Ibram Kendi: ‘So Many Students’ Have Come to Me ‘Angry’ They Didn’t Learn About Systemic Racism, Slavery in School

Critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi, author and contributing writer for The Atlantic, on Tuesday revealed “so many students” have come to his classrooms “angry” that they never learned about systemic racism and racism in high school.

CBS “This Morning” host Tony Dokoupil asked Kendi, “Ibram, on the subject of learning, there’s a push in schools across the country from Republicans, in particular, to emphasize the more patriotic, in their view, elements of our history as opposed to some of the darker chapters — in particular, not teaching the idea of systemic racism. As a college professor yourself, as someone in the education business, what’s your response to that?”

“I think I am sympathetic to teachers and educators everywhere who are committed to doing our jobs, and our job is, to tell the truth,” Kendi replied. “Our job is to tell the good and the bad. Our job is to tell the light and the darkness. And I think that’s what students want.”

“And I know I’ve had so many students who have come to my classrooms and colleges angry that they did not learn about systemic racism and even about slavery during their k-through-12 years,” he added.

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