Ga. parents skeptical of critical race theory interview experts

Bart and Coley Glasgow live in Canton, Georgia. They are the parents who conducted the interviews. They picked the questions. 11Alive recorded their interviews on-camera and the Glasgows reported what they learned.

11Alive asked the Glasgows to participate after seeing Bart speak at a Cherokee County School Board meeting on May 20, 2021. 

Bart and other parents attended the meeting after learning the school district hired an administrator to lead its DEI program. Some parents, including Bart, did not believe a DEI program or administrator was needed. The administrator withdrew from the position after the parents protested her hiring. None of them got a chance to meet her.

They also voiced concern with the possibility of the district teaching critical race theory. 11Alive introduced the Glasgows to Dr. Carol Anderson, a professor and chair of African American Studies at Emory University. 

In the interview the Glasgows conducted, Dr. Anderson explained what is and what is not taught in public schools and how the law has helped define race in the United States.

“There is this fear that talking about, teaching slavery, teaching the removal of Indigenous people, that what that will do is that, it will make our students feel ashamed, it will make our students feel embarrassed," said Dr. Anderson. "No. Because, when we’re teaching that, we’re also talking about the strengths of the American people to fight for democracy.”

Watch the full interview with Dr. Anderson here.