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Critical Race Theory in schools – another divisive topic: Golden/TIPP poll

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Only one in two (53%) is familiar with Critical Race Theory. Those familiar with the Critical Race Theory divide along party lines on teaching it in schools. An overwhelming number of Democrats approve, while most Republicans and independents disapprove. Those are the key findings of a Golden/TIPP Poll of 1,358 Americans nationwide conducted early this month.

The survey’s credibility interval (CI) is +/- 2.8 percentage points. It means the study is accurate to within ± 2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Americans been surveyed.

TIPP conducted the online survey from February 1 to 3.

Education is likely to become a top issue in the 2024 elections. Last week, former President Trump unveiled his education platform. He called for cutting federal funds to any education program that involves “critical race theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto our children.”

In a nutshell, liberals believe “Critical Race Theory” (CRT) must be taught to understand how American racism has shaped public policy. Conservatives believe it is a divisive approach that pits people of color against white people. Many state legislatures are debating bills to ban its use in the classroom.

Familiarity

The survey asked the respondents, “How familiar are you with Critical Race Theory?” The results tallied as follows:

  • 20% Very familiar
  • 32% Somewhat familiar
  • 21% Not very familiar
  • 22% Not at all familiar
  • 5% Not sure

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Overall, 53% are familiar, and 43% are not familiar.

Familiarity varies by party affiliation:

  • 61% of Democrats are familiar
  • 50% of Republicans are familiar
  • 44% of independents are familiar

By Ideology:

  • 61% of conservatives are familiar
  • 40% of moderates are familiar
  • 60% of liberals are familiar

Here are a few interesting observations regarding the topic:

Men (63%) are more likely to be familiar compared to women (43%).

Most of the affluent are aware, and familiarity increases with household income.

  • 38% of those under $30K are familiar
  • 55% of $30K to $50K are familiar
  • 53% of $50K to $75K are familiar
  • 67% of $75K+ are familiar

Those familiar with CRT were asked, “Do you approve or disapprove of teaching Critical Race Theory in the following grades? K-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12.” Poll respondents indicated if CRT should be taught for each of the three levels.

Overall, more people approve of teaching the topic in higher grades than in the lower ones. Here too, the opinion aligns with political and ideological affiliations. Further, the poll discovered a distinct preference based on the respondent’s area of residence.

A closer look reveals:

Teaching CRT In Grades K-5

Most (52%) of those familiar with CRT approve of teaching it in Grades K-5, while 41% disapprove. Whether to teach or not divides along party affiliation and ideology:

  • 75% of Democrats approve, and 17% disapprove
  • 18% of Republicans approve, and 79% disapprove
  • 36% of independents approve, and 55% disapprove

Interestingly, the approval of teaching depends on the respondents’ place of residence.

  • 73% of urban residents approve, and 21% disapprove
  • 40% of suburban residents approve, and 54% disapprove
  • 33% of rural residents approve, and 58% disapprove

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Teaching CRT In Grades 6-8

Most (59%) of those familiar with CRT approve teaching it to 6-8-graders; 35% disapprove. Whether to teach or not divides along party affiliation and ideology:

  • 84% of Democrats approve, and 11% disapprove
  • 22% of Republicans approve, and 75% disapprove
  • 46% of independents approve, and 46% disapprove

Similar to K-5, the approval of teaching depends on the respondents’ place of residence.

  • 78% of urban residents approve, and 17% disapprove
  • 49% of suburban residents approve, and 46% disapprove
  • 43% of rural residents approve, and 51% disapprove

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Teaching CRT In Grades 9-12

Teaching it to 9-12-graders is favored by 66% to 30% among those familiar with CRT. Whether to teach or not divides along party affiliation and ideology:

  • 88% of Democrats approve, and 8% disapprove
  • 31% of Republicans approve, and 68% disapprove
  • 55% of independents approve, and 39% disapprove

Similar to the other two levels, the approval to teach CRT to 9-12 graders depends on the respondents’ place of residence.

