No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has one pledge from Manteca teachers by the end of the week ending Feb. 12.
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 Manteca teacher wrote “I do not believe that I need to be told how to provide information that will encourage critical thinking. I believe in order to make this country better and to have citizens who can think for themselves, the history of this country that tells the story of all of its citizens needs to be taught so that we can move forward.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Lisa Huggins | I do not believe that I need to be told how to provide information that will encourage critical thinking. I believe in order to make this country better and to have citizens who can think for themselves, the history of this country that tells the story of all of its citizens needs to be taught so that we can move forward. |
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