Commentary: Anti-critical race theory laws are on the brink of passage in Indiana. They’re based on an ignorance of history

Across the country, Republican lawmakers are taking aim at “critical race theory” and other race-conscious pedagogics. These lawmakers take their inspiration (and frequently, their language) from an executive order issued in the final months of the Trump administration, which decried “divisive” teachings on race and gender and mandated a “patriotic” education that presents our history in a positive light.

In Indiana, where I live, legislation on the brink of passage draws verbatim from Donald Trump’s order, prohibiting, among other things, lessons or