No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has one pledge from Flagstaff teachers by the end of the week ending Feb. 5.
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.
The new Flagstaff teacher wrote “It is of paramount importance that American children learn a true and honest history of our nation. If our children do not learn what has happened in America's past, our country is doomed to repeat the same mistakes that have occurred in our past. I have been a teacher at public high schools in Arizona for over 40 years and I have never observed a teacher teach a lesson that made children feel guilty about their race. It saddens me a great deal that if our political leaders choose to deny teachers the right to teach a true and honest history of our country, over time, our democracy will fail.” when pledging to teach Critical Race Theory.
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 |
|---|---|
| Russell Randall | It is of paramount importance that American children learn a true and honest history of our nation. If our children do not learn what has happened in America's past, our country is doomed to repeat the same mistakes that have occurred in our past. I have been a teacher at public high schools in Arizona for over 40 years and I have never observed a teacher teach a lesson that made children feel guilty about their race. It saddens me a great deal that if our political leaders choose to deny teachers the right to teach a true and honest history of our country, over time, our democracy will fail. |
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