The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 9, the day before. It now has 22 pledges from Seattle 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 Seattle teachers included, "Young scholars, the next generation, need to know the whole story. We need to know and understand our collective past in order to see its impact on today and how we can learn from it in order to influence and shape the future" and "My students are smart and will pursue the truth. My job should be to cultivate that pursuit, not thwart it".
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 |
|---|---|
| Aimee Hall | If we don't give our students truthful information about our nation's past and present, they won't be able to build a better future. |
| Amy Bowton-Meade | The truth matters and the ONLY way we can make progress and heal is to face the real history of our nation. Students deserve to understand the history so they can understand the present. |
| Andreas Haugen | our history and how we acknowledge it defines us as a nation and as individuals. If we ignore and fabricate the past, our foundation is built on lies and ignorance. If we recognize the faults and heroic struggles of our past, we can rise upwards on a foundation of truth and honor. |
| Anne Campbell | It is my ethical obligation to teach the truth and I will always do so to the best of my ability. |
| Chryssa Best | We can only learn from History if it is has been taught truthfully. Fiction should be distinguishable from non-fiction! |
| Cory Gann | My students are smart and will pursue the truth. My job should be to cultivate that pursuit, not thwart it. |
| Craig Morley | My students should have the opportunity to view history and their current realities from multiple perspectives in order to develop critical thinking skills. |
| Danielle Vermaak | As a science teacher, and especially as a biology teacher, it is my moral duty to teach about social justice, and the history of race as a social construct in service of white power and black oppression. To explain that the concept of race continues to be used as a false proxy for ancestry, to justify racism in all its forms. To explain environmental racism. And much more. |
| Dawn MacRay | I feel it is important to teach our students the truth even if it is hard and messy. |
| Debbie Clement | I strive to be an anti-racist and culturally responsive teacher. |
| Doug Baer | Young scholars, the next generation, need to know the whole story. We need to know and understand our collective past in order to see its impact on today and how we can learn from it in order to influence and shape the future. |
| Farin Houk | Our children deserve the truth! |
| Grace Bennett | Truth is crucial! |
| Hadeel Jeanne | No comment |
| Holly Ferraro | The narratives and lived experience of all people, throughout the history of the United States, must be taught to enable us to live lives of meaning and dismantle oppression. |
| Jacquelene Sullivan | This is critical! |
| Janella Riegel | Education must be about truth; otherwise it is merely propaganda. Lies are the tools for dismantling democracies. Liberation comes not from ignoring the past but from embracing it and understanding it. We must learn from our past mistakes, acknowledge the ramifications, before we can ever move to a place of healing and reconciliation. We are how we treat each other - and nothing more. |
| Jesse Hagopian | It's an honor to rise up with thousands of educators around the country to say we refuse to lie to children about the role of structural racism in this country. Students deserve to learn the truth: the U.S. was founded on genocide of Native Americans and enslavement of African peoples. This foundation of our country has embedded racism in our institutions and systems for over 400 years. My students will learn about the freedom fighters who challenged racism and all forms of oppression--regardless of the law. |
| Lisa Zander | No comment |
| Shail Azhar | my students need to be able to recognize that this country was built by the sweat and blood of black people and immigrants. They need to recognize that racism still alive in the United States and ways to combat this virus. It is critical that children learn about privilege and ways to use their privilege while recognize signs of racism. |
| Terry Taylor | Those who do not (truthfully) remember the past…… |
| Wendy Jordan | I want to trust that I will have the right words and actions when the time comes. |
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