The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 21, the day before. It now has four pledges from Webster teachers.
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 Webster teachers included, "As educators, it is not our jobs to put forth false propaganda but to teach all of the truth, the decolonized history, so that students can think for themselves" and "My students deserve to learn the full history of our country".
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. Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and South Dakota, have denounced the teachings without passing specific legislation.
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 |
|---|---|
| Adrienne Gulino | My students deserve to learn the full history of our country. |
| Aradhana Mudambi | As educators, it is not our jobs to put forth false propaganda but to teach all of the truth, the decolonized history, so that students can think for themselves. |
| Gabrielle Barcomb | I want my students to know about where they came from and to not feel like they have to fear that due to the lack of silence in the education system. |
| Jaimalya Ashford | Truth is all that should be taught |
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