Critical Race Theory in Education: How Banning its Tenets Undermines our Best Hope for Equity in Education

Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its potential contributions to K–12 public education is under scrutiny by lawmakers and parent groups across the United States. Banning the tenets of CRT will produce even less equitable outcomes for our most vulnerable student populations. Interdisciplinary collaboration is critical for behavior analysts working alongside educators in public schools. This paper will unite educators and behavior analysts in a scholarly discussion of the origins, definition, and opposition to CRT; highlight current inequities and disparities in educational systems; outline the effectiveness of culturally relevant pedagogical practices; and propose a call to action for behavior analysts to collaborate with educators to improve equitable student outcomes.