No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has one pledge from Prentice 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 Prentice teacher wrote “I live in a very rural and conservative community. And while I was raised with a similar set of values, I was not 'woke' until I attended college. Many of the students I have in my classroom will not attend college and will attend a vocational/technical college, join the family business, or enter directly into the workforce. The college experience, seeing the 'real world,' and experiencing the diversity of life in general won't happen, unless I do it here and now.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Christiana Slightam | I live in a very rural and conservative community. And while I was raised with a similar set of values, I was not 'woke' until I attended college. Many of the students I have in my classroom will not attend college and will attend a vocational/technical college, join the family business, or enter directly into the workforce. The college experience, seeing the 'real world,' and experiencing the diversity of life in general won't happen, unless I do it here and now. |
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