A new fixation on critical race theory muddies the debate in Southlake, drowning out the voices of students who’d come forward with stories about racism.

The Circus Comes to Town

Southlake, Texas, seems to have it all: stately homes, intense civic pride, and above all, terrific schools. So when a video surfaced in 2018 showing Southlake high school students chanting the N-word—and when Black residents came forward to share stories of racist harassment and bullying—the school board vowed to make changes. But the unveiling of the Cultural Competence Action Plan set off a backlash that’s consumed Southlake, fueled by a growing national crusade against critical race theory. Hosted by NBC News national reporter Mike Hixenbaugh (host of the hit podcast Do No Harm) and NBC News correspondent Antonia Hylton, Southlake tells the story of how one idyllic city became the test case for a new political strategy with national repercussions.

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In a new Black History Month series, MSNBC’s Trymaine Lee discovers a surprising story on reparations that could shift the way this key debate is understood across the country.

Special preview of Into America presents: Uncounted Millions

Grapevine votes in a school board election driven by religion and LGBTQ inclusion. The student and teacher at the center of it all decide how to move forward.

Grapevine - Ep. 6: A Final Lesson

Amid a battle at the Texas statehouse over religion and LGBTQ rights, three nonbinary students reflect on their Grapevine High experiences.

Grapevine - Ep. 5: Open The Floodgates

A man goes public about growing up gay in a fundamentalist Christian home in Texas. A teacher is at a loss after removing LGBTQ symbols from her classroom.

Grapevine - Ep. 4: A Raging Fire

A student in Grapevine, Texas, plans to escape her mother as she’s caught in an anti-trans battle involving her family, her English teacher and her school.

The Circus Comes to Town

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