The pledge was signed by no teachers on April 20, the day before. It now has six pledges from East Providence 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 East Providence teachers included, "All children deserve to learn to think for themselves based on factual information" and "Our children deserve to learn the most accurate and up-to-date, research- and evidence-based information. Teachers deserve to be able to provide the most accurate, up-to-date, research- and evidence-based information available to their students. It is essential that our children learn to think critically, to ask questions, and develop the capacity to make the decisions that will shape our country and our world. PLEASE don't disenfranchise children or their teachers by limiting their rights as citizens. Our democracy depends on an informed public".
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 |
|---|---|
| Alyson Catalan | No comment |
| Libby Merrill | No comment |
| Libby Merrill | I want my own white child to know the truth about our history early so she can be a better co-conspirator in the work towards a more racially just society from the start. I do not want to stunt her humanity and growth by teaching her lies and white-washed history that she will have to unlearn later. As a school administrator I believe that teachers cannot teach effectively unless they have confronted their own racial biases. I want to raise a generation of future teachers who will truly be able to cultivate the inner brilliance of all of their students. |
| Noelle Walters | All children deserve to learn to think for themselves based on factual information |
| Noelle Walters | Our children deserve to learn the most accurate and up-to-date, research- and evidence-based information. Teachers deserve to be able to provide the most accurate, up-to-date, research- and evidence-based information available to their students. It is essential that our children learn to think critically, to ask questions, and develop the capacity to make the decisions that will shape our country and our world. PLEASE don't disenfranchise children or their teachers by limiting their rights as citizens. Our democracy depends on an informed public. |
| Rodney López | Traditional history curricula have been mostly inadequate in educating our children about the complexity of race in the history of the United States. CRT and anti-racist teaching seek to correct a mostly one-sided view of history. That there is such an uprising against it, unfortunately, exposes the deep-seated commitment that some have to a curriculum that centers whiteness, while othering the experiences of people of color. |
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