Rising controversies over critical race theory, playing out across elections, legislation and the media, risk doing real harm to students and, by extension, the society they will soon inherit. Educators can and must be supported in mitigating this harm. With intentional, dispassionate planning; better training and resources for teachers; and common-sense faith in students’ abilities to think and reason, Americans can shift this roiling debate into an opportunity for growth, learning and understanding.

Legislators in 40 states have introduced nearly 200 anti-critical race theory bills since the start of 2021. Such measures typically describe classroom discussions of race and racism as divisive concepts to be avoided. But teaching a factual, unabridged version of the nation’s history is not inherently divisive. It is an opportunity to equip students with collaborative, critical thinking skills, which is the very purpose of public education. What is truly divisive is dragging educators through this political battle, creating collateral damage for students of color and white children alike, as the country emerges from the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

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