Is This Critical Race Theory At York High?

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst resident Tom Chavez has maintained for months that York High School is pushing critical race theory. Last week, he pointed to a classroom wall display that he said makes his point.

The display is titled "intersectional identity" and features a maze of streets that one must presumably navigate. At various turns are categories such as race, age, sexual orientation, gender, politics, religion, hobbies and language.

In an email to school officials, Chavez said the display represents "intersectionality." In his view, it is a component of critical race theory that "reduces individuals to a collection of racial, gender and sexual identities, which determine whether an individual is an oppressor or one of the oppressed."

Chavez, who is considering a run for the school board in 2023, asked for an explanation from Elmhurst School District 205. He said the explanation should be in plain English about what exactly is being taught to students.

"Placating families who do not align with this ideology is not acceptable," said Chavez, a York parent. "Time to stop hiding what's really going on and provide constituent stakeholders with straight talk and honest answers to questions and concerns."

Kevin Poduska, chairman of York's English department, responded in an email Monday. He said identity is a concept the department employs in its sophomore English classes to "facilitate students' exploration of inquiries related to the ways in which individual and contextual factors can converge to affect individuals' and groups' experience in the world."

Poduska cited a number of state standards that call for such lessons. For instance, the Illinois standards for social sciences "empower our students to study multiple perspectives on the role of individuals, groups and institutions in people's struggle for safety, freedom, equality and justice."

He also noted a state law mandates that schools engage students in the study of the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in American history.

In a reply, Chavez questioned why such a subject would be taught in English class. He said he would rather English teachers focus on Shakespeare, Faulkner and Hemingway, among other notable authors.

"You're not equipped (as far as I'm aware) to delve into psychiatric analysis of students. That's for parents to deal with in their own way outside of school," Chavez said. "The truth is, educators are trying to infuse traditional education with the principles of (critical race theory), this is merely one example."

He promised to continue to expose what he and other parents see as critical race theory in local schools.

In an interview, Chavez said he planned to speak during public comments at next Tuesday's school board meeting about the wall display at York. He has spoken to the board a number of times about critical race theory, which has set off a local debate. Such discussions are happening around the country.

Critical race theory been around for four decades and examines societal issues through the lens of race. Proponents see racism as part of legal systems and policies, not just the result of individual prejudice. In the last year, it has become a lightning rod among conservatives. They say that while the theory may not be taught by its formal name, representations of it exist in public schools nonetheless.

Most school districts deny the theory is being taught in class.

According to the Oxford Scholarly Research Reviews website, the term "intersectionality" was coined in 1989. It has become the "key analytic framework" through which feminist scholars talk about the structural identities of race, class, gender and sexuality, the website says.