No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from Belmont teachers by the end of the week ending Sep. 18.
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 |
|---|---|
| Jill MacKinnon | I believe in teaching my students the truth about the United States, its history, and current reality so that we can build a better country that is not rooted in systemic racism and oppression. |
| Dean Spencer | It is wrong to lie to children about history and their lives. |
| Jane Feinberg | The truth must be told. It is an act of Patriotic love to face the truth and to make visible the stories that have been suppressed for so many centuries. There will always be those who cannot look at reality, but a growing coalition of the willing can take us forward into a more nuanced understanding of how our nation was built on the backs of others. |
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