As the nation rips through revisions to how it looks at racism, there is a growing concern that the effort might not have the expected outcome and make race relations worse.
In the latest evidence of that, the outcry in some of the nation’s school systems over teaching “critical race theory” and that America is inherently racist is dividing the nation like few other issues.
Overall, the latest Rasmussen Reports survey said that 43% of voters polled said the teachings would make race relations worse. Just 24% said it would make relations better.
But the partisan divide is much wider. Some 67% of Republicans said critical race theory is divisive, while Democrats, by a 43% to 18% margin, believe it will make relations better.
The issue of racism has long been a hot topic and turned inflammatory over the 2020 debates of police shootings and Confederate monuments. Under President Joe Biden, it has become white-hot and helped to push through some changes, including the newly passed law making June 19 a federal holiday to celebrate Juneteenth, heralding the post-Civil War emancipation of slaves.
Rasmussen said that Biden voters are most supportive.
“President Joe Biden’s strongest supporters are most likely to support teaching Critical Race Theory in public schools. Among voters who ‘Strongly Approve’ of Biden’s job performance as president, 52% believe teaching CRT will make race relations better in America. By contrast, among voters who ‘Strongly Disapprove’ of Biden’s performance, 80% think teaching CRT in public schools will make race relations worse,” read the analysis.
The issue has been vigorously debated in school systems in the Washington, D.C., area, with counties such as Maryland’s Montgomery and Virginia’s Loudoun seeing protests.
