No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from Bethesda 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.
Comments from new Bethesda teachers included “I will not lie to children about our history and legacy of systemic racism” and “I'm a law professor emeritus. My field is science based safety regulation. Teaching the truth in accordance with academic standards is our passion. In my case IT SAVES LIVES”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Robert Scribner | “no comment” |
| Vincent Brannigan | I'm a law professor emeritus. My field is science based safety regulation. Teaching the truth in accordance with academic standards is our passion. In my case IT SAVES LIVES |
| Kim Sienkiewicz | I will not lie to children about our history and legacy of systemic racism |
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