The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 23, the day before. It now has one pledge from Thornton 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 Thornton teacher wrote "I am committed to teaching the truth, not only to ensure all voices are equally honored but also to empower my students. Whether disenfranchised or privilege, all students need to hear the truth so they can act on it and begin to make the changes needed for a better society, using facts and truth as their backing as opposed to operating under a false, prejudiced narrative." 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 |
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Cameron Leonard | I am committed to teaching the truth, not only to ensure all voices are equally honored but also to empower my students. Whether disenfranchised or privilege, all students need to hear the truth so they can act on it and begin to make the changes needed for a better society, using facts and truth as their backing as opposed to operating under a false, prejudiced narrative. |