Black History Month arrives as teachers' fears mount

Nearly 30% of educators in red states that limit discussions of Black history say they've altered their curriculum, according to a new survey of teachers.

Why it matters: Conservative-led states' and school districts' bans on so-called critical race theory have led some teachers to scrap once-noncontroversial Black history lessons for fear of being fired or shamed on and social media.

By the numbers: A quarter of all teachers reported that limitations placed on how educators can address race or gender had influenced their choice of curriculum materials or instructional practices, an American Instructional Resources Survey by the RAND Corporation found.

That percentage includes teachers who live in red states where new restrictions have been imposed and in states where no limitations have been introduced -- highlighting the overall anxiety from teachers.

About 41% of Black teachers in states with limitations say they have changed lessons. Around 28% of white teachers in those same states say they altered their curriculum.