No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has two pledges from Snohomish 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.
Comments from new Snohomish teachers included “Our school system needs a re-haul. We need to address systemic racism at all levels including the educational system. I think it's imperative that our students learn the truth about our country's origin and how it was founded. Knowledge is power. Besides, I see this as a human right's issue.” and “It is important to understand our true history in order to understand our reality and create a better future.”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Kathryn Iliakis | It is important to understand our true history in order to understand our reality and create a better future. |
| Cindy Foster | Our school system needs a re-haul. We need to address systemic racism at all levels including the educational system. I think it's imperative that our students learn the truth about our country's origin and how it was founded. Knowledge is power. Besides, I see this as a human right's issue. |
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