No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from Novato teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 15.
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 new Novato teachers included “History will make stones weep. We must feel the pain of the truth to heal trauma and make a world that works for all. This is the darkness of the womb, not of the tomb. We are birthing a true democracy, for all beings, all nations. It has never existed before.” and “We must teach the truth to put an end to our nation's legacy of genocide, enslavement, and exploitation.”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Kalicia Pivirotto | We must teach the truth to put an end to our nation's legacy of genocide, enslavement, and exploitation. |
| Phoebe Smith | “no comment” |
| Laurie Marshall | History will make stones weep. We must feel the pain of the truth to heal trauma and make a world that works for all. This is the darkness of the womb, not of the tomb. We are birthing a true democracy, for all beings, all nations. It has never existed before. |
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