No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has six pledges from San Leandro teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 15.
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 new San Leandro teachers included “I care about teaching the truth of our history to our youth. Social justice and equity should be part of our youth’s education always. We can’t be bullied; we can’t be silenced.” and “We’ve got two years to right this ship!”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Irazema Guerrero | estudiantes merecen saber la verdad de nuestra historia para aprender de los ancestros, no cometer los mismos errores, y crear un futuro donde cada persona tiene el derecho de vivir una vida libre, sin opresión o violencia. |
| Edward Mejia-Sarate | We’ve got two years to right this ship! |
| Marissa Pienaar | Sankofa, tells us you must look back to see where you are going. In order to move to a collective future where everyone can thrive, the truth of the past is necessary. We can't get to freedom without first acknowledging truth. |
| Kirsten Hansen | I remember when I finally learned the real history and felt utter betrayal from my educators. I don’t want students to feel that anger about their own learning. |
| Belen Magers | I care about teaching the truth of our history to our youth. Social justice and equity should be part of our youth’s education always. We can’t be bullied; we can’t be silenced. |
| Saul Schultheis-Gerry | Freedom and truth is everything! |
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