On June 12, in more than two dozen cities and towns across the United States, thousands of educators took to the streets to oppose the Republican-led drive to ban the teaching of “critical race theory.”
As of mid-July, twenty-six states have proposed or passed legislation that limits how teachers can discuss racism or sexism in public schools. While it’s unclear what the impact of these bills will be, at the end of each rally, the protesters signed a pledge that they “refuse to lie to young people about U.S. history and current events—regardless of the law.”
The demonstrations, collectively named the #TeachTruth Day of Action, were organized by the Zinn Education Project and Black Lives Matter at School. Here are a selection of photos from rallies in Wisconsin, Tennessee, Texas, and elsewhere.
Sequanna Taylor, vice president of the Milwaukee School Board, emcees a rally against Republican legislation in Wisconsin that, if passed, would prohibit anti-racist or anti-sexist teaching and curriculum. (Photo by Barbara Miner.)
More than fifty students and educators gathered at historic sites in Memphis, Tennessee, such as the National Civil Rights Museum. In May, Tennessee became one of the first states to pass legislation banning teachers from discussing race and racism in classrooms. (Photo by Eddie Walsh / Alex Iberg.)
Educator Jennifer Lee, speaking at the Day of Action rally in Belton, Texas, called the state’s anti-critical race theory bill, which passed in June, a “love letter to white supremacy.” (Photo by Jason Deckman.)
Educators in Waterloo, Iowa, demonstrated against a law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds that outlawed the teaching of so-called “divisive concepts,” including that systemic racism exists in Iowa or the United States as a whole. The speaker is Schnique Williams Rembert. (Photo by Anne Phillips.)
Educators in Washington, D.C., held their rally in front of the African American Civil War Memorial. (Photo by Marco A. Esparza.)
The Day of Action protest in Concord, New Hampshire, arose in response to an anti-critical race theory bill that was proposed by state Republicans in April. (Photo by Troy Cromwell.)
“Racism is a complex issue,” said one educator in Portland, Oregon. “It requires digging, it requires an inquisitive mind.” (Photo by David Worthington.)