The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 24, the day before. It now has eight pledges from Redmond 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 Redmond teachers included, "I am a white parent and educator and I want my own children to learn truth in their classrooms. I am committed to teaching truth in my own classroom. I love my children and my students and I believe that they deserve to learn real history and need the tools to think critically about it. I believe that true patriotism means acknowledging all of the bad in our country and demanding that we do better. I believe that an anti-racist education asks all students to understand the role that identity and privilege play in our society - past and present. It is about asking out students, our schools, our communities and our country to avoid doing things that are harmful and shameful. We must teach truth to grow and do better" and "Students should not be lied to. Teaching the truth about our history is necessary for us to truly heal as a society".
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 |
|---|---|
| Caryn Landau-Walter | I am a white parent and educator and I want my own children to learn truth in their classrooms. I am committed to teaching truth in my own classroom. I love my children and my students and I believe that they deserve to learn real history and need the tools to think critically about it. I believe that true patriotism means acknowledging all of the bad in our country and demanding that we do better. I believe that an anti-racist education asks all students to understand the role that identity and privilege play in our society - past and present. It is about asking out students, our schools, our communities and our country to avoid doing things that are harmful and shameful. We must teach truth to grow and do better. |
| Helena Gougeon | I believe the truth needs to be taught and the nuances of history are complex, using critical theory allows for deeper understanding of who we are as Americans and as humans. |
| 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. |
| Joy Randall | I am committed as a parent and equity team member to push our school district to truly act on racial equity and justice. |
| Kimberly Thomas | No comment |
| Sara Clarke | No comment |
| Saskia Mizushima | Students should not be lied to. Teaching the truth about our history is necessary for us to truly heal as a society. |
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