The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 20, the day before. It now has one pledge from Dorset teacher.
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 Dorset teacher wrote "I refuse to lie to my students. I refuse to White-wash history. I refuse to "make America great again" by ignoring the deeper truths and darker parts of our history. The only way to move forward is to educate. I refuse to ignore the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history and in current events." 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 |
|---|---|
| Nate Merrill | I refuse to lie to my students. I refuse to White-wash history. I refuse to "make America great again" by ignoring the deeper truths and darker parts of our history. The only way to move forward is to educate. I refuse to ignore the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history and in current events. |
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