The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 9, the day before. It now has one pledge from Des Moines teacher.
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 Des Moines teacher wrote "My students have the right to a fact-based, critical examination of our country and world. The (yes, problematic) founders of our country recognized the need for an educated citizenry, one not swayed by demogoguery or propaganda. The health of our democracy depends on students understanding all aspects of our country's past, not just those that paint a pretty picture." 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 |
|---|---|
| Stacy Schmidt | My students have the right to a fact-based, critical examination of our country and world. The (yes, problematic) founders of our country recognized the need for an educated citizenry, one not swayed by demogoguery or propaganda. The health of our democracy depends on students understanding all aspects of our country's past, not just those that paint a pretty picture. |
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