The War Over History Education is a Manufactured Crisis

An opinion column that appeared in The New York Times yesterday by Jessica Gross adds evidence to what many of us have long suspected about the ongoing war over history education. It’s a completely manufactured crisis instigated by Republican politicians and their allies.

I would have thought that the latest numbers about parental satisfaction might be lower because of all the pandemic-related chaos. But according to Gallup, which has tracked school satisfaction annually since 1999, in 2021, “73 percent of parents of school-aged children say they are satisfied with the quality of education their oldest child is receiving.” More parents were satisfied in 2021 than they were in 2013 and 2002, when satisfaction dipped into the 60s, and in 2019, we were at a high point in satisfaction — 82 percent — before the Covid pandemic dealt schools a major blow.

The sudden focus on Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project, the rush to storm local school board meetings, and the fact that the legislation that has passed or is under consideration in many states, re: how history is taught, all suggest that this supposed crisis ought to be understood as the product of a fear campaign led by Republicans to rally their base.

Source: The Hill

History is also instructive here. As historian Adam Laats and others have shown, this current battle over history education is nothing new.

I would like to see investigative reporting that looks into some of the more high-profile counties in which this debate has surfaced, such as Loudoun County, Virginia. What percentage of parents initiated contact with teachers over the past ten years out of concern over what is being taught in the classroom? How many formal complaints were made specifically in reference to history? What percentage of parents, who have spoken out in public over the past few years, have ever contacted a teacher to discuss classroom practices?

This may be a surprise to some people, but school districts review their teachers’ progress and conduct on a regular basis. They impose disciplinary measures when necessary.

Parents have every right to ask questions, express concern, and even outrage when warranted. Most teachers that I know welcome this kind of outreach from parents. The data provided in recent polls referenced in the above piece suggest that not only are parents satisfied with the quality of education their children are receiving, but that most parents are reasonable and supportive of teachers.

My experience teaching in a private school over the past two decades is ceratinly not representative of my public school colleagues, but I suspect there is some overlap. Teaching at an expensive private schools shapes the parent-teacher relationship in any number of ways, but it most certainly means that the level of what parents expect from teachers is heightened.

But during my time in the classroom, other than the annual parent-teacher meetings at the beginning of the year, my one-on-one meetings with parents were rare. Even at elite private schools, in many families both parents work. Many parents simply don’t have enough time during the day to initiate contact. And even when they did occur, I found parents to be reasonable and ready to partner to help their children.

As for parents who expressed concern with what I was teaching specifically in my history classes, those meetings I can count on one hand. I remember one meeting in particular with a very conservative parent who expressed concern over my use of Eric Foner’s textbook, Give Me Liberty!, which I used in my AP United States History course. We ended up having a wonderful conversation about history and education and though we didn’t end up agreeing on everything, he understood and respected my decision to use the book.

Like I said, I suspect that most parents respect teachers and see them as allies in the raising of their children. The problem is that these parents are not speaking out. Their failure to do so, either because they are not aware of what is taking place or are apathetic, has helped to nurture an environment where the the loudest and most committed voices hold sway.

The result is legislation that has seriously hampered the ability of teachers to teach, but it also has taken a psychological toll. Between the Covid pandemic and being cast as subversive, teachers are burned out. We are likely going to see a steady stream of teachers leaving the profession with even fewer considering a career in education.

At some point, the question won’t be what is being taught, but who, if anyone, is going to teach.