Controversial Critical Race Theory pledged to be taught by 5 more Burlingame teachers in week ending March 12

By San Mateo Sun

Mar 17, 2022

Critical Race Theory will be taught by five more teachers in Burlingame, 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 Burlingame 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 Burlingame teachers included “I refuse to lie to my students about history. Our students deserve to hear about and discuss not only the "good", but also the tough and uncomfortable parts of our US history. How else are we going to work on fostering critical and analytical thinkers?” and “I love and respect my students. They deserve to learn the truth in school!”.

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 Burlingame who’ve pledged to teach Critical Race Theory

Teachers	Thoughts on Critical Race Theory
Claudia Flores	I believe in removing the romanticized version of U.S. history when teaching children. Lifting the veil to show, analyze and discuss U.S. history and it’s treatment of indigenous first people, enslaved people and any “othering” of people of color can shed insight into how those in power continued to pass off this “legacy” and how we can today, learn from those mistakes, acknowledging that our country is not perfect and continues to be a work in progress.
Sam Demuro	Teaching the TRUTH is necessary.
Susan Frankel	If we lie to our students, why should they trust anything we say?
Jessica Lawson	I love and respect my students. They deserve to learn the truth in school!
Akeem Layne	“no comment”
Aaron Whitmore	“no comment”
Akemi Kashiwada	even though I'm two generations removed from the members of my family that were forced into the Japanese internment camps, it still affects my life, and I want my children to understand that as well.
Jessica Quan Crabtree	I refuse to lie to my students about history. Our students deserve to hear about and discuss not only the "good", but also the tough and uncomfortable parts of our US history. How else are we going to work on fostering critical and analytical thinkers?