No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines teacher wrote “Only in teaching & learning the truth about our nation's history will we be able to rise above it & build a system that uplifts & supports all humanity.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Jessica Parsons | I am an aspiring Antiracist Educator |
| Kimberlee Gregory | Teaching the truth of history is important. It is also important because as a social worker it is important that I know the history in order to help my clients who may be dealing with traumatic events. |
| Carrie Jacobs | Only in teaching & learning the truth about our nation's history will we be able to rise above it & build a system that uplifts & supports all humanity. |
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