Leveraging Critical Race Theory for Meaningful Systemic Change in Community Colleges

ABSTRACT This paper contends that state bans on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices are indicative of a broader political agenda to restrict scholarly analyses and practitioner outreach that reveal how societal inequities, policy failures, and racialized deficit framings of marginalized students—not perceived institutional shortcomings—negatively impact the effectiveness of the community college sector. CRT is used to analyze the community college sector at the levels of federal policy and state policy. First, the paper depicts how the eligibility requirements of federal policies, such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and biases of case officers often conflict with student objectives to earn a viable postsecondary credential and obtain long‐term employment. Second, the paper critically analyzes how state policies, such as performance funding, penalize resource‐starved colleges for the “crimes” of helping underserved student populations while rewarding institutions with selective admissions policies. The conclusion of the article draws inspiration from Antar Tichavakunda's four‐point framework for understanding and engaging with CRT to offer recommendations for community college scholar‐practitioners.