The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 3, the day before. It now has two pledges from Kansas City 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 Kansas City teachers included, "A teacher should be committed to one essential fact, and that is to teach students to think for themselves. Without anything outside themselves to manipulate any valuable thought" and "Making laws to hide past injustices are immoral and wrong. Unlike the politicians in this state, I teach the truth, not try to hide behind it like cowards".
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 |
|---|---|
| Duke Banks | A teacher should be committed to one essential fact, and that is to teach students to think for themselves. Without anything outside themselves to manipulate any valuable thought. |
| Kevin Edwards | Making laws to hide past injustices are immoral and wrong. Unlike the politicians in this state, I teach the truth, not try to hide behind it like cowards. |
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