No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has six pledges from Newton 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 |
|---|---|
| Allegra Atkinson | “no comment” |
| Amy Winston | “no comment” |
| Danielle Johnson | I'm signing this pledge because my students deserve to understand the history of this country and the world to help contextualize and make sense of their real, lived experiences. |
| Hope F. | Kids deserve the truth. |
| Anne Carey | I am committed to helping young people understand how our country developed and how they can contribute to building a just and equitable society today. Being honest matters. |
| Roland Moffitt | “no comment” |
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