1) All concepts designated as "theories" are a way of looking at a system or phenomenon.
2) By definition, a theory is neither true nor untrue, and is not presented as factual.
3) Many concepts taken for granted as simple fact are still referred to as theories by scientists: the theory of gravity, atomic theory, etc. The reason is that they cannot be empirically proved--only inferentially. (For instance, we don't know how gravity actually works and don't have the ability to directly observe atoms.)
4) Many concepts that are in fact theories are taught as facts by pseudo-schools, such as religious indoctrination "seminaries" and Christian schools. The existence of God is a theory.
Critical race theory is defined as follows: "Race is a social construct and racism is neither an individual bias nor prejudice, but rather embedded in the legal system and supplemented with policies and procedures." (Brooks, R., 1994)
Let's take a look at how this is used as a conservative dog-whistle. It's actually pretty clever, as is much Republican propaganda. They claim that CRT is "taught" in schools, as in, a belief system to which students are expected to adhere. That's a lie. What actually happens is that students are taught about CRT. The way Republicans misstate it is like saying that students are taught Naziism because they are taught the history of Germany.
CRT has also been defined as "systemic racism." Now, while I personally don't agree with CRT, it's a valid point of view, at least regarding American society, because racism is thoroughly baked into our legal, judicial, and social systems (examples: Electoral College; overrrepresentation of rural areas in the Senate; gerrymandering). Also, I would imagine that if you're Black in America, you might agree that race determines just about everything: whether you get a job, whether you get a mortgage loan, whether when you're pulled over, you get a traffic ticket or you're shot, etc. etc., whether when you participate in a social protest, you're a "group of impassioned patriots" or "an angry mob of criminals."
CRT is just one of many ways of looking at American society. It's neither good nor bad. I believe that all valid ideas should be expressed and that choking off CRT because of White grievance is stupid and antidemocratic. I also note with a mixture of alarm and amusement that conservitards have been the first to leap to the defense of conspiracy theorists who have been prohibited from speaking at universities. They're all for the free exchange of ideas as long as it's their ideas.
One wonders just how many Republitards in Virginia thought about CRT as deeply as above before getting all ginned up about it and rushing to the polls. 0.001%? That many?
