‘No, Don’t Clap For That!’: The View Clashes Over Teaching About Race and Racism in Classrooms

Just a day after Whoopi Goldberg locked horns with guest-host Lindsey Granger over critical race theory, Sunny Hostin clashed with Granger on the teaching of race in the nation’s classrooms.

Joy Behar addressed the topic of critical race theory, calling it “the history of this country,” while accusing Americans of not wanting to learn about their own history.

Granger argued that Americans have come to term with the nation’s history, specifically pointing to slavery, and questioned why topics highlighting the accomplishments of Black Americans are often ignored.

“We’re learning about slavery for sure, and I think we should learn about the fact that Africans started the vaccination process,” Granger continued. “That was the African tradition. Why have I never learned that until I was a grown adult.”

Seemingly confused by Granger’s point, Behar claimed that the guest host first argued that Americans were learning about Black history and then changed her tune.

“You’re misinterpreting my point intentionally,” Granger shot back. “You know what I said. I said that we’re learning about the victimization of Black people consistently — that’s a fact.”

Granger then argued that discussions highlighting Black excellence and beauty are largely absent in classrooms, turning to Hostin to ask if she learned about those topics in school.

“It’s certainly not my experience, but what you have to understand, Lindsey, is that the Republican agenda is to not only stop teaching about slavery, but also to not teach about Black excellence,” Hostin said.

Hostin then said that in addition to books on critical race theory, books celebrating Blackness are also facing bans across the nation.

“They want to ban Bakari Sellers’ book,” Hostin exclaimed when Granger challenged her to name a book. “They want to ban his book about Black excellence and children. That’s one book! I’ve got a list of them!”

Sara Haines then attempted to defend Granger’s argument, saying, “Critical race theory has become an umbrella term for some other things that are happening.”

“It’s only becoming an umbrella term because Republicans are making it that way!” Hostin replied. “And people like Lindsey are buying into it!”

The crowd then clapped for Hostin’s shot at Granger, prompting the guest host to say, “No, don’t clap for that!”

“Critical Race Theory is a Harvard Law class. It’s a Harvard discipline that was started by Derrick Bell,” Hostin continued. “There was a troll … Christopher Rufo — who decided he was going to call African American history and the history of this country ‘critical race theory.’ And people like you have bought into it.”

Watch above, via ABC.