The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 3, the day before. It now has three pledges from Oakland 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 Oakland teachers included, "We are stronger when we confront the truth, heal, and grow, not when we plug our ears and lie to ourselves and our children. Children can handle the truth, and they deserve to learn it. Pretending will not make our history go away. We are strong enough to face the good and the bad" and "My students deserve to learn about the real history of our country. I will not dilute any of the horrible facts of our past".
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 |
|---|---|
| Heather Reed | No comment |
| Jennifer Schmitz | My students deserve to learn about the real history of our country. I will not dilute any of the horrible facts of our past. |
| Sarah Hinds | We are stronger when we confront the truth, heal, and grow, not when we plug our ears and lie to ourselves and our children. Children can handle the truth, and they deserve to learn it. Pretending will not make our history go away. We are strong enough to face the good and the bad. |
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