No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has four pledges from Glendale 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 Glendale teachers included “My students deserve the truth and our country can do better.” and “our teachers and students deserve better.”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Rachel Schmidt | our teachers and students deserve better. |
| Lisa Cantella | My students deserve the truth and our country can do better. |
| Melanie Cobos | “no comment” |
| Erin Chisholm | ... the truth is worth more than the $5,000 fine the State of Arizona wants to slap on me if I allow my students to become critical thinkers. Students need to see themselves in our nation's history. Sometimes that history is uncomfortable, but acknowledging this serves to support culturally sensitive teaching. |
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