There were no new teachers in Watkinsville who signed the pledge on March 12, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.
The pledge was signed by no teachers on March 11, the day before. It now has one pledge from Watkinsville 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 Watkinsville teacher wrote “Students deserve the time and space to have tough conversations about America’s history; An accurate portrayal of history does not mean we have to love America any less; it actually affirms we are learning from it.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Kristen Stamey | Students deserve the time and space to have tough conversations about America’s history; An accurate portrayal of history does not mean we have to love America any less; it actually affirms we are learning from it. |
