DeKalb Times

Northern Illinois University race and media professor Joseph Flynn says many of the arguments about critical race theory (CRT) miss the mark.

“(Critical race theory) tries to help people understand that this is how racism functions in this country,” Flynn told Northern Public Radio. “It's not just about people's attitudes. It's not just about people's best intentions. It's about laws, policies and social practices that we continue to promote.”

Flynn points to such practices as mandatory minimum sentencing, mass incarceration and the Federal Housing Administration refusing to insure mortgages in black neighborhoods as prime examples.  

“When you start looking at those kinds of things, and start thinking about ‘How does a policy, even a policy that's passed with the best of intentions, have deleterious impact on non-white communities?’” said Flynn. “That's when you're getting in critical race theory.”

The debate over CRT teachings has become a red-hot issue across much of the country.  

Black radio host and father Ty Smith recently argued at a District 87 School Board meeting that the teachings would cause more harm than good.  

 “How to dislike each other, that’s pretty much all it's going to come down to,” Smith said in a video posted to YouTube. “You’re going to deliberately teach kids this white kid got it better than you because he’s white. You’re going to purposely tell a white kid all the black people are down and oppressed. How do I have two medical degrees if I’m sitting here oppressed? No mom, no dad in the house, I worked my way through college.”

Smith has been a vocal CRT critic, previously blasting the concept of a race-based curriculum as a "bunch of nonsense" and a harmful view of the world to convey to young children.