The pledge was signed by no teachers on Sept. 19, the day before. It now has two pledges from Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect teachers included, "Our children are our future leaders. A knowledge of history helps us understand ourselves and others. We must teach the truth about how our past has shaped our present, learning from both our mistakes and triumphs" and "Everyone deserves the right to have their story told".
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 |
|---|---|
| Amy Deluca | Everyone deserves the right to have their story told. |
| Deborah Kelley | Our children are our future leaders. A knowledge of history helps us understand ourselves and others. We must teach the truth about how our past has shaped our present, learning from both our mistakes and triumphs. |
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