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 Sandwich teacher wrote "As history teachers we know that we must battle ignorance and lies in the pursuit of truth. We also know that the key to our future lies somewhere in the buried past. A past that must be unearthed and displayed in the bright light of eternal justice. If as educators we find our purpose in exposing students to our rightful heritage, then we must accept the evil with the good, the shame with the glory, and we must see with Howard Zinn how it is through the extraordinary acts of ordinary people that we have triumphed as a nation." 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 |
|---|---|
| John Stifler | As history teachers we know that we must battle ignorance and lies in the pursuit of truth. We also know that the key to our future lies somewhere in the buried past. A past that must be unearthed and displayed in the bright light of eternal justice. If as educators we find our purpose in exposing students to our rightful heritage, then we must accept the evil with the good, the shame with the glory, and we must see with Howard Zinn how it is through the extraordinary acts of ordinary people that we have triumphed as a nation. |
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