Minnesota is doubling down and has now released a resource for educators on how to defend critical race theory.

Education Minnesota, Minnesota’s largest and most politically involved teachers union, published a document titled “Responding to racially motivated attacks on racial equity in schools.” The document acts as a resource for educators on how to respond to the increasing pushback and “attack” from right-leaning organizations against critical race theory.

Education Minnesota claims that the term critical race theory is “unfamiliar to most audiences,” is only political, and should not be used. “Talk instead about the more honest and more complete education our students deserve,” the union advises.

The instructions urge educators to avoid negative phrases like “closing the achievement gap” but to use “aspirational” phrases like the idea that they just want their students to be “good citizens.”

The union encourages teachers to “seize the moral high ground” when met with conflict and focus on explaining the types of curricula they support. They also favor turning the conversation to the motives of the “opposition” by asking why their critics are “attacking standards, equity, and classroom educators.”

The union’s resource even gives specific scripts for how to respond to CRT opponents. One such script is titled “Distract and Divide,” and another is titled “Victories.” Both encourage educators to focus their responses on the “safe and welcoming” environment they want to create in schools.

Under a section titled “Responding to nonsense,” the guidance gives more word-for-word answers to specific questions educators may be asked, like, “Why are you teaching children that all white people are racist?”

The suggested answer to this question does not mention the words “white” or “racist” but rather states that children must be able to learn “hard truths.”

Screenshot/Education Minnesota’s resource for educators

Education Minnesota repeatedly attacks the Center of the American Experiment in this document, claiming the center’s anti-critical race theory tour pushed a “false narrative” and sought to prevent students from learning about experiences of injustice.

A “coordinated effort” like this one is happening all across the country, Education Minnesota states, and the American Experiment’s campaign is only the “first of many” battles against CRT.

The document was first obtained by Power Line writer John Hinderaker, who runs the Center of the American Experiment.

“So now Education Minnesota has gone public with a full-throated, if inconsistent, defense of Critical Race Theory — ‘CRT doesn’t exist, and it is awesome!’ — combined with a pitiful attack on American Experiment,” he wrote. “It exhibits the typical paranoia expressed by left-wing pressure groups that unexpectedly encounter resistance.”

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Rose Williams

Rose Williams is an assistant editor for Alpha News.