No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has three pledges from Blacksburg teachers by the end of the week ending Jan. 15.
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 new Blacksburg teachers included “Students should be able to learn about all aspects of our history - good and bad. It's part of making our country better.” and “Our students deserve the opportunity to learn about all of our nation's history, for without it, then we are not preparing them to think critically or act responsibly in our democratic society.”.
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 |
|---|---|
| Kiara Baxter | I believe in teaching the truth. |
| Tracy Kwock | Our students deserve the opportunity to learn about all of our nation's history, for without it, then we are not preparing them to think critically or act responsibly in our democratic society. |
| Richard Shryock | Students should be able to learn about all aspects of our history - good and bad. It's part of making our country better. |
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