No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Telluride teachers by the end of the week ending Aug. 21.
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 |
|---|---|
| Theresa Koenigsknecht | “no comment” |
| Lauren Norton | We don't get to pick and choose our history. Rather than be afraid of what the truth will do to students' "patriotism", we should be concerned about the impact of lies and falsehoods on their humanity. |
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