There were no new teachers in Pasadena who signed the pledge on Dec. 31, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.
The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 30, the day before. It now has 17 pledges from Pasadena 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 Pasadena teachers included, “The only way we can heal as a country is to acknowledge the painful truths of our past” and “As a white teacher of black and brown high poverty students it is vital that I acknowledge the degree to which all white people are marinated in racism from the moment of their birth, and the degree to which racism is interwoven into every aspect of our country’s history. You can’t lie to students about history just to ensure that one group of privileged students feels good about themselves”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Bonnie Blustein | No comment |
| Brandon Backhaus | Decolonizing the classroom is an important step to teaching the truth. It is the opposite of seditious, traitorous, or cowardly. It is the most patriotic thing an educator can do is to reject the white supremacy that ignores the lessons we can learn from our past misdeed, lessons that will make us a stronger, more adaptable, just, united nation. |
| Brenda Janairo | No comment |
| Frances Goff | Education – or lack of it – is how we arrived at this ignorant impasse; Education is how we will survive |
| Hector Agredano | These attacks on critical curriculum are ideologically and politically driven by white supremacist politicians. We have nothing to lose but our chains! |
| Helen Nicholson | The true history needs to come out and be examined by the children so they can judge it. |
| Janet Graff | I have always taught hard truth at every grade level, and helped my students understand truth from multiple perspectives. |
| Kolya Ludwig | No comment |
| Mandy Lowman | No comment |
| Mary Fitzgerald | I believe we are members of our society starting at the beginning of our school days. |
| Mary Fitzgerald | I grew up with Civics classes, but that’s not a part of LAUSD curriculum any more. |
| Mary Molnar | The only way we can heal as a country is to acknowledge the painful truths of our past. |
| Mary Molnar | The truth matters. |
| Ruth Richardson | As a white teacher of black and brown high poverty students it is vital that I acknowledge the degree to which all white people are marinated in racism from the moment of their birth, and the degree to which racism is interwoven into every aspect of our country’s history. You can’t lie to students about history just to ensure that one group of privileged students feels good about themselves. |
| Tiffany Carpenter | I believe in an equitable just society that can only be aspired to through honesty and acknowledgement of our present and current systems of white. cis. male supremacy |
| William Sparks | Our students won’t be able to work together unless theey know our history. |
| William Sparks | We won’t be able to work together until we “know” each other. |
