Stephen Monticelli

A common joke posted by teachers online is that, quote, if we could indoctrinate students, students would always read the syllabus. But that didn't stop panic over CRT expanding to include anti-LGBTQ sentiment as well, with queer students and teachers who supported them being placed squarely in the crosshairs of a well-funded national hate machine dedicated to ginning up fear among local parents.

Here's a clip from one speech I personally witnessed at the school board meeting of my hometown school district, Grapevine-Colleyville, from August 2022.

Here's a clip from one speech I personally witnessed at the school board meeting of my hometown school district, Grapevine-Colleyville, from August 2022.

Here's a clip from one speech I personally witnessed at the school board meeting of my hometown school district, Grapevine-Colleyville, from August 2022.

As absurd as all this may seem, there was something to this national phenomenon that was rooted in reality. As of 2020, the United States had become more culturally diverse, racially integrated, and accepting of LGBTQ people than ever before. And our education systems have increasingly reflected that reality. There's also a deep irony to this reaction.

As absurd as all this may seem, there was something to this national phenomenon that was rooted in reality. As of 2020, the United States had become more culturally diverse, racially integrated, and accepting of LGBTQ people than ever before. And our education systems have increasingly reflected that reality. There's also a deep irony to this reaction.

As absurd as all this may seem, there was something to this national phenomenon that was rooted in reality. As of 2020, the United States had become more culturally diverse, racially integrated, and accepting of LGBTQ people than ever before. And our education systems have increasingly reflected that reality. There's also a deep irony to this reaction.

Prior to the advances of the civil rights era and beyond, schools in the United States have often been the centers of ideologically motivated education, but not the fantasy Bolshevik propaganda that outrages the right. In fact, it's usually been the opposite.

Prior to the advances of the civil rights era and beyond, schools in the United States have often been the centers of ideologically motivated education, but not the fantasy Bolshevik propaganda that outrages the right. In fact, it's usually been the opposite.

Prior to the advances of the civil rights era and beyond, schools in the United States have often been the centers of ideologically motivated education, but not the fantasy Bolshevik propaganda that outrages the right. In fact, it's usually been the opposite.

For most of its history, American public schools have effectively advanced white supremacy, female subordination, and submission to capitalism.

For most of its history, American public schools have effectively advanced white supremacy, female subordination, and submission to capitalism.

For most of its history, American public schools have effectively advanced white supremacy, female subordination, and submission to capitalism.

In this episode, we're going to look at what has actually been taught in American schools over the years, with a particular focus in Texas, and how what you learn about American history depends on where you live, and how Christian supremacists are successfully inserting their theology into school curriculums in much of the country, with Texas playing a leading role.

In this episode, we're going to look at what has actually been taught in American schools over the years, with a particular focus in Texas, and how what you learn about American history depends on where you live, and how Christian supremacists are successfully inserting their theology into school curriculums in much of the country, with Texas playing a leading role.

In this episode, we're going to look at what has actually been taught in American schools over the years, with a particular focus in Texas, and how what you learn about American history depends on where you live, and how Christian supremacists are successfully inserting their theology into school curriculums in much of the country, with Texas playing a leading role.

From the 1880s until the 1960s, school books depicted the country's only brief experiment with multiracial democracy at the time, the Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1877, as a time of rampant corruption. These books often described emancipated African Americans as ignorant, lazy, and expecting government handouts, while their white allies were portrayed as crooks.

From the 1880s until the 1960s, school books depicted the country's only brief experiment with multiracial democracy at the time, the Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1877, as a time of rampant corruption. These books often described emancipated African Americans as ignorant, lazy, and expecting government handouts, while their white allies were portrayed as crooks.

From the 1880s until the 1960s, school books depicted the country's only brief experiment with multiracial democracy at the time, the Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1877, as a time of rampant corruption. These books often described emancipated African Americans as ignorant, lazy, and expecting government handouts, while their white allies were portrayed as crooks.

Again, school books reinforced an American culture in the 1920s that responded to the horrors of World War I, labor unrest, and the impact of immigration by becoming not only more intolerant, but also more anti-democratic.