The pledge was signed by no teachers on April 20, the day before. It now has five pledges from Ogden 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 Ogden teachers included, "Teach the truth" and "The ways that we frame narrative about the past is important. I've heard it said that history is a conversation between the past and the present. In this present moment, we can choose to tell a story that is honest, inclusive, and whole. Or we can choose to tell a story about the past that coddles our feelings and absolves us of guilt and responsibility. I refuse to do the latter, even if my state legislature or state standards require it (Utah Social Studies standards require teachers to teach American exceptionalism). I promise to teach the truth about our history and give my students the critical capacity to use history to better understand themselves and the world around them".
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 |
|---|---|
| Alex Powell | No comment |
| Alex Powell | The ways that we frame narrative about the past is important. I've heard it said that history is a conversation between the past and the present. In this present moment, we can choose to tell a story that is honest, inclusive, and whole. Or we can choose to tell a story about the past that coddles our feelings and absolves us of guilt and responsibility. I refuse to do the latter, even if my state legislature or state standards require it (Utah Social Studies standards require teachers to teach American exceptionalism). I promise to teach the truth about our history and give my students the critical capacity to use history to better understand themselves and the world around them. |
| Jamie Call | Teach the truth. |
| Marley McClune | My students deserve the truth! |
| Nicole Butler | You can't change facts. Even if they're inconvenient. Don't be so afraid of Gen Z — we're teaching them to go through the difficult reality of our country and come out the other side with empathy and awareness of how people can end up so frightened of the truth. They'll be understanding toward you, but they won't tolerate your b.s. And then you'll grow too. Growth is a good thing; trust me, I'm an educator. |
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