The pledge was signed by no teachers on Nov. 25, the day before. It now has six pledges from Leander 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 Leander teachers included, "Our public schools current history excludes so much truth. For instance, the truth about how this country began included murder, rape, and torture by the likes of Christopher Columbus and his followers. We need to change these rose-colored lies and educate our children on what actually took place" and "I am a Black woman, mother of Black children, and an educator. I refuse to lie to my students. I became an educator to empower students, especially the most marginalized among us. That role comes with a responsibility to engage with them authentically and in truth. That is what I have always done and will continue to do so".
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 |
|---|---|
| Cynthia Clem | Our public schools current history excludes so much truth. For instance, the truth about how this country began included murder, rape, and torture by the likes of Christopher Columbus and his followers. We need to change these rose-colored lies and educate our children on what actually took place. |
| Cynthia Clem | The Republican push to quash voting rights and distort truth in our country is truly unbelievable. I will fight like hell against these acts. |
| Jamilah Scott | No comment |
| Jamilah Scott | I am a Black woman, mother of Black children, and an educator. I refuse to lie to my students. I became an educator to empower students, especially the most marginalized among us. That role comes with a responsibility to engage with them authentically and in truth. That is what I have always done and will continue to do so. |
| Patricia Sales | Students deserve an education that that is honest and prepares them for the world after grade school. Students cannot develop critical thinking skills if we hide and cherry pick information for them. |
| Sarah Mogab | No comment |
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