Date of Award

Fall 9-5-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Education

First Advisor

tavis jules

Abstract

In the wake of Donald Trump’s failed 2020 bid for a second presidential term, there was a surge in anti-CRT legislation targeting how issues of race and racism could be taught in public school curricula. While proponents claim that anti-CRT laws will protect students of all races from discrimination, curriculums have historically been used as a tool by those with symbolic power to legitimize white supremacy and perpetuate anti-Black and color-evasive racism. Two states--Florida and Arkansas--recently enacted anti-CRT legislation in addition to Black history mandates. While legislators in these two states claim that their goal is to expand the teaching of African American history and equip all students to address issues of race and racism, the resulting US History state standards suggest otherwise. This offers a unique opportunity for critical discourse analysis to understand what is being taught in these two states and for what purposes. In the following case study, I will outline the methods and theoretical frameworks I used to answer the questions “What do the legally constructed narratives in Florida and Arkansas’s secondary US history curriculums say about Black people’s lived experiences from 1619 to the present? How does this curriculum intentionally inflict symbolic violence on students by perpetuating anti-Black and/or color-evasive racism?”

Download

Share

COinS