Air Force Academy Professor Defends Critical Race Theory Criticized by Congressman | Military

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An Air Force Academy professor said critical race theory is “vital,” saying the United States has a history of racism that “has shaped both foreign and domestic policy.”

Teaching theory “is not unpatriotic,” said Lynne Chandler Garcia, associate professor at the Colorado Springs school, adding that it “does not promote division among our military.”

Prior to academy, Garcia worked as a civilian contractor for the Army’s Combined Arms Center in Kansas. His areas of expertise include inter-agency cooperation in Iraq.

Colorado Springs area school district to ban teaching “critical race theory”

“As a professor of political science (…) I teach critical racial theories to future military leaders in our country, as it is essential that cadets understand the history of racism that has shaped foreign and domestic policy.” , she wrote in an opinion piece on Tuesday. .

Colorado Springs Republican Representative Doug Lamborn on Wednesday condemned the teaching of critical race theory at the academy.

Just two weeks ago Secretary (of Defense) (Lloyd) Austin testified before the House Armed Services Committee that Critical Race Theory is not something that is taught, pushed or adopted in our military. Lamborn said in a press release. “I am deeply concerned that an associate professor at the United States Air Force Academy has enthusiastically endorsed the teaching of critical race theory to future officers of our Space Force and our Air Force.

“This is in direct violation of the clearly expressed intention of the Secretary of Defense. As a member of the United States Air Academy Visitors Council, I object to teaching our cadets that the country they serve is fundamentally racist Critical Race Theory is an anti-American ideology rooted in Marxism and has no place in any of our service academies.

Professors at the academy, known for its grueling curriculum, have great freedom to express their opinions. The school’s 4,000 cadets go through four years of instruction, including a challenging core curriculum that includes a political science course.

Cadets march in a ceremony at the Air Force Academy. Gazette archive photo.

David Bitton, The Gazette

“At Air Force Academy, we are committed to achieving the highest ideals of a broad and liberal education while providing our cadets with the best possible preparation for a life of service to the nation,” the school said. on its website. “In fact, achieving this balance is one of the Air Force Academy’s most unique and critical contributions to the officer corps.”

Garcia, who has worked at the academy since 2017, said she tries to teach her students the “duality” of “liberalism and equal rights on the one hand” and “inequality, the inequality and second-class citizenship on the other hand, ”she noted. , claiming that critical race theory provides “an academic framework for deconstructing oppressive beliefs, policies and practices in order to find solutions that will lead to justice.”

The US military was racist in its early days because, according to it, former President George Washington opposed black soldiers in the military, making racism “ingrained in the system from the start.”

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The subject of critical race theory has become a dominant narrative in public discourse in recent months. Opponents have frequently raised their objections at school board meetings across the country.

The National Education Association voted at its annual meeting earlier in July to support the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools.

“On the issue of critical race theory etc, a lot of us have to get a lot smarter regardless of the theory,” said Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the June 23. “But I do think it’s important, actually, for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and widely read. I want to understand white rage, and I’m white.”

Place of Origin: Air Force Academy Professor Says America Shaped by ‘History of Racism’ Tries to Defend Critical Race Theory

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