The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 24, the day before. It now has nine pledges from Richland 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 Richland teachers included, "My students deserve to know the truth" and "the truth will set our country free. If we do not teach the truth of our American history, we are doomed to repeat these cycles of racism, xenophobia, classism, and privilege".
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 |
|---|---|
| Ann Fraser | Truth matters and we can only get closer to the truth by considering multiple perspectives. |
| Chris Mesford Kenoyer | If I don't teach the truth, why should my students believe anything that I tell them. Because lying is a sin. Because teaching students critical thinking and investigative skills is part of teaching them how to think for themselves. |
| Diana McPherson | Students need to know the real history of our country so it’s not repeated. |
| Jasmine Antonson | We should not downplay the truth of our past history. |
| Jessica Goodrich | I did not understand from school how the history of our nation helped form the racial and other injustices that exist today. I did not even see many injustices. I want my children's education to be more complete than my own. I want them to understand how we got here so that as we enter the future, we can be educated voters who promote a more equitable society. |
| Jill Mulhausen | An accurate understanding of history is essential for our democracy and truly a life well lived. |
| Kauser Gwaduri | the truth will set our country free. If we do not teach the truth of our American history, we are doomed to repeat these cycles of racism, xenophobia, classism, and privilege. |
| Kirsten Sierra | My students deserve to know the truth |
| Laura McLeod | No comment |
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