From my perspective, there’s nothing inherently racial about literature or religion or music et al.

But when you begin to teach (measure / evaluate / categorize) within any of these disciplines, you necessarily introduce the observer’s bias. Once this bias becomes codified, the purveyors develop amnesia and assume that their judgments are based on impersonal, timeless principles.

We should, as you recommend, start over from scratch. Then we should acknowledge our bias as we proceed, and work to develop a consensus that will serve everyone and harm no one.