From "CRT" to "DEI": A history of race and moral panics

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 31 December 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

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Summary

A few years back, many politicians were raising the alarm about the dangers of "CRT" in schools. Today, the new risk to public education is "DEI." What do both of these moments have in common? They have all the elements of a moral panic. So in this installment of Code Switch History Class, we're looking at the history of moral panics in the U.S., and why they so often invoke fears about race and integration.

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