  • 81% of urban residents approve, and 16% disapprove
  • 56% of suburban residents approve, and 40% disapprove
  • 56% of rural residents approve, and 41% disapprove

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

In summary, most of those familiar with CRT approve of teaching it for K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade levels. However, there is a big party divide; while an overwhelming number of Democrats approve, an overwhelming share of Republicans and independents disapprove. Further, the approval is limited to urban residents; most suburbanites and rural residents dislike it.

With independents not favoring CRT, the GOP can gain an edge among them. The data reveals that information about the topic has failed to reach people across the country. The topic polarizes America along partisan lines and deepens the schism.

With parents concerned about the direction of education in the country, the issue has the potential to sway policymakers.

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TIPP Takes

Geopolitics And Geoeconomics

#1. U.N. To Mark Russia Invasion Of Ukraine Anniversary By Urging ‘Just Peace’ – Reuters

Marking one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly will vote next week on a draft resolution stressing “the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in line with the founding United Nations Charter.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

It again demands Moscow withdraw its troops and calls for a halt to hostilities.

The General Assembly has been the focus of U.N. action on Ukraine because the 15-member Security Council has been paralyzed by Russia, which holds veto power along with the United States, China, France, and Britain.

General Assembly resolutions are not legally-binding but carry political weight.


#2. Ukraine Shoots Down Russian ‘Reconnaissance’ Balloons – Al Jazeera

Russia may be using balloons to preserve its decreasing stocks of reconnaissance drones, as a new report says Moscow has lost 50 percent of its tanks during the war.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Six Russian balloons were spotted over Kyiv, and most were shot down after being engaged by air defenses, the Ukrainian capital’s military administration said.

Other than a shortage of drones, Russia has lost about half of its battle tanks since the invasion of Ukraine a year ago, a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) said.


#3. Russian Bombers Intercepted By NORAD Near Alaska – Reuters

North American air defense forces intercepted several Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets as they flew over international airspace near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said, in routine incidents unrelated to Ukraine.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

The aircraft identified on Monday did not enter U.S. or Canadian airspace and did not pose a threat, the joint U.S.-Canadian center said in a statement.

The United States also frequently carries out surveillance operations that do not enter other countries’ airspace, and such flights are a common part of military operations.


#4. Downed Chinese Balloon Aimed For Hawaii But Was Blown Off Course -U.S. Official – Reuters

U.S. officials believe a Chinese balloon that was shot down originally had a trajectory that would have taken it over Guam and Hawaii but was blown off course by prevailing winds, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

The incident has further strained U.S.-China relations and prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned visit to Beijing last week.

The U.S. military said it had recovered critical electronics from the balloon and large sections of the vessel itself.


#5. China Balloon Debris To Be Combed For American Parts: U.S. Official – Nikkei Asia

“The interest from the Bureau of Industry and Security is whether there are U.S. components and how they got there … and whether that was lawful or illicit trade,” a senior U.S. official told reporters.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

“If it was illicit trade, we can take some sort of responsive action. If it was lawful trade, we can think about whether we should change our regulations to prevent that trade,” said Thea Kendler, assistant secretary for export administration at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

The BIS deals with issues involving national security and high technology. Last week, the agency added six Chinese entities connected to Beijing’s suspected surveillance balloon program to an export blacklist.


#6. Elderly In China Protest Over Slashed Health Benefits – BBC

Crowds of retirees in China have again taken to the streets to protest against cuts to their medical benefits. They gathered on Wednesday for a second time in Wuhan, where Covid was first detected, and also in the north-eastern city of Dalian.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Protests first took place in Wuhan on February 8 after provincial authorities said they were cutting the level of medical expenses which retirees can claim back from the government.

Although such health insurance matters are handled at a provincial level, protests have spread to different parts of the country in what appears to be a renewed belief in the power of demonstrating in China.


#7. Turkey Quake Revives Debate Over Nuclear Plant Being Built – A.P.

The devastating earthquake that toppled buildings across parts of Turkey and neighboring Syria has revived a longstanding debate locally and in neighboring Cyprus about a large nuclear power station being built on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coastline.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

The size of the quake — the deadliest in Turkey’s modern history — sharpened existing concerns about the facility being built on the edge of a major fault line.

Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned company in charge of the project, says the power station is designed to “withstand extreme external influences” from a magnitude 9 earthquake.


#8. Turkey Earthquake: World Bank Estimated Making Homes Safe Would Cost $465bn – Middle East Eye

The World Bank estimated in 2021 that retrofitting or rebuilding millions of residential buildings in Turkey to withstand an earthquake would cost almost half a trillion dollars.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

The bank warned that “most housing stock in Turkish cities built prior to 2000” was “highly vulnerable to seismic and climate hazards” and required “urgent strengthening.”

But it said only about four percent of 6.7 million residential buildings across the country had been updated and estimated the overall cost of the work at $465bn.


#9. E.U. Expected To Sanction Iran’s IRGC Entities Over Drones Sent To Russia Soon: Report – Al Arabiya

The sanctions package will likely be rolled out within the next few days, ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Last month, the U.S. imposed trade restrictions on those Iranian entities over their involvement in producing and delivering drones to Russia, which were used in attacks on Ukraine.

A senior E.U. official said that the list of entities was chosen based on intelligence reports provided by Ukraine, including analysis of Iranian drones that were captured and showed which dual-use materials were used to manufacture them.


#10. U.S. Says Iran-Based Egyptian Said Al-Adel Is New Head Of Al-Qaeda – AFP

“Our assessment aligns with that of the U.N. — that al-Qaeda’s new de facto leader Saif al-Adel is based in Iran,” a state department spokesperson said.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

The United Nations report released Tuesday said that the predominant view of member states is that Adel is now the group’s leader, “representing continuity for now.”

But the group has not formally declared him “emir” because of sensitivity to the concerns of the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, who haven’t wanted to acknowledge that Zawahiri was killed by a U.S. rocket in a home in Kabul last year, according to the U.N. report.

In addition, the U.N. report said the terrorist group al-Qaeda is sensitive to the issue of Adel residing in largely Shia Iran.


#11. Israel Approves Law To Deport Palestinian Citizens And Residents – Middle East Eye

Israel has passed a law allowing the government to revoke citizenship or residency from those who have committed “acts of terror” and deport them to the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, in legislation that will effectively apply to Palestinians only.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll
Supporters of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group carry posters as they rally in solidarity with Palestinian women held in Israeli jails, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 5, 2023.

It was fast-tracked through parliament following an escalation of violence in recent months.

It will apply to both Palestinian citizens of Israel and permanent residents of occupied East Jerusalem, the latter of whom widely refuse Israeli citizenship and are issued residency I.D.s by Israel’s interior ministry.

Legal experts said last week that the policy amounts to a war crime and contravenes international law.


#12. Big Expose! Israeli Mastermind Tal Hanan Rigged 33 Presidential Elections Worldwide: Report – WION

In what could be termed the biggest expose in the history of elections, an investigation reportedly revealed that a team of Israeli contractors under Tal Hanan, a 50-year-old former Israeli special forces operative rigged over 30 elections worldwide using hacking.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll
Tal Hanan, the leader of a team allegedly meddling in election and commercial campaigns around the world, at his office in Modiin, December 2022

Many journalists were part of the investigation, which brought to light shocking revelation based on undercover footage and leaked documents, a copy of which was leaked to the Guardian.

Hanan and his team were running under the codename “Team Jorge.” He was extending his services to intelligence agencies and private companies, including services at the time of political campaigning.


#13. Antarctica Doomsday Glacier: ‘We Should All Be Very Concerned’ – Al Jazeera

Scientists studying Antarctica’s vast Thwaites Glacier – nicknamed the “Doomsday Glacier” – say warm water is seeping into its weak spots, threatening its demise and a massive sea rise.

Critical Race Theory In Schools – Another Divisive Topic: Golden/TIPP Poll

Thwaites, roughly the size of Florida, represents more than half a meter (1.6 feet) of global sea level rise potential and could destabilize neighboring glaciers that could cause a further 3-meter (9.8-foot) rise.


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Republished with permission from TIPP Insights

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