In responding to Kenneth Bach’s letter “Teachers’ politics have no place in schools” (Aug. 12, TribLIVE), I address two items.
First, Bach references letter-writer Shaun Rinier’s assertion that the teaching of critical race theory is the result of political discussions within teachers unions (“Teaching critical race theory an issue for local districts, not NEA,” July 19, TribLIVE). Everyone is misunderstanding what CRT is. It is not new. According to Education Weekly, “Critical race theory is an academic concept that is more than 40 years old. The core idea is that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies.” CRT is simply history as it truly was, not whitewashed.
Second, I am appalled that Bach, who has sat on a school board, would suggest the dissolution of the pension system. Does he not realize that current educators pay the pensions of retired educators? If the pension was liquidated and the funds disbursed to existing teachers, what happens to retirees? Is their income going to magically be replaced? Bach should be well aware of the fact that the pension system is in jeopardy because both the Legislature and school districts took a holiday from paying into the system, while educators continued to pay their part. Once again, politics does play a part in our education system.
Bottom line: We need to teach history factually, not as we would like it to be, and we need to continue to fund the pension system that has been the promise to our educators.
Carol Mintus
Hempfield