The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 26, the day before. It now has three pledges from Norfolk 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 Norfolk teachers included, "I want my students to grow into responsible, active, educated citizens so that they can continue this great democratic experiment our founding fathers put forth" and "Systemic racism is factually a part of our country’s history and it must be named and recognized in order for us to do and be better. As an educator of young people it is my obligation to be honest about hard history".
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 |
|---|---|
| Blair Ellson | I want my students to grow into responsible, active, educated citizens so that they can continue this great democratic experiment our founding fathers put forth. |
| Marena Davis | history matters! It is important to tell students the truth so that they can see how and why America and the surrounding world is the way that it is. With truthful information, students will be better informed citizens who can hopefully make politically correct decisions. If we want to see a change in America, we must tell the truth! |
| Pam Kitterman | Systemic racism is factually a part of our country’s history and it must be named and recognized in order for us to do and be better. As an educator of young people it is my obligation to be honest about hard history |
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