The pledge was signed by one teacher the week before. It now has two pledges from Evanston teachers by the end of the week ending Feb. 5.
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.
The new Evanston teacher wrote “Teaching with a racial justice lens is necessary to foster a culture of belonging and dignity in one of our children's first communities -- our classrooms.” when pledging to teach Critical Race Theory.
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 |
|---|---|
| Vanessa Alvarado | The truth matters. For some, our lives depend on it. |
| Katherine Gillies | Teaching with a racial justice lens is necessary to foster a culture of belonging and dignity in one of our children's first communities -- our classrooms. |
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