The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 14, the day before. It now has three pledges from Indio 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 Indio teachers included, "History is necessary for a Democracy" and "I believe truth-telling in the school curriculum is critical for educators to build trust with their students".
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 |
|---|---|
| Gabriela Mitchell | I believe truth-telling in the school curriculum is critical for educators to build trust with their students. |
| Perla Penalber | I’m a teacher and believe that students teachers are to be presented with historical facts and be well informed of our country’s history. |
| Renee Mottaz | History is necessary for a Democracy. |
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