Did critical race theory really swing the Virginia election? VOX

[Quixote1818]

Attacks on CRT and school education on racial issues have gotten a lot of credit for Glenn Youngkin’s victory. A closer look at the evidence tells a more complicated story.

By Zack Beauchamp@[e-mail] Nov 4, 2021, 1:00pm EDT


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The critical race theory-focused analysis is convenient for both Republicans and Democrats. For the former, it’s proof that they’re on the winning side of America’s seemingly endless culture wars. For the latter, it’s more evidence that Republicans are the party of white backlash and anti-Blackness.

There’s one problem: The evidence for this conclusion is surprisingly weak.

It is true that exit polls showed education and critical race theory as important issues to Virginia voters. But exit polls, in addition to generally not being super reliable, are not a very good gauge of what actually swung races: Among other reasons, partisans who would have voted for their party anyway often parrot whatever message they heard from the campaign or allied media. And when you zoom out, the pattern of the night’s results is not consistent with a CRT-focused explanation.

More: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2021/11/4/22761168/virginia-governor-glenn-youngkin-critical-race-theory

[msongs]

1. not likely. too many other issues including what the candidate said nt

[leftstreet]

2. The money quote:

"But, for now, it looks like if Republicans are going to win, it will be by virtue of not being in power, rather than having some agenda the public is lining up behind.”

Thanks for posting the article

I wondered how much the CRT nonsense was just laser focused on the nutters, and I guessed it had little to do with his broader campaign message (covid shutdowns, crime etc)

DURec

[triron]

3. Yes it did. It swayed a significant percentage of 'stupid' uneducated white women.

[Iggo]

4. Nah, I think it was stupid people.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. CRT alone maybe not - but McAuliffe's tone-deaf quote about parents did.

That only fueled the CRT backlash.

[NowISeetheLight]

6. They're going to ride the CRT horse until it drops....

Dems need to do something to counter it. Be it a "national history position" or something like that. When I talk to friends who are moderate Republicans (like I used to be once) they don't mind history being taught. Where they have an issue is the belief that CRT teaches "it's all white peoples fault" and that "racism still runs everything". They take that as saying they are racist, which they object too, and that is where our problem is.

If I were a history teacher today I'd be teaching the REAL and COMPLETE history of the United States. Starting with the Pilgrims coming over and finding the Native Americans. I'd talk about Thanksgiving but also talk about things like Smallpox, the Trail of Tears, putting the Indians on reservations in the desert and the poverty. I'd talk about bringing African people here as slaves on slave ships. I'd show the movie Amistad in class, maybe Roots too if I could get away with it. Talk about the Civil War in detail and show them the Underground Railroad history. Then about WWI and WWII and how there were separate divisions based on race. I would highlight both and the benefit they provided to ALL Americans. The right to vote, the protests, Selma, MLK, redlining and desegregation.

Actual "history" that is factual. Not blaming anyone. Let the students figure it out for themselves. They're going to notice "hey... it looks like white people did all this nasty stuff". I would never come out and say it, nor would I blame things today on racism, but actual history is the proof in the pudding.

[mtngirl47]

7. If you were a teacher, you would teach what they tell you to teach.

You would teach everything your students would need to pass the end of grade test.

You would teach everything in the text book chosen by your school board....probably from Texas.

Just FYI

[Caliman73]

8. Our problem is that Republicans lie, and we do not call out The Lie.

McAullffe should simply have said,

"Parents are the primary teachers of their children. They have every right and a way of influencing what their children are taught by participating in school board meetings, running for office, and being part of the PTA. We also have to rely on professionals whose job and education make them necessary to help decide what children need to know to be good citizens. That said, CRT is not taught in ANY school in Virginia, except maybe as an elective in the Law School of Virginia University. What may be taught in elementary schools is Anti-Racism curriculum. What you need to ask my opponent is why is he lying about CRT, and why would he be opposed to teaching Anti-Racism to children?".