The pledge was signed by no teachers on March 2, the day before. It now has six pledges from Burbank 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 Burbank teachers included, "The only way to fix the future is to tell the truth about the past" and "Students deserve to know the truth about our histories and to see themselves and their stories reflected in the classroom".
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 |
|---|---|
| Denice Labertew | Students deserve to know the truth about our histories and to see themselves and their stories reflected in the classroom |
| Diana Abasta | No comment |
| Jennifer Matsunaga | The only way to fix the future is to tell the truth about the past |
| Jessica Cook-Qurayshi | No comment |
| Mildred Outlaw | I am not teaching a lie. |
| Piper Overbaugh | In order for our country to move forward and be more equitable, schools need to teach children the true history of our country. |
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