The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 21, the day before. It now has seven pledges from Lexington 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 Lexington teachers included, "Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. We’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past. It’s time we learned something and got better" and "I am dedicated to ending lies in our classrooms that perpetuate systemic racism".
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 |
|---|---|
| Biff Maier | Truth matters. |
| Emily Storch | I am dedicated to ending lies in our classrooms that perpetuate systemic racism. |
| Joan Krensky | No comment |
| Michelle Williams | Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. We’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past. It’s time we learned something and got better. |
| Sheena Roller | I believe that so much of the history we were taught and continue to teach has been whitewashed. I continue doing anti racism work in my personal growth, and I cannot in good conscience continue to perpetuate systemic racism, sexism, and so many other ism’s. |
| Shelly Glass | We must learn from the past, in order to avoid past mistakes. Children deserve a quality, fact-based education. |
| Sunshine Jumaily | young people deserve the truth to help them build a future that prioritizes equity and justice. |
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