No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from Holyoke 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 |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Onopa | “no comment” |
| Mary Brazeau | My peers in 21 states face imminent threats to their livelihood by being asked to redact unpleasant history. This affects how we teach literature and Literacy. This affects our relationship to students. We will not lie to our students. |
| Mark Clinton | I cannot countenance lying to my students. |
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