Attacks on LGBTQ+ kids and on teachers as “groomers” and “indoctrinators” have mostly replaced right-wing hysteria about critical race theory, but Oklahoma state schools superintendent Ryan Walters was willing to show off his circa 2021 “I don’t know what CRT is but that won’t stop me from talking about it” chops on Thursday night.
Walters took questions at the Norman Central Library, and although the event was sponsored by a county Republican Party, he got some tough ones. Like, “Why are you banning books and coming to speak at a library?” Someone even brought a laugh track. But a question about the Tulsa Race Massacre really laid bare the willful ignorance and vacuousness of how Republicans lob accusations of CRT to deflect from talking seriously about U.S. history.