No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Greenbelt teachers by the end of the week ending Aug. 28.
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 new Greenbelt teacher wrote “Children are smart and brave. They deserve to know the complete history, not the whitewashed version. I teach my students to be critical thinkers, share the truth about this nation and its founding, and let them make up there own mind. These kids are going to change the world!” 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. 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 |
|---|---|
| Matthew Moore | Refusing to teach the painful truths about our country doesn’t make us stronger, it weakens us, because we refuse to confront our mistakes and learn from them. We can never live up to the promises made at the foundation of this country until we take a painful look at our past and learn from it so that we can become better. |
| Andrea Worthington-Garcia | Children are smart and brave. They deserve to know the complete history, not the whitewashed version. I teach my students to be critical thinkers, share the truth about this nation and its founding, and let them make up there own mind. These kids are going to change the world! |
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