Thousands of teachers are expected to gather in more than 115 cities starting Friday as part of a nationwide “teach truth” protest against anti-critical race theory legislation being proposed by state lawmakers.
In Philadelphia, teachers, students, parents, and other activists will be gathering at the President’s House, which was occupied by George Washington from 1790 to 1797, to tell stories about the slaves he owned and how they played a role in the creation of the nation. Washington kept nine slaves in the executive mansion. By the time of his death, he had more than 100 slaves.
In Manhattan, supporters will meet Friday afternoon at the New York Slave Market, which was established in 1711 and in use until 1762. Slave owners who wanted to hire out their workers as day laborers did so from that location. In 1762, it was renamed the Meal Market because corn, grain, and meal, were also exclusively traded from the location.
In Kansas City, Missouri, demonstrators will march Saturday from Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, one of the first schools for black students, to the Black Archives of Mid-America, a museum that has been described as “a living catalyst for black art, history, and culture in the region.”
PROVING CRITICAL RACE THEORY ISN’T CRITICAL
The “Days of Action” protest, which runs from Aug. 27 to Aug. 29, is part of the Teach Truth pledge that has been signed by more than 6,600 teachers.
It reads: “We, the undersigned educators, refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events.”
The protests are a response to lawmakers in at least 27 states introducing or implementing legislation that would require history teachers to skip lessons on the role of racism and oppression in the United States, ABC News reported.
“It’s really important as educators that we don’t allow these bills to put us on the defensive, and instead we use the opportunity to take these actions to highlight the racist path of our country, of our states, of our cities, that needs to be reckoned with,” Philadelphia history teacher Adam Sanchez said.
Protests over legislation will be held from coast to coast, as well as in Anchorage, Alaska.
The texts of anti-critical race theory bills making their way through several state legislatures are almost identical and prohibit teaching that “one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.”
It also handcuffs teachers from claiming “an individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.” Educators are also forbidden from teaching that the country is fundamentally racist or sexist.
Critical race theory is the latest front in the culture war over how students should be taught U.S. history. Though its roots date back to the early 1970s, it has become a modern-day flashpoint that has jumped from classrooms into politics.
Critical race theory is a broad set of ideas about systemic bias and racism in U.S. history. It argues that the legacy of white supremacy remains embedded in society through laws and institutions.
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Supporters believe the law has preserved the unequal treatment of people based on race. Opponents argue that because the theory focuses on race, the approach itself is racist. Others claim it paints a negative picture of the U.S. and is designed to make white children feel bad about their country.
The debate over it heated up after former President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning federal contractors from conducting diversity training that drew on “race-based ideologies,” such as critical race theory. Trump then accused schools that teach students about slavery of spreading “hateful lies” and insulting the country’s Founding Fathers.
Since then, parents have shown up at school board meetings across the country, demanding their children not be taught anything remotely having to do with critical race theory. They’ve also bombarded local lawmakers and have held their fair share of protests.
