ATL Standard

There were no new teachers in Atlanta who signed the pledge on Feb. 26, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.

The pledge was signed by no teachers on Feb. 25, the day before. It now has 36 pledges from Atlanta 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 Atlanta teachers included, "I refuse to lie to my students about our nations history and trust them to navigate complicated global issues with me as their guide" and "Children deserve a good education".

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
Andra Burns	Because truth matters. History matters. And Black and Brown students matter.
Andrew Dirks	I refuse to lie to my students about our nations history and trust them to navigate complicated global issues with me as their guide.
Athena Ayers	No comment
Cynthia Larkin	I refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events.
Della Fried	Teach the truth with compassion; the students can handle it! We must start with the truth, including that there are different perspectives, and then we can understand, expand, creatively problem solve, heal, repair, and progress toward our greater ideals. It is these young people who will lead us next; their foundational knowledge, vision, resilience, and skills will make our world a better place for all. Let us trust their value and intellect, and honor them by teaching the truth.
Della Fried	We must start with the truth. We must finally face wrongs done and create equity, healing, repair. We cannot teach with integrity if we don’t begin by sharing facts; learning our true history leads to understanding, problem solving, progress, and makes it possible to fulfill the values we’ve claimed.
Erin Mason	No comment
Erin Schauder	Our students deserve to know the truth! We must acknowledge the past to learn from it and do better by it.
Gayatri Sethi	#teachtruth
Hanin Burnham	No comment
Jacqueline Fawaz	The usa is a democratic country, truth about our history and that of others is crucial in making sure there is equity for all adding transparency to ensure justice and prevent wrongs from being repeated.
Janine Jeff Baah	I was taught by my Dad to always speak truth to power. I owe it to my ancestors…
Janine Jeff Baah	I will teach the truth no matter what.
Jennifer Susko	No comment
Jill Hanson	No comment
Keya Blasingame	No comment
Laura M.	This is one of the strategies that certain Republicans are using in their march to destroy public school education. They want parents to get all riled up so that they will support vouchers and send their children to private school. Children of color and of lower social economic status will continue to suffer in a much more poorly funded public school system. This is also how you lose teachers, their jobs are difficult enough, and many are leaving because of the strains from teaching during COVID-19. No one will want to become a public school educator.Students need to be taught how to be critical thinkers. They deserve to hear the truth from their educators and parents so that they can form their own opinions. Hiding the truth because you don't want a child to feel bad or guilty does not help a child handle conflict or build resilience. When they find out about the truth, they feel betrayed. They also have to learn how to channel the sorrows of our past and current truths, so that they can make a better future. This is also how fascism starts. Read Madeline Albright's, FASCISM A WARNING, and you will see how our former administration has used the same techniques of Hitler and Mussolini to bring derision to our democracy. Children need to learn the truth, so the horrors of the past are not repeated.Our country's history is full of pain and suffering. Our country was built on a system that nearly annihilated the Native Americans and used free labor in the form of slavery to build our nations economy. The system was rigged then and continues to be rigged. It is time for us to come clean and speak the truth if we ever are going to make this country a better place for everyone. This is a crucial time in the history of our planet. Besides the rise and scourge of authoritarianism, we also need to focus our attention on the effects of climate change. Our children and their futures deserve better from us.
Lindy Settevendemie	The truth will set us all free. Our children have the right to learn the truth about the reality of white supremacy and the racist systems that have always governed our country and continue to shape our lives. It is my hope that in learning the truth, children will begin to heal and will be able to imagine and create a more equitable world. We need truth, reconciliation, and reparations.
Livia Simmons	Teach the TRUTH.
Margaret Verner	No comment
Mary Lacy	I believe that history is " Truth" and the past will repeat if the truth is hidden. The lies of the oppressor will only maintain the status quo, institutional racism, and inhumane oppression. There is no reconciliation of race and a systematic plan to maintain economic disparities is not discussed to all generations.
Melanie Turner-Harper	No comment
Nirvana Scott	Children deserve a good education.
Paige Madison	No comment
Patricia Weaver	No comment
Prentiss Dantzler	No comment
Rebecca Wallace	No comment
Ryan Berry	This laughable attempt to censor knowledge cannot stand. I refuse to sit idly by while the world of alternative facts tries to change reality. Seeing my students parrot the pledge of allegiance out of a compulsory sense of community, hearing the words "and justice and liberty *for all*" ring so, so hollow...to see people putting blinders on with such determination is very problematic, not to mention childish. I encourage all of my fellow educators to read Charles Bukowski's letter on censorship.
Sally Stanhope	I feel like these laws are propping up system of oppression and violate the tenets of evidence based history.
Sara Blum	As a a teacher i have committed my life to teaching future citizens about this great country of ours and how to navigate it with knowledge. To truly love America you much embrace its flaws and work to right the wrongs of its past in order to create a just future for all citizens.
Sara Quinn	No comment
Scott Ritchie	We must face the ugly truths from past and present in order to evolve as a society. Lying, whether outright or by omission, is unethical and dooms us to repeat earlier mistakes. Too many of us didn’t learn real history until we were adults, and even then it was only a select few who were able to access the truth. There is ample research that children are perfectly capable of learning complex ideas, and kids have a strong sense of fairness. It’s time we educate for liberation rather than domestication.
Sherry Neal	No comment
Spence Ford	No comment
Tanysha Nunnally	I will teach the truth and make my voice heard.
Timothy McMahon	I CARE ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY. A CONFLICT OF IDEAS IS INHERENT IN A STRONG DEMOCRACY, BUT IT MUST BE MANAGED EFFECTIVELY WITH TOOLS OF PEACEFUL AND PURPOSEFUL DISCOURSE, NOT THE FEAR AND BULLYING OF AN AUTHORITARIAN STATE. THE HOLOCAUST, SLAVERY, AND RACISM ARE ALL LINKED BY DEVOTION TO IDEAS THAT TEACH PEOPLE NOT TO LISTEN TO DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, NOT TO ACT WITH COMMON REGARD OR TO FRAME EVENTS IN WAYS THAT PROPAGATE HATRED.