The pledge was signed by no teachers on March 6, the day before. It now has 27 pledges from Sacramento 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 Sacramento teachers included, "Growing up I was lied to about our history. I want to stop the lie and allow our future generations to know what has happened" and "Only the truth is worthy of our time and breath".
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 |
|---|---|
| Andrea Moore | No comment |
| Andrea Moore | I teach truth |
| Carlos Rico | Teaching the truth about history is what I do because I am a teacher. |
| Chris Padgett | Teaching lies about the past keeps us sick, and the only way we get healthy is by truthful diagnosis of our past. |
| Dana Dusbiber | No comment |
| Elena Cortez | The truth must be shared. |
| Eva Turner | Only the truth is worthy of our time and breath. |
| Fabiola Flores | our children deserve to know the truth. My multiracial daughter has the right to know how the United States treated her black ancestors! Teachers need to |
| German Rios | I am standing on the side of justice. |
| Gia Moreno | Lack of knowledge of the truth of American history is detrimental to the growth of our students and our nation. |
| Jean Seto | It’s time to be truthful and authentic; only when we face the truth can we truly grow! |
| Jeanette Providence | Our students deserve the truth - they can handle the truth! |
| Jonathan Beach | My students and the future citizens/voters of this country deserve to learn the whole truth about the history of this country and the role it has played in shaping the world we know today. |
| Kara Synhorst | I will not lie to students about American history. Further, I won’t let conservative web sites intimidate me into hiding. I believe in the ideals of this nation, and I, as a patriot, will help students learn how to uphold them. |
| Katherine Bell | No comment |
| Kayla Ulrich | No comment |
| Kristin Goetz | Growing up I was lied to about our history. I want to stop the lie and allow our future generations to know what has happened. |
| Margi Park | It is time for the truth: Science & climate change; racism; gender & income equity; endangered species; prison reform; social justice; restorative justice; and more! |
| Maria Johnson | As a history teacher, an immigrant, and a bilingual person of color, it is my duty to make sure my students are informed of the truth. |
| Michelle Sweezey | We must acknowledge and understand our history in its truthful entirety in order to repair, learn, and do better. |
| Mondo Vaden | The honesty about what has happened in our history is not wrong. It is something that must be addressed truthfully in order to end the inequity that results when the full story and perspectives are not known. Students deserve unbiased history. The fact that it challenges norms does not negate its necessary value. |
| Paula Turner | All people benefit from the truth. |
| Rachel Maeroff | No comment |
| Rebecca Frederickson | I refuse to lie to students about the history of this nation! |
| Ruth Lindahl | My students are the faces of underserved and marginalized people, from the US and around the world. I have a responsibility to detect the white-perspective biases of the curriculum and the entire educational system, and infuse culturally responsive material that celebrates the genius and joy of all my students. |
| Scott Chase | I refuse to particpate in a made up truth of history. Students deserve to hear the real truths, learn from the mistakes of the past and grow up to become life long learners always seeking to hear the real history of our past. |
| Tayah Kirschenmann | As soon as I found out about this pledge I knew I had to sign up. We won't let white supremacists stop us from teaching the truth! |
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