The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 19, the day before. It now has two pledges from Thousand Oaks 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 Thousand Oaks teachers included, "We must face the true history of our country if we are to make true change in our country" and "As teachers, it's our duty to guide students to the truth. American history is messy and brutal and sometimes beautiful and always worth exploring with a steadfast duty to seek the truth".
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 |
|---|---|
| Brian Wright | As teachers, it's our duty to guide students to the truth. American history is messy and brutal and sometimes beautiful and always worth exploring with a steadfast duty to seek the truth. |
| Laree Henning | We must face the true history of our country if we are to make true change in our country. |
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