No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has one pledge from Benton Harbor teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 15.
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 new Benton Harbor teacher wrote “The erasure and ignorance of history does not adequately equip our students with the tools they need to make their own decisions and come to their own understandings of national and world events. Exposure to information is not indoctrination.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Ryan Ham | The erasure and ignorance of history does not adequately equip our students with the tools they need to make their own decisions and come to their own understandings of national and world events. Exposure to information is not indoctrination. |
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