Cracking Silent Codes: Critical race theory and education organizing

Abstract

Critical race theory (CRT) has moved beyond legal scholarship to critique the ways in which “colorblind” laws and policies perpetuate existing racial inequalities in education policy. While criticisms of CRT have focused on the pessimism and lack of remedies presented, CRT scholars have begun to address issues of praxis. Specifically, communities of color must challenge the dominant narratives of mainstream institutions with alternative visions of pedagogy and school reform, and community organizing plays an important role in helping communities of color to articulate these alternative counter-narratives. Yet, many in education organizing disagree with CRT's critique of colorblindness. Drawing on five case study organizations working towards school reform in the South Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, this article traces the difficulty of implementing anti-racist practices in education organizing groups. It also analyzes specific practices that may help such groups to transform race-consciousness into positive political action.

Notes

1. Although YP is officially affiliated with FNN, it merits its own case study because it abides by its own by-laws, it attends to a constituency composed solely of students and not parents, and most importantly, it engages in everyday practices that look quite different from those at FNN.