No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Murphysboro teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 22.
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| June E. Caraway | I don’t want children taught untruths. Plain and simple. |
| Natasha Khudhair Al-Dulaimi | History can be lost, changed, rewritten, forgotten, or even ignored. I refuse to be so irresponsible to think that only the history from my own limited perspective is all that exists. I think if we are to all evolve we can all share an expanse, that is, perhaps, beyond my wildest imaginings. I do not have to like or agree with something just to begin to understand and acknowledge that it is your experience, whether ancestral or living, and it is just as valid as my own experiences, however different. |
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