There were no new teachers in Citrus Heights who signed the pledge in June, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.
The pledge was signed by one teacher the month before. It now has one pledge from Citrus Heights teachers by June.
They are 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.
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. Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and Georgia, have denounced the teachings and are discussing a ban on critical race theory teachings.
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 |
|---|---|
| Natalie Billo | I am passionate about teaching the true history of the United States and not just the white-washed version. I am a white woman who grew up in South Dakota in the 1980s and 1990s where I learned history from a European perspective. When I moved to California, I took ethnic studies courses and learned history I had never been taught before. I changed my major to ethnic studies because of the passion I felt about learning the true history of the United States. When I became a teacher, I made a promise to myself that I would not stay silent about the history of the United States, both good and bad. ALL of our students deserve to know the truth. |
