The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 22, the day before. It now has 19 pledges from Ann Arbor 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 Ann Arbor teachers included, "The truth will bring freedom and reconciliation. Then we will be free." and "My mission as an educator is to provide my students with the tools and skills needed to be creative critical thinkers who dig deeply into complex problems, open minds to new possibilities, and make positive impacts and changes on their communities. Limiting their access to knowledge, understanding, and perspectives derails that mission and the success of our youth who are already making the world better each day".
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 |
|---|---|
| Amanda Smith | We must teach the truth! |
| April Rissel | No comment |
| Chloe Root | I wish I had learned more of the truth of history earlier (and I had *great* history teachers who did the best they knew how!), and my students deserve to learn it first so they don’t need to unlearn lies in order to fight injustice. |
| Darin Stockdill | It is my responsibility as an educator to speak up for what is right and true. |
| Dr. Wanda Toro-Zambrana | The truth will bring freedom and reconciliation. Then we will be free.. |
| Elizabeth Pierce | Kids need to grapple with the hard truths about the history of our nation and situate ourselves within that context in the present day so we can work toward justice for all. |
| Ellen Shannon | I believe our students deserve the best and most truthful information in our classes. As faculty members, my experience is that we work tirelessly at fact-checking, maintaining professional standards, and respect for the needs of our students. |
| Emma Gallo-Chasanoff | No comment |
| Grace Helms-Kotre | No comment |
| Joslyn Hunscher-Young | My mission as an educator is to provide my students with the tools and skills needed to be creative critical thinkers who dig deeply into complex problems, open minds to new possibilities, and make positive impacts and changes on their communities. Limiting their access to knowledge, understanding, and perspectives derails that mission and the success of our youth who are already making the world better each day. |
| Karma Nordstrom | No comment |
| Kathe Hetter | Every high school students needs to learn our true and factual history of the United States, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Every perspective must be given |
| Maxime Groen | No comment |
| McKenzie Campbell | I will NOT lie to students, and I will not sugarcoat history. |
| Monét Cooper | Our histories contain multitudes. In order to truly understand history, language, and ourselves, we have to engage the messiness, the chorus of voices, the tensions of the truth — the beauty and the violence. |
| Sarah Hechler | No comment |
| Susan Baughn | Students deserve to know the truth, not white-washed history. |
| Tracey Marchyok | No comment |
| Vanessa Farkas | No comment |
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