No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has five pledges from Salem teachers by the end of the week ending Dec. 18.
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| Madison Munro | “no comment” |
| Kulsoom Shah | “no comment” |
| Diane Williams | The only way to do right is to look squarely at past wrongs, whether my own or my ancestors', and make amends. |
| Caryn Connolly | Telling the truth is the only option. Students need to be told the truth so they can better understand our history and what is going on today. |
| Kathleen Kercheski | “no comment” |
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