Milwaukee City Wire

There were no new teachers in Milwaukee who signed the pledge on March 7, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.

The pledge was signed by no teachers on March 6, the day before. It now has 94 pledges from Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee teachers included, "I am signing this petition because I believe my students need to know our whole history, and specifically how history has been written and controlled by hetero-white males and how they want us to view history through a whitewashed lens that does not honor all genders and cultures, particularly those who are marginalized by our society and have been since the birth of this nation" and "The truth needs to be acknowledged and taught".

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
Aaron Young	the truth matters.
Aj Craig-Salmon	We can not expect children to grow up to be responsible, critical thinkers, and leaders if we do not teach them their history honestly and openly. Beyond the truth of George Santayana’s famous quote about ignoring history, why would we ever want to teach our children that lying and hiding the truth and reality are not only appropriate behaviors, but are what we as a society value?
Alaura Cook	No comment
Alyssa Molinski	No comment
Amber Thornton	If we don’t teach our youth the true history, we are destined to repeat it. Our students deserve to know accurate history, not a censored version like something from a dystopian novel.
Amina Ishaq	Young people deserve to understand the context of their lives in a full and accurate way, rather than being subjected to empty propaganda. Teachers should not be muzzled and prevented from supporting our students' need for context and criticality.
Areli Gomez	history has affects on the present day. It is important to teach about the past and how it affects our world today. This will create more understanding for all people.
Ashley Leverenz	No comment
Basimah Abdullah	Lies are for cowards. Teachers are not cowards.
Bradley Cramer	I'm going to continue to teach what I've always taught: history from the perspective of workers.
Brenda Jones	No comment
Brett Bartel	No comment
Caitlin Ceballos	The truth will set you free.
Caryl Davis	It’s time that adults come to terms with the world that we’ve created for children and youth. It’s time to right wrongs, to face our biases, and to speak truth to power. We can’t claim to love young scholars while continuing to lie to them about our complicity in designing exclusionary systems that benefit some and disenfranchise others. The time is now!
Chloe Croke	I believe in teaching the truth!
Christine Turner	Age appropriate authentic history is enriching, evocative, and will help prevent history from repeating itself.
Claire Weissenfluh	The truth should not be censored.
Dan Kartz	Real history needs to be taught.
Danah Opland-Dobs	No comment
Dani Graf	No comment
Dani Graf	The truth needs to be acknowledged and taught.
Dominic Inouye	No comment
Doug Singsen	No comment
Ebony Davis	I believe in teaching the truth.
Eirka Siemsen	No comment
Elizabeth Sanders	This is how we heal and how we move forward as a better society.
Elizabeth Zizzo	You can not deny our history.
Erika Kluhsman	No comment
Erin McCarthy	The existence of structural racism is not an opinion.The success of communities & individuals of color and all groups sidelined to the margins of history for centuries, despite every political, economic, cultural, and social obstacle possible, makes American history captivating. I'll keep teaching it.
Francesca Ferraro	No comment
Gina Dacquisto	I don’t lie to my students
Gina Dacquisto	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.
Gina Jorgensen	Have we not done enough damage? It is time the truth is taught.
Gretchen Kapperman	My students deserve to learn the truth about the history and the current structures of the United States.
Hannah Lippstreuer	Especially as a history teacher, I'd rather be fired than lie to young adults about the reality of the past and present. They deserve to know the ENTIRE narrative of the U.S. from all perspectives.
Hannah Matti	No comment
Heather Hathaway	I am signing my name because telling the truths of history is not an ideological, but rather an ethical, enterprise.
Heather Plucinski	No comment
Jayne Korotev	Our students need to know the truth in order to make the necessary changes our country needs to become tolerant and accepting.
Jeff Hannan	No comment
Jendayi Mbalia	No comment
Jennifer Engel	teaching the truth empowers my students.
Jennifer Funk-Collins	I am signing this petition because I believe my students need to know our whole history, and specifically how history has been written and controlled by hetero-white males and how they want us to view history through a whitewashed lens that does not honor all genders and cultures, particularly those who are marginalized by our society and have been since the birth of this nation.
Jennifer Glueckert	children deserve to know the truth.
Jennifer Poethig	I believe our students need to know truths from what was "TAUGHT" in schools in prior years.
Jocelyn Fait	No comment
John Dupies	No comment
John Hegelmeyer	No comment
Jolene Chartier	No comment
Josh Anderson	No comment
Joyce Cable	The history of our country has been written by white, mostly males and consequentially is incomplete. Women and BIPOC individuals have been left out of our history. All people, including children need to read and learn about our past and see themselves reflected in those people. The full picture, the truth, will help everyone be included in the work of a society and community and be the best we can all be.
Julie Hapeman	No comment
Kate Dubinski	It is important to be inclusive as we teach the truth from multiple perspectives.
Katherine Laritson	We’ve been lied to by our government far too long! We murdered millions of Native Americans and you want to continue to LIE about how badly we’ve treated our black brothers & sisters? I don’t think so! We might as well start loving one an another to get to work to save our PLANET! There’s no time for bullshit!
