Cohosts on ABC’s “The View” got into a heated debate Tuesday over Critical Race Theory and whether or not it was being taught in schools.
Sara Haines and guest cohost Michele Tafoya attempted to address the issue by explaining that young children were being taught things about race that aligned with Critical Race Theory even if it was not officially named that in the curriculum — and Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar objected. (RELATED: ‘I Don’t Have To Make White Kids Feel Bad For Being White’: Condoleezza Rice Sparks Explosive Debate On Critical Race Theory)
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Goldberg and Hostin began the segment with the claim that CRT — which teaches children that everything must be viewed through a lens that considers race first — was not being taught in any schools. (RELATED: Virginia Education Department Promotes Pro-CRT Book, Despite McAuliffe’s Claims The Curricula Isn’t Taught In The State)
“Now the message is white parents are being ignored when they complain their children aren’t comfortable learning about racism. That their white children don’t want to be uncomfortable. Well, let me tell you something. Black kids around this country are stigmatized and are made to feel uncomfortable every single day, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask white parents to allow their children to learn about the very real history in this country that is still very prevalent, the systemic racism that is still very prevalent in our country. What is so wrong with learning the real history?” Hostin asked, adding, “And I’m sorry if little white kids feel a little uncomfortable.”
Haines cut in then, making a comparison to the way sexism was addressed. “I have a little boy and a little girl. I don’t want anyone telling them at young, impressionable ages to my little boy, ‘You’re in charge here because you’re a white little boy,’ and it’s not race, but, like, ‘You are of the majority. You can do whatever you want. The world is your oyster.’ To my little girl, ‘The world is going to suck. It’s going to be against you because you’re a girl and you’re not going to have as many things,'” she said.
“There’s no class in second grad’ that is called ‘Your little boy sucks,'” Hostin replied.
“No,” Haines agreed, arguing that she was intentionally oversimplifying to make her point. “I’m using this as an example … Critical Race Theory is a legal scholarly argument. The name is being co-opted. What we’re saying is the systemic problem should be age-appropriate.”
Tafoya weighed in as well, saying that she had an adopted daughter from Colombia and wanted her to know that even though her skin was different, she should not be afraid to excel.
“That’s a great dodge, Sara and Michele,” Hostin shot back. “We’re talking about Critical Race Theory that is not being taught in schools.”
“Wait, what are we dodging?” Tafoya asked as Hostin and Goldberg both talked over her.
“Maybe under a different name,” Tafoya suggested, adding that she didn’t believe names should be changed and history erased as culture changed and parts of the past became problematic.
“Here’s the thing. If you don’t think it’s a bad thing for children to know about the horrors, there should be no issue –” Goldberg cut in, adding, “The problem here is if you really want to be a person that takes care of your kids, go to your teachers and find out what they’re teaching.”