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 Baltimore teacher wrote "My students, and my own children deserve to learn a wholistic version of historical events. It will inevitably lead them to be more well educated, and understanding of the world they live in. We wouldn't expect students to ace a test after only being taught half the unit content, so how can we expect them to leave school and maximally contribute to society and their community if they have only been taught part of the human story?" 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. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and Georgia, have denounced the teachings and are discussing a ban on critical race theory teachings.
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 |
|---|---|
| Rachel Stephens | My students, and my own children deserve to learn a wholistic version of historical events. It will inevitably lead them to be more well educated, and understanding of the world they live in. We wouldn't expect students to ace a test after only being taught half the unit content, so how can we expect them to leave school and maximally contribute to society and their community if they have only been taught part of the human story? |
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