Conservative Media Is Amplifying the Critical Race Theory Opposition

 https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/06/conservative-media-critical-race-theory-opposition

The Black Lives Matter protest movement not only turned a spotlight on horrific incidents of police violence, but forced Americans to confront systemic racism and explore tragic moments in the country’s history. Thoroughly addressing the Tulsa Race Massacre, establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday commemorating the end of slavery, and shedding light on the racist origins of local and federal policing have helped spur a long-overdue reckoning. But conservative lawmakers and the right-wing media industry are now hell-bent on stifling educators from teaching about America’s history of racism and how it still impacts people of color today. 

In making “critical race theory” their new culture war scapegoat, conservative networks have relied heavily on reactionary commentary coming from concerned parents and school employees. Over the past few weeks, Fox News featured numerous guests who fit that bill, but in the cases of 11 of them, the network failed to fully disclose their professional conservative ties, according to a report from the progressive nonprofit Media Matters for America. The news watchdog found that Fox introduced the guests as everyday Americans––teachers, members of school boards, and parents of students––who just want to voice their concerns. But the network either downplayed or omitted their conservative career ties, such as GOP strategist, think tank staffer, Republican lobbyist, and professional pundit.