Reproducing whiteness? A critical race analysis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ process for drafting the framework for secondary religious education

Abstract

This article draws on critical race theory and social reproduction theory to analyze the process resulting in the curriculum framework for secondary, Catholic, religious education in the US. This document, promulgated by Church leaders, has impacted millions of US Catholic high school students. Recent calls for racial justice, within and outside of the Catholic Church, invite inquiry into whether this framework is impacting all students equally. This article explores two key questions: Whose knowledge mattered in the creation of the Framework? Was the Framework constructed so as to support the creation of a culturally-sustaining religion curriculum for all students? This analysis demonstrates why the Framework may be problematic for Students of Color and suggests Catholic leaders and educators must learn more from critical race scholars and education researchers if they are to enhance the quality of this and future pedagogical resources for religious instruction. Recommendations are made for addressing the issues raised.