No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Everett teachers by the end of the week ending Aug. 28.
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| Keith Spencer | knowledge is a transformative power that allows young people the opportunity to not only comprehend the role of history, but also see its impact in their day to day lives and current events. |
| Alana Russell | This past year I have never had students more eager to talk about the current climate of our country, racial and social justice issues, and what they can do as young people to make our society more equitable for all. Our robust discussions helped me understand their experiences and the information and misinformation they were receiving from online sources. To ban these critical conversations is an attack against our first amendment rights and does an extreme disservice to our young learners who are eager to improve our community, country and our world. |
| Sara Barber-Just | I believe no country can move forward without reckoning with its past and repairing it. If we erase history we are only doomed to repeat it. The teachers at my school talk about social and racial justice every day and our students are better for it. Year after year, they sign up for more of these discussions; though we offer classic courses, the most highly enrolled English electives at our school are African American Literature, LGBTQ Literature, and Contemporary Literature. We believe it is our moral obligation to give our students the tools to understand the real world they live in so they are equipped to make transformation and justice for all possible. |
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