No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Laguna Niguel teachers by the end of the week ending March 12.
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 Laguna Niguel teacher wrote “As history teachers we must honor the experiences of ALL Americans and teach the events of our nation accurately. Every American deserves to know the truth about the past, whitewashing the challenges our nation has faced/continues to face is not acceptable.” 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. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and Georgia, have denounced the teachings and are discussing a ban on critical race theory teachings.
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 |
|---|---|
| Connie Pham | the truth does not flourish in silence about painful and difficult topics; an avoidance of controversy will only stunt our students' abilities to grapple with complexity, ambiguity, and depth as they grow to inherit this earth. May academic and all forms of freedom reign! |
| Courtney Amaya | As history teachers we must honor the experiences of ALL Americans and teach the events of our nation accurately. Every American deserves to know the truth about the past, whitewashing the challenges our nation has faced/continues to face is not acceptable. |
Alerts Sign-up