4 more Manchester teachers pledge to teach Critical Race Theory in week ending March 12 despite controversy

By Hillsborough Sun

Mar 17, 2022

Critical Race Theory will be taught by four more teachers in Manchester, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.

No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has eight pledges from Manchester teachers by the end of the week ending March 12.

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 Manchester teachers included “Accuracy in teaching our history matters in understanding of the very real issues of today” and “We, the undersigned educators, refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events — regardless of the law.”.

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 in Manchester who’ve pledged to teach Critical Race Theory

Teachers	Thoughts on Critical Race Theory
Jasmine Soleyn	I refuse to lie to my students when it comes to teaching. Theh deserve to know the truth.
Mary Ann Wood	We will never become an equitable society if people refuse to acknowledge that inequity exists.
Landis Brown	As a new teacher committed to teaching social justice, I will not whitewash the atrocities of our past to appease those unwilling to recognize that our country was built on the genocide of Native Americans and on the labor of racial slavery.
Meredith Walker	Truth is important. All cultures and perspectives need to be represented and people need to know all parts of history not the just good parts.
Sean Russell	We have a moral obligation to tell the WHOLE story.
Candace Moulton	“no comment”
Gregory Giorgio	We, the undersigned educators, refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events — regardless of the law.
Joanna Preucel	Accuracy in teaching our history matters in understanding of the very real issues of today