The Dunning-Kruger Effect and Critical Race Theory – GDN Exclusive

Bridges can help to span the gap between seeing and understanding just as they assist in crossing bodies of water and landmasses.

As such, I appreciate the Dunning-Kruger Effect and I hope that you can, too. It gives me so much insight into why we are so horrible at judging ourselves and why cognitive bias is very strong.

What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect? To paraphrase britannica.com: “Dunning-Kruger Effect is where people with limited knowledge or competence tend to greatly overestimate their knowledge or competence.”

I say that cognitive bias is strong, and you might ask what that is. According to Healthline.com: “A cognitive bias is a flaw in your reasoning that leads you to misinterpret information from the world around you and to come to inaccurate conclusions.”

The article on the website goes on to list some examples of some of the cognitive biases that exist. One was “Confirmation Bias.” This is where people tend to seek out information or interpret that information in ways to strengthen what they already believe. Another was the “False Consensus Effect.” This is where one overestimates the degree to which other people agree with them.

I will give a simple example that I think that we will all understand. We tend to overestimate things that we fear. For example, because one fears spiders, the scary ones seem huge even when they are not. That would be cognitive bias.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is paradoxical. Knowing little usually leads to overconfidence. Not only does it lead to unjustified confidence, but one does not even possess the skills or knowledge to rationally determine that they know very little. But, what does this look like in action?

This brings me to what prompted me to write about the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

In the Fayetteville Observer Sunday, SEP 12, 2021 in the Perspective section, there’s an article that asks: Will CRT crowd out math and science?

My first thought was the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Does the author know if he’s competent enough in the educational system to make determinations of what they are teaching? The obvious answer is a simple “No.”

I say obvious because they don’t teach CRT in grade school. It’s not even taught in undergraduate studies. Not until graduate school, years beyond K-12 are students possibly exposed to Critical Race Theory. So why would anyone suggest otherwise?

The second paragraph of the article says, “America’s lofty global ranking in the education arena is impressive, and one might also argue, qualified to tackle the controversial academic concept: Critical Race Theory (CRT).” I find this statement beyond strange. Again, CRT is not taught in grade school. CRT is a graduate-level concept selected for study by adult students.

In the fourth paragraph comes a masterpiece of absurdity. Here the article states this: “President Joe Biden has authorized the U.S. Dept. of Education to insert CRT ideology into public education by connecting federal grant money to its implementation.”

What? Did this happen? How did this not make the news? How could I have possibly missed this? Has anyone else heard this earth-shattering news?

I stop reading here and I begin to research this huge, controversial, and consequential news, all while wondering, “How did I miss this?” I Googled, “Biden Department of Education CRT.” I can’t seem to find this incredible pronouncement.

Did Google fail me? I find some related stories, but they are all on the Right-Wing media, and considering the subject, I wanted to avoid overly partisan sources. All I can find is Fox News, Heritage Foundation, Washington Times, and other partisan websites.

I eventually conceded because I could neither accept nor get past this assertion, so I read one. I choose the far-Right leaning news outlet nationalreview.com. The article is titled: Biden Set to Push Critical Race Theory on U.S. Schools. Remember this title because I will refer to it later.

The article goes on to say, “Biden’s Department of Education has just released the text of a proposed new rule establishing priorities for grants in American History and Civics Education programs.” I think, “OK.” I go on to read this: “That rule gives priority to grant “projects that incorporate racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse perspectives.”

Wait, hold on a second. This is not what CRT is. CRT is one thing and has a definition. This is not it no matter what the title is.

This is when I realize that yes, the Dunning-Kruger Effect is in full effect, but that Biden statement was misinformation. This article misconstrues the Department of Education’s proposed new rule. I would not call this right-wing source’s article a lie per se.

I would call it misleading but taking this misleading framing to construct this straw man takes intention. This article seems to intentionally mislead when making the ridiculous assertion of non-existing CRT courses that will replace STEM courses. This is devastatingly harmful and fearmongering.

Yes, this is the opinion section but there is no thin line between what is an opinion and what is disinformation (not even misinformation). There is a big thick, black line between the two and this is a bridge too far for me.

Daron Davis is a Fayetteville State University alumnus, writer, and community organizer.

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