Moving Forward Democratically from the Critical Race Theory Battles in Schools. A Response to “Reconstructing Democracy in Polarized Times: Thinking through/with the CRT Conflicts”

This response to “Reconstructing Democracy in Polarized Times: Thinking through/with the CRT Conflicts” explores the conditions that need to be in place to move forward with the original authors’ recommendations for taking advantage of the current debates about critical race theory in schools. The original authors argued that this moment provides an opportunity to strengthen a shared, democratic commitment to schools. This response argues that, for this democratic solidarity to occur, we must dismantle the inequitable structures currently governing who has influence and power in schools. Additionally, I explore policy and curricular shifts needed to enable the recommendations related to centering critical thinking and inquiry, developing a shared vision of the purpose of schools, and investing in robust civics education.