The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 23, the day before. It now has 41 pledges from Phoenix 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 Phoenix teachers included, "Educated students through truthful examination and discussion of actual history is the foundation of a functioning democracy and making thoughtful U.S. and AZ voters and citizens" and "I will no longer stand in silence".
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 in Phoenix who’ve pledged to teach Critical Race Theory
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Admaira Roman | We must put up a fight for what is just and combat these unjust laws. This unjust legislation upholds violent institutions that will continue to abuse marginalized communities while refusing to face historical facts and our experiences. |
| Alexandra Zamarron | No comment |
| Alicia Messing | it is time that we make changes to how our country understands its past and to work towards ending racism in Ameria. |
| Carla Garcia | It is wrong to set limits on the education our students deserve. |
| Carla Garcia | Students need to be told both sides of history to be able to critically analyze what they can do to improve the community and world they live in. |
| Claudia Chiang | Students have the right to know the truth behind historical events, in order to understand the present, and change our futures. |
| Courtney Rath | As bell hooks teaches, loving people means telling them the truth, and I love my students. |
| Darcy Heath | Hiding the truth of our history is a barrier to equality - we have to make racist and bigoted structures visible in order to dismantle the systems of oppression in our country. |
| David Lee Carlson | No comment |
| Erika James | Student deserve to be taught the truth. By not exposing students to factual history we risk destroying a nation. |
| Ginette Rossi | I will not contribute to white supremacy. |
| Janel Vaughan | The history of just the people who write the history books is not complete. Once the voices of everyone in the country are heard it will be complete. |
| Jay Barbuto | History shouldn’t be hidden. Facts are facts. |
| Judith Robbins | Educated students through truthful examination and discussion of actual history is the foundation of a functioning democracy and making thoughtful U.S. and AZ voters and citizens. |
| Kareem Neal | students deserve the truth. |
| Karen Hawkes | The thought of censoring the truth of our history in this country at this time in our nation is horrifying. I will not be silenced by frightened white- supremist. We cannot heal and move forward without knowing and understanding the roots of our institutionalized racism. |
| Kelley Gribuski | I will no longer stand in silence. |
| Kelly Cutler | No comment |
| Kelsey Knutson | It’s my duty to teach equitably. |
| Kerrilee Wing | No comment |
| Kristin Cervantez | I refuse to leave out facts due to the inability of some to accept our past when teaching history. |
| Lauren Gaston | My students deserve to know and understand American history, the FULL, COMPLETE history. They cannot be informed citizens who use critical thinking if they do not know their country's accurate history. Many students are represented through the different events and people of the past, and deserve to be represented in class. |
| Lauren Spenceley-Sheoran | No comment |
| Michelle Schulke | No comment |
| Mike Sarraino | Give the educators the ability to teach truth. To teach history from multiple perspectives. The ability for students to see both sides of the discussion and form their own opinion is imperative to critical thinking. |
| Natalie Avallone | It is time to tell the truth. We can not move forward to a better future without reconciling with our country's past. We owe it to all our students and to our future. |
| Natasha Alston | I teach true history to empower all my students. |
| Nicolas Culley | No comment |
| Nishta Mehra | No comment |
| Rodrigo Palacios-Tenorio | No comment |
| Rodrigo Palacios-Tenorio | Understanding our history means u derstanding the ugly parts of it as well. And there are never two sides to injustice. We need to be honest about our colonizer and imperialist culture. |
| Roger Baker | We must allow students to hear and read the truth (facts) about the history of our country so they can make intelligent decisions about how they will treat others |
| Sarah Bennett | We need to teach our students to break patterns of oppression. |
| Sariah Winn | We can only move forward if we examine the truth - our students deserve to learn truth |
| Shana Hornstein | Actual history and facts should be taught. Everyone needs to learn critical race theory. |
| Starla Dawngmastar12y | All people no matter their but especially children deserve to know our history and they deserve the opportunity to discuss what they hear and learn also. You can not outlaw history that already has been lived by so many. |
| Susan Rego | Our students deserve not to be lied to. |
| Susannah Keita | I live in a right-to-work state and I taught for a private higher education institution for over a decade. I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else, especially educators in public institutions where they are guaranteed protection by law. When our little dance department dared to confront racism directly through meetings and stage choreography, we were silenced. Students who advocated for change were told they were being divisive while faculty were accused of failing to guide them in civil discourse. Two of us were terminated. The bills coming down the pipeline in so many states, including my home state of Arizona, are designed to end educators' freedoms and protections under the law. We must help students understand the roots of U.S. racism, not deceive them. |
| Tara O. La Garcia | it is important to tell the truth about what has happened in U. S. history so that those mistakes are not repeated. Having discussions about controversial topics builds critical thinking skills. It is my job to educate and teach young people how to think critically so that they can be productive citizens. |
| Tom Moore | Because Marxism is dangerous. |
| Wilma Rice | Honesty is the best policy. Our last administration in the White House showed us what chaos occrs when lies are told and believed. |
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