Racial Silences: Exploring and Incorporating Critical Frameworks in the Social Studies

If we are to aim toward a genuine democracy, we must be willing to look at the uncomfortable topics that continue to sabotage what we aspire to as a society. This article aims to problematize the ways we conceive of and implement the social studies. To do so, I investigate the social studies in K-12 practice through critical theoretical lenses, including critical race theory (CRT), Latino critical theory (LatCrit) and tribal critical theory (TribalCrit). Various practical resources are offered for teachers to bring a deeper level of equity to the practice of the social studies. This article provides possibilities based in both theory and practice. I discuss critical frameworks, and then, after each section, I provide resources and links to examples of critical curricula that incorporate those standpoints into the classroom. This can lead to a critical awareness regarding the ways that our democracy has shortchanged many Americans as well as the initiative to work toward change in our classrooms and society.