Signatures
This is the list of people who have signed the pledge or petition to date.
N/A N/A | Stillwater, OK
Teach those kids how evil Democrats are who started the KKK who lynched blacks, murdered black babies, and support endless wars that enrich politicians. Teach them how Democrats want to segregate our society and are bigoted.
Ellen DeVoe | Boston, MA
Dawn Belkin Martinez | Jamaica Plain, MA
Teaching the truth is one way to get us to a world with justice and peace
Marea Sharpe | San Diego, CA
Our students deserve the truth.
Elisa Gall | Evanston, IL
Ida B. Wells-Barnett wrote, "The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” I can't live my values as a teacher and librarian and lie to children. It's that simple. Facing history, understanding the present, and working to challenge oppression is not always easy, but it can be empowering when the learning community comes together in collective care, support, and change-making.
Marissa Roque | Somerville, MA
Teaching about the history of our country is our job. This history cannot be taught without an understanding of race and it’s impact on people today.
Maria Andersen | Oldsmar, FL
I had to attend Equity training last week. It was called "Equity With Excellence for All" This training was mandatory in all of the Pinellas County Schools in Pinellas County Florida.
John Ward | Cedar Bluff, VA
Teaching the truth should be our biggest priority. One can teach the truth about America's ugly past with racism, sexism, and classism and still have love for the nation and hope that one day we'll overcome those obstacles for good.
Tracey Marchyok | Ann Arbor, MI
Phillipe Copeland | Roslindale, MA
None of this is about a theory or a publication about slavery. It's about spreading disinformation and mandating miseducation. These are crimes against the mind.
Andrew Stover | Youngsville, NC
I want to be on the right side of history. I want to nudge society toward equality. I want to recognize and repair my own biases and watch future generations soar because of my small part. I want to do right!
Gustav Roman | Chicago, IL
Engaging students in critical discussions of power, oppression, resilience and resistance are vital to understanding the truth and empower students to make this country and world a better place.
Gina DacQuisto | Milwaukee, WI
My students aren’t studying complex historical events, but they definitely want to know about justice, bias and race. I pledge to empower my students by teaching the truth, answering their questions and encouraging conversations.
David Jones | Eau Claire, WI
Banning whole concepts from being taught in the classroom is not an acceptable policy. This legislation shows outright disrespect for a vast body of scholarship on race and racism. The vagueness of the language and the lack of any consultation with expertise in the relevant fields shows that these bans of "divisive concepts" are autocratic, the very opposite of inclusion. Thank you for bringing this petition forward.
Nina Hike | Chicago, IL
Students should be taught about Black scientists like Charles Drew and Percy L. Julian in their rightful place as contributors to the scientific community understanding and using their techniques not just during BHM.
Aaron Meyer | Chicago, IL
I believe it is vital we teach our students anti-racist curricula. Our students shape our future. We must teach them all U.S. history and current events in order to build a better world that truly cares and supports each other. #CTUTeachTruth
Vanessa Winn | West Chester, OH
Elizabeth Robbins | Chicago, IL
Anna Acosta | Chicago, IL
I am committed to teach anti-racist curriculum including but limited to teaching about the Black Panther Party, the Chicano movement movement , Rainbow Coalition.
Ronnie Reese | Chicago, IL
I have Black children, and what they learn about their history and their *selves* is important.
Silvia Gonzalez | Chicago, IL
SARAH ROBINSON | Torrance, CA
Our students deserve to be presented with the full scope of American history in order to become productive members of our society. Only when they know where we have come from can they picture where we are going.
Kimberly Evans-Green | Milwaukee, WI
I believe that all students need to learn about their history past & present. It is important that we respectfully teach our students about what our ancestors went through and what we as a community is going through today.
Kyle Francis | Durham, NC
We don't hate or despise the US. We are acknowledging the shortcomings of our nation, so that our youth can create a more perfect union going forward.
Selected Pledges
Click on pledge below to read many more.
As an educator who is serious about teaching the truth I will not be bullied into silence. I will do my part in the fight for equity and equality by making sure my students are most equipped to fight this ugliness in the real world.
Yes, the truth of American history needs to be taught, but also its impact on the rest of the world, such as its role in WWII. I just finished teaching a college-level course on the Holocaust, and could not believe how little the students knew about the rest of the world’s participation in the war! They seemed to believe that WWII was ended by the US alone!
“When you begin to do things that raise the achievement of the poorest and disenfranchised students, you may not always get applause. You need to be ready for that.” Dr. Asa Hilliard
“Resistance is a powerful motivator precisely because it enables us to fulfill our longing to achieve our goals while letting us boldly recognize and name the obstacles to those achievements.”
Dr. Derrick Bell
Our young people deserve the truth and it is our kuleana (responsibility) to give space and opportunity for the truth and the difficult conversations.
If we don’t teach it all, we teach nothing…
Social justice is a major theme of my Humanities 7 course, and my school uses Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s HILL framework (development of identity, skills, knowledge, Criticality) to frame our entire curriculum. Student agency through research work and essay writing, and action-oriented civic engagement work, define what we “cover” in my course.