The pledge was signed by one teacher the week before. It now has 13 pledges from Santa Rosa teachers by the end of the week ending Sept. 25.
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| Heather Benson | I became a history teacher to teach the truth to our children who are the future. I claim my first amendment rights and my natural rights today, as well as my ethical responsibility to always speak the truth |
| Bobbie Schmaus | “no comment” |
| Laura Gonzalez | I teach history. not Critical Race Theory, but History, the good, bad and ugly. |
| Morgan Marchbanks | “no comment” |
| Maris Talaugon | If we are never taught the chair then we never learn the truth we cannot do better. |
| Elizabeth Evans | It's up to all of us to stand against racism and bias by claiming and acting on our allyship. |
| Maris Talaugon | “no comment” |
| Warren Smith | As a resident of California I’ve closely watched the abhorrent result of the ethnic studies program. Any attention to the Zionist movement has been eliminated by right wing pressure on key decision makers in the SBE and state government. Especially statements from these key players that gloss over the final approved (to date) curriculum of ethnic studies. Our Secretary of State, a woman of color, contributed an editorial to CalMatters that praise the outcome with paragraphs that essentially said nothing meaningful. A disgrace that perpetuates ignores one of the most significant eras in the history of the United States, Israel, and Palestine. |
| Warren Smith | “no comment” |
| Tara Lyon | "None of us are free until all of us are free!" |
| Mary Bracken | Students deserve and want to know who they are, who we are, where we all came from, and they want to have a voice in where we are going as a society. Teaching history with its glories as well as imperfections ignites a love of learning in students and prepares them to meet the challenges they will face as adult citizens no matter where they may reside. |
| Brittany Doucette | Students deserve to be taught the truth. Learning and speaking the truth about U.S. history is imperative to making change. It is also empowering, valuing, and honoring all who have been continuously marginalized and oppressed throughout the history of this country, all while it was built by their sweat, pain, and loss. |
| Luis Kong | Teachers of color must be free to engaged with students in a frank conversation about historical truths and myths, about their and their student's lived experiences, about racist laws that have marginalized and exterminated communities of color, about asking critical questions about race, tyranny, slavery, privilege and the human cost of such cruelty while exploring ways to become active engaged citizens in a culturally rich society. |
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