There were no new teachers in Baltimore who signed the pledge on March 7, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.
The pledge was signed by no teachers on March 6, the day before. It now has 42 pledges from Baltimore 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 Baltimore teachers included, “We owe our students the opportunity to think critically about the origins of racism in this country so that they can tear down and rebuild oppressive systems” and “while I am fortunate to work in a school where the truth is spoken, I’d like to show my support for the students and teachers out there who are prevented from learning our real history”.
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 in Baltimore who’ve pledged to teach Critical Race Theory
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Abigail Breiseth | Our nation’s civic crisis is arguably a direct result of our failure to teach our history and our civics – at all, to say nothing of well. In my state, history was the first subject on the chopping block in times of low education funding. We MUST do better. I only hope we haven’t already missed our window to create the educated populace necessary for the preservation of democracy. |
| Alexandra Frank | Ignoring or whitewashing events of the past has only served to divide us, and teaching today’s youth the truth about our country may help to unite us. Examining who we really are is the first step towards building an equitable society. |
| Alice Cook | This is important! My students and my own children nedd to be taught the truth. The pushback is blatantly racist and I don’t accept it. |
| Alison Baran | Our children deserve the truth! |
| Andrew Faulstich | Only by providing for students a multifaceted view of American history can they critically examine and act to change our country for the better. It is un-American to restrict what can be taught; rather we need to trust our students that they will be able to use their knowledge of our complete (and not always pretty) history for positive aims. |
| Anna Weisberg | We can only achieve a joy-filled, harmonious society when we acknowledge our past and current failings. Diverse perspectives must be shared and considered through the lens of documented cause and effect. Through honest, fact-based education, we can grow as communities and a nation. To be better, we must do better. |
| Apryl Lannigan | I always have and always will teach the truth |
| Ariana Justice | I will not lie to my students about the impacts of society. My students come from every background. They already know that their race, sexuality, gender, etc. affect them. I will not be a part of lying to them. |
| Azure Kline | I am a follower of Jesus and I believe that to follow Jesus is to recognize and confront the effects of sin both on an individual and institutional level. I believe that the pervasiveness of racism in our society is damaging for everyone. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to teach truth which has the power to bring freedom and healing. |
| Bethany McAndrew | I believe that students need to see themselves in the curricula of their classes. I believe in telling the truth and allowing my students to grapple with the messier sides of history that exist. I believe that students have the capacity to understand nuance and to ask deep questions. I believe in empowering young people so that they will push for peace, progress, and a more equitable and just world. |
| Carrie Lang | I believe in telling the truth. Telling our future the lies that we were taught. Changing the narrative from the white supremacist structural narratives we hear time and time again. Our children and society deserves the truth! |
| Christopher Pagliarini | No comment |
| Chuck Goetz | I believe the study of history requires knowing the good and the bad of the past because both are still influencing the present and will continue to influence the future. I am privileged to teach in an independent school that believes in this vision as well but am signing this petition to support my fellow history educators who work in places that would like to sugarcoat the past by restricting what knowledge of the past can be taught to students. |
| Colleen Kyle | I have been teaching history for 20 years and it is my job to show students how to search for truth. My favorite history professor once advised me to “never believe your own bullshit.” Well, it’s true of nations, too. |
| Colleen Kyle | My job is to teach young Americans the truth and I will it stop. |
| Daniel Levine | No comment |
| Daniel Levine | I have a moral obligation not to lie to my students. |
| David Watson | Education should be devoted to teaching the truth regardless of whether one agrees or doesn’t feel comfortable with the story we teach. History is His-story, but typically written by the “winners.” History should be taught from the perspectives of ALL…”winners” and “losers” so that students can get all information needed to form their own values and opinions based on those values. |
| David Wizer | Teach history and truth to enhance equality and students’ understanding. |
| Emily F. | No comment |
| Garrison Schmitt | No comment |
| Grace Wiessner | No comment |
| Kathy Marmor | It is very important to teach truth. It is when uncomfortable truths and facts about race and identity are disavowed, buried and deleted that prevents us all from learning from those who stories are vital to our understanding of history and given what I teach, creativity and and its rich reflection of our social complexities . |
| Ken Roberts | This isn’t ok … also the black or African American hate bill needs to be passed rather then this foolishness. |
| Kristen Tubman | We must look honestly at history in order to seek empowerment for all our young people |
| Kristina Collins | No comment |
| Kristine Sieloff | We owe our students the opportunity to think critically about the origins of racism in this country so that they can tear down and rebuild oppressive systems. |
| Majella Van Der Werf | No comment |
| Margaret Mitchell | No comment |
| Matthew Vaughn-Smith | children deserve to know the truth so that oppressive systems are not perpetuated. Let’s begin to dismantle white supremacy by shedding light on it’s atrocities. |
| Melissa Demock | No comment |
| Michael Weber | No comment |
| Molly Wolf | It is our duty as educators to teach the FACTS and TRUTH of our nation’s history! |
| Nancy Lewis | Not teaching the true history of the United States has led us to where we are! In age appropriate ways, the public constituency needs to learn the facts of United States racist capitalism and indigenous people’s genocide.That specific language is useful for older students. My second graders learned how Eastern Woodland tribes were “pushed off their land” and how enslaved people not only survived but thrived to inform and develop the Black culture we have today. |
| Paul Worley | No comment |
| Rachel Wheelin | No comment |
| Rob Bennett | If we cannot encourage our students to understand the world around them and look at it from all angles and many perceptions, we lose as a society. |
| Sara Zisow-Mcclean | No comment |
| Seth Billingsley | No comment |
| Shae Savoy | No comment |
| Tara Wyman | History belongs to everyone and everyone should have the right to have their individual and collective experiences heard, honored, and respected. Only then can we forge a stronger future. |
| Tracy Thompson Thompson | while I am fortunate to work in a school where the truth is spoken, I’d like to show my support for the students and teachers out there who are prevented from learning our real history. |
