Critical race theory is appropriate in universities, but not schools, says Bonnie Kerrigan Snyder

I studied for a doctorate in English literature in the early 1990s–when literary “theory” had taken root in academia–and found myself marinated in critical feminist theory. The recipe was simple: review every book through the lens of womanhood. Was the book written by a man? If so, attack it on those grounds, and be extra critical of the author’s portrayals of women. If it was written by a woman, extol its merit on those grounds, regardless of whether it is worthwhile. This was the simple means to success. Professors and students alike became cynical automatons, obediently parroting expected opinions.