No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Mount Jackson teachers by the end of the week ending April 2.
They’re one of the thousands of US teachers pledging to continue educating students about the controversial Critical Race Theory, which explains racism is embedded in US culture and politics.
Comments from new Mount Jackson teachers included “when leaders no longer lead with integrity and responsibility, that's when others must use their voices against the injustice of the times.” and “I believe it is imperative to be truth-tellers in a climate that wants to keep one perspective at the forefront of how we view history. And yet, history is a multi-faceted array of perspectives - even if traditionally those with wealth, power, and literacy have circumvented the right of others to tell their stories, too.”.
Though the concept was first suggested in the late 70’s, it has recently exploded as a contentious issue between the American right and left in the last two years.
Many who signed the pledge are defying state bans on the teachings. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and Georgia, have denounced the teachings and are discussing a ban on critical race theory teachings.
In an interview with The Washington Free Beacon, Ashley Varner of the Freedom Foundation accused the Zinn Education Project of providing “left-leaning propaganda to teachers.”
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Sarah Kohrs | when leaders no longer lead with integrity and responsibility, that's when others must use their voices against the injustice of the times. |
| Sarah Kohrs | I believe it is imperative to be truth-tellers in a climate that wants to keep one perspective at the forefront of how we view history. And yet, history is a multi-faceted array of perspectives - even if traditionally those with wealth, power, and literacy have circumvented the right of others to tell their stories, too. |
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