4 new teachers in Syracuse pledge to teach controversial Critical Race Theory in week ending March 12

By Syracuse Sun

Mar 21, 2022

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

No new teachers sign the pledge the week before. It now has nine pledges from Syracuse 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 Syracuse teachers included “I won't be complicit” and “Suppressing the truth about history is a form of violence -- typically, against non-white people, women, poor and working people, non-heterosexual, non-cisgender people and more. Symbolic violence that often re/turns to physical violence and a reinforcement of multiple forms of Supremacy.”.

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 Syracuse who’ve pledged to teach Critical Race Theory

Teachers	Thoughts on Critical Race Theory
Carol Weatherby	We can--no, we MUST-- do better!
Connie Myers	“no comment”
Stephanie Leaf	The only way to make change is to stop the whitewashing. We need to teach the truth to learn from our mistakes.
Maureen Curtin	“no comment”
Jessica Cuello	“no comment”
Patricia Mullaney	I believe that our students have the capability of handling hard history. They deserve to hear about the struggles as well as the triumphs.
Noelle Files	I won't be complicit
Gemma Cooper-Novack	I will guide my students to teach towards greater justice by engaging with the truth in its multiple and essential dimensions.
Cecilia Green	Suppressing the truth about history is a form of violence -- typically, against non-white people, women, poor and working people, non-heterosexual, non-cisgender people and more. Symbolic violence that often re/turns to physical violence and a reinforcement of multiple forms of Supremacy.