No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from East Lansing 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.
Comments from new East Lansing teachers included “Truth will set us free from the tyranny of our own minds” and “Trying to prevent students from gaining knowledge is fundamentally opposed to the idea of education.”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Laura Markham | Truth will set us free from the tyranny of our own minds |
| Sarah Geist | Trying to prevent students from gaining knowledge is fundamentally opposed to the idea of education. |
| Scott Farver | It’s our duty as educators to do this critical work. |
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