The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 9, the day before. It now has four pledges from Silver Spring 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 Silver Spring teachers included, "It is long past time for our children (and adults) to know the true history of our country!" and "The most important skill we teach in high school is critical thinking. Students must learn to examine different points of view and express their own beliefs based on reasoning and evidence".
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 |
|---|---|
| Beth Hanak | This is important! |
| Donna Sawyer | It is long past time for our children (and adults) to know the true history of our country! |
| Eva Sullivan | The most important skill we teach in high school is critical thinking. Students must learn to examine different points of view and express their own beliefs based on reasoning and evidence. |
| Leslie Blaha | No comment |
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