Fort Worth schools superintendent calls critical race theory issue ‘manufactured crisis’
Fort Worth schools Superintendent Kent Scribner described the critical race theory debate as a “manufactured crisis” during a panel discussion Thursday hosted by the Texas Tribune.
The panel, which also included Dallas schools Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and former Richardson superintendent Jeannie Stone, touched on the challenges of the pandemic, book investigations, the teaching of race and history, equity work and more.
Scribner said the last two years have presented the most challenging leadership scenario that any of them have dealt with and that the district is trying to combat the learning loss and inequities that the pandemic contributed to.
Tribune CEO Evan Smith asked the panel if Senate Bill 3, the so-called critical race theory bill that aims to restrict how race and history are taught in K-12 schools, has changed district curriculum.
Critical race theory (CRT) is a school of thought originating in the 1970s and ‘80s that analyzes how racism impacts the U.S. and its various systems.
All three panelists said their districts’ curriculum hasn’t changed because they have never taught CRT or anything that falls outside that law.
Scribner alluded that in private conversations with legislators, they have acknowledged that anti-critical race theory campaigns are mainly political strategies.
Tarrant County is ground zero for the battle of the Republican Party, as shown by the hostile Tarrant County Judge primary race, and the school board room has become a public square where political grievances are aired, he said.
Scribner said equity work and academic excellence are not competing values. He believes that every student should achieve at the height of their talents but not every student starts the educational race at the same starting line.
He said these debates are mainly distractions that shouldn’t detract from the work the district is trying to achieve.
“This is a manufactured crisis,” he said. “A small, loud group who comes every other Tuesday night to a school board meeting, and the majority of our 77,000 students are not paying attention to the foolishness that takes place.”
Scribner said the state should have a role in public schools, but so should school boards. Anything in the extreme is wrong, he said.
Smith also asked the panelists about the investigation into books at Texas school districts that discuss sex, race and LGBTQ topics prompted by State Rep. Matt Krause and Gov. Greg Abbott.
On Wednesday, a leaked recording revealed Granbury schools Superintendent Jeremy Glenn ordered the removal of books that discuss sex and LGBTQ topics.
Hinojosa said the district didn’t hear from the governor or the attorney general following up on Krause’s investigation announcement in October, and Scribner implied that Krause’s investigation was a political move as he was running for state attorney general and then Tarrant County district attorney.
During the March primaries, Krause qualified for a May 24 runoff with Phil Sorrells to determine the Republican Party’s county district attorney candidate.
Scribner’s comments come a day after Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker distanced herself from the Republican Party during another Texas Tribune panel.
In January, Scribner announced that he plans to retire after his replacement is selected.
This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 4:41 PM.