Kathy Xiong	Teaching the truth about the history of our country makes us stronger as a nation. Knowledge is empowering. Our students deserve the truth, they are our future. If we want to do better, we must start with honesty no matter how ugly that truth might be.
Katie Oglesby	The truth needs to be told! Historical inaccuracies being taught to our children, my child, make them believe in an America that doesn't exist for some marginalized groups of people who are American citizens. We need to share the truth with children who have the ability to change the systems in the future so all people have the same rights to resources, services and education as one another. They can't and won't change anything if they believe in the fairytale of a fair and equal America being pushed on them through the current history being taught in classroom.
Kayla Schwartz	In order to see a future for everyone we must stop whitewashing history. We are not our past but we can change the future.
Keane Burkett	I am signing because I’m done with ignoring the truth about our history.
Kelly Di Giacinto	Young people need to be taught to identify the oppressive structures that are poisoning the heart of our nation. As they are the one’s that will tear them down.
Kelsey Kasik	No comment
Kimberly Evans-Green	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.
Kimberly Isberner	No comment
Laura Blanco	This matters.
Laura Geibel	My students can only change the system if they understand how it came to exist; my students deserve better; we need to honor our cultural differences and to accept them and each other— just because a white student is made uncomfortable by a discussion doesn’t mean the discussion/debate should not happen in a classroom— we don’t selectively get to choose the white man’s version of history and reality!
Lauren Thompson	Discussions of race and sex are important to student development. They see and hear and live things that they have questions and concerns about. I shouldn’t be restricted from having open and honest conversations with them about things that matter; it will inhibit relationship development and trust within my classroom.
Laurie Stilin	The future of our country depends on teaching all aspects of it's history, even those of which we are ashamed (or should be). If our children, including mine, don't learn the truth about our history they are doomed to repeat it as they grow to be the next generation of leaders and citizens. Whitewashing history is dangerous. If people do not have all the facts they cannot make intelligent, informed choices about their actions. Children will be raised to believe that racism is the status quo and is acceptable. The fight for equality will take several steps back. This is unacceptable.
Leland Pan	No comment
Levi Douglas	We as a people cannot progress without recognizing and understanding the mistakes of our past.
Lisa Waszak	All children need to hear the truth. We need to end systemic racism, not perpetuate it.
Lisza Johnson	No comment
Lori Lewis	the TRUTH shall set us FREE!!
Lorinda Flores	I am committed to teaching the truth and for making sure that my young students receive age-appropriate historical education so that they can learn from past mistakes and past successes.
Mandilyn Veeder	No comment
Margaret Schmidt	We must teach the truth. Only then can we begin to heal.
Maria Alvarado	No comment
Marsha Kroeger	As a Black educator, mother and grandmother, I'm angered that this country has not been honest about how it has treated people of color. I want all students to know the truth.
May Paw	No comment
Melissa Gibson	No comment
Melissa Santa-Cruz	No comment
Melissa Temke	It’s the right thing to do.
Mike Van Pelt	Once again. If you don't learn the past, how can you improve the future?
Minnie Cross	ALL STUDENTS NOT JUST OUR BLACK STUDENTS NEEDS TO KNOW THE TURTH, ALL EDUCATOR SHOULD WANT TO TEACHER THE TURTH WHATEVER YOU DO LET IT BE DONE OUT OF LOVE AND NOT FALSE WORDS
Molly Tennessen	Without learning and teaching the truth we further traumatize individuals whose place in life has been impacted by oppressive conditions. We owe students the truth so that we can begin the healing process rather than continue to perpetuate harm.
Nancy Hoeffel	Learning about the past and learning from the past is how we make a better future. And why would I ever lie to my students?!
Nicholas Gerard-Larson	history is messy, conflicted, contested, overwhelming, and enlightening. We cannot learn from, nor properly remember or rectify, the past without understanding all its truths: the glories, the blemishes, the heartbreak, the solidarity, the triumphs, and the setbacks. To talk about American history honestly is to talk about race and power.
Patricia Kemp	Equity is denied when we ignore our history for the sake of protecting some while allowing children of color to continue to live within the oppression that has yet to cease.
Roxanne Ciatti	I believe in the truth.
Sharon Hegwood	I feel that the time has come when black children and all children need to know their true history and that the world is made up of people of all backgrounds and no one should be excluded.
Stephanie Snyder	Students cannot grow up and make informed decisions for themselves and society, if they have been enshrined in lies and myths. Especially when those lies and myths are designed to keep others from benefitting from the living in this country. Students deserve to know the truth.
Theresa Lehner	No comment
Thor Templin	Truth is truth and has no limits.
Tiffany Henderson	I believe in the work being done .
Tracey Watford	I am signing my name because I believe that ALL of our country's history should be studied, taught and understood so that we do not repeat the same mistakes and are able to heal the hurts, harms and traumas the actions and systems set forth during this history created.
William Sell	The fight against antiracism is a fraud. It's quite like fighting sunshine.