(UN)HIDDEN WHITENESS: A CRITICAL POLICY ANALYSIS ON RACE-RELATED EDUCATION POLICIES

Abstract

Over the last three years (2020-2023), many state legislatures responded to grassroots campaigns for social justice by enrolling legislation that explicitly and implicitly bans Critical Race Theory (CRT) and controls race-related instruction and training. This study examines race-related educational policies enacted by Iowa, Texas, and Florida legislation as leading examples of these efforts. The research question guiding this study was how educational school policies related to CRT in Texas, Florida, and Iowa are framed in state documents. The legislative frame includes the process and language that is utilized in crafting these bills to reveal the policies origins and goals. Three findings were identified using critical policy analysis (CPA) and Tema Okun’s (2021) white supremacy culture framework. The findings included (1) the development of this legislation revealing the policy goals of the context of control, (2) the naming of racism, and (3) the delivery of race-related content. By highlighting the policy context, framing, and text of the race-related bills, this study advances scholarship on K-12 educational policy around race and racism.