The pledge was signed by no teachers on Jan. 22, the day before. It now has two pledges from Idaho Falls 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 Idaho Falls teachers included, "Our systems have racist and classist policies and practices and we all benefit when every student has equitable opportunities to participate in society" and "I believe in teaching the truth".
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 |
|---|---|
| Kristina Batalden | I believe in teaching the truth. |
| Wendi Straub | Our systems have racist and classist policies and practices and we all benefit when every student has equitable opportunities to participate in society. |
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