No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Redmond teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 1.
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 |
|---|---|
| Jordan Gerdes | My students deserve a truthful education. History is messy and complex. It, like humans, exists in nuance, and that’s okay. We must learn all of it, the good and bad, in order to build a better future. |
| Jordan Gerdes | These attacks on critical history only ensure that our students continue to have a misunderstanding of the role that racism, sexism, and bigotry have in forming our current society. It is imperative we teach history that tells the truth, the whole truth, so we can teach our students how to begin to rationalize with our past to build a better future. |
